Watching him fall asleep again, Miriam finally released the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.
She never let go of his hand.
Instead, she remained quietly seated beside the bed, a mother's silent vigil continuing long after her son had surrendered once more to sleep. For the first time in days, a small measure of relief settled over her weary heart. She truly believed that once Gerald and Gabriel returned with Cooper, everything would gradually return to the way it had always been.
She had no way of knowing that, while Ethan slept peacefully beneath the glow of the bedside lamp, the life they had all believed was waiting beyond the hospital walls had already begun to unravel beyond repair.
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ASHBOURNE CITY
After several hours on the road, the convoy finally arrived at the Ashbourne Estate.
