Dora turned to the side and caught sight of Dante, who had been standing silently by the car, watching her. His expression was unreadable—no anger, no concern, no hint of emotion at all. It was almost as if he existed outside the chaos of what had just taken place.
"I'll head to the hospital," Dora said immediately after settling into her seat. The words left her mouth before she even thought them through. Dante moved in without a word, closing the car door as he sat beside her.
"It's the right thing to do," she added after a pause, her tone brittle and uncertain—as though she were trying to convince herself more than him.
Outside the window, the streets were illuminated by the glow of streetlights and the flash of headlights. The motorcade moved steadily, cars both in front and behind escorting them through the city. Dora's reflection on the window looked pale, distant, exhausted. Her thoughts drifted, her body slumping slightly as the tension finally began to ease.
