The pediatric cardiology wing of St. Jude’s was painted in soft, unthreatening pastels, but to Clara Vance, the walls felt like they were closing in. The steady, rhythmic beep of the heart monitor was the only anchor keeping her tethered to reality.

Toby sat in the center of the oversized hospital

"The surgery was a complete success," Dr. Evans said, his tired eyes crinkling at the corners. "The graft held perfectly, and his heart rhythm is as steady as a drum. He's in recovery now. It'll be a few hours before he wakes up, but he did brilliantly, Mrs. Vance."

Clara couldn't breathe. The mass

Julian didn't know how long he walked. His expensive leather shoes were ruined, his feet blistered and numb from the cold. By the time he reached the upscale, gated apartment complex where Serena lived, the sun was beginning to set, casting long, mocking shadows across the manicured lawns.

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