The hospital corridor stretched endlessly before her, the white lights flickering above like dying stars.
The smell of antiseptic burned her nose as machines beeped somewhere in the distance, their rhythm uneven and frightening.
"Mummy…"
The voice was weak, almost swallowed by the cold air.
Mia ran, her footsteps echoed loudly against the empty floor as panic tightened around her chest.
Every door she pushed open revealed another empty room… cold beds, silent monitors, sheets that looked as though someone had just been taken away.
"Brielle!" she cried.
At the end of the corridor, she finally saw her.
Brielle lay on a narrow hospital bed, small and fragile beneath the white blanket.
Tubes ran across her tiny arms while the heart monitor beside her gave a slow, uncertain beep.
Mia rushed forward, grabbing her daughter's hand.
"I'm here, baby… I'm here."
But Brielle's hand was cold.
The monitor suddenly screamed.
The long, piercing sound filled the room.
Doctors rushed past Mia like shadows, pushing her away while voices overlapped.
"Step aside!"
"We're losing her!"
"No pulse!"
Mia screamed her daughter's name, struggling against invisible hands that dragged her back…
Then everything went dark.
Mia woke drenched in sweat, her hair plastered across her face, lips trembling tremendously.
"Brielle… no, Brielle…" she muttered, her legs shaking violently.
She jolted upright, breath quickening.
Hot sweat dripped down her cheeks. Her hands reached for the switch and she turned on the light.
"It's only a dream… thank goodness it was a dream."
She threw the bedspread off her body and walked closer to the window.
It was still dark outside.
She was restless. The air offered no comfort as she paced around her small space.
Her thoughts returned to the card Sebastian had given her.
Her mind raced. Everything about Ethan scared her, even if she didn't want to admit it.
"What if he decides to end me if I don't comply? Those death glares make me shiver… his aura is dangerous," Mia soliloquized.
Still pacing, she stopped in front of the mirror.
Her reflection stared back at her.
She noticed she had lost weight.
She rubbed her puffy eyes, and a lens fell off, revealing a beautiful dark shade of green.
"Now my own eye colour looks strange to me," she said softly, smiling faintly.
"You are no longer the elegant poise Blair… you're now a surviving Mia."
She wore the lens back carefully.
Mia quickly did some house chores and dashed to the bathroom for a quick bath.
She got dressed as fast as she could and made something simple for herself to eat.
After eating, she dashed out of the house, almost colliding with Claire.
"I'm sorry," Mia apologized, bowing her head before rushing off.
Claire could only nod.
She boarded a taxi ASAP.
The moment she stepped into the hospital, the same familiar smell hit her nose.
It had become part of her now. She was no longer irritated by it.
She entered Brielle's ward. A nurse was checking on her.
"You're her guardian, right?" the nurse asked.
"Yes… yes," Mia replied, nodding repeatedly.
The nurse smiled lightly before leaving them alone.
Mia sat beside her.
Brielle looked thinner, her skin pale like a white sheet.
Mia took her small hand in hers.
Slowly, a fragile little voice barely reached her.
"Mum… my…" Brielle muttered weakly.
"Yes baby, I'm here," Mia replied with a trembling smile.
"When are we… leaving?" Brielle asked, her lashes moving slowly.
Mia struggled not to break into tears.
"Soon honey… we'll soon go home and you'll be able to play and take a long walk with Aunty Ann."
Her voice trembled slightly.
"Ok… mummy," Brielle murmured, her eyes slowly closing.
The tears Mia had been holding fell freely, each drop hitting the bed rail.
"I'm sorry, Brielle… I'm sorry for being a failure… for not being enough.
I never regretted being your mum… I'm tired too… I'm weak too…
It hurts deeply seeing you in this state… I'm sorry."
Her tears flowed as she rested her head on the bed rail.
While Mia fought to keep hope alive in the hospital…
Life in another part of the city continued in quiet luxury.
ETHAN'S PENTHOUSE
The kitchen inside the penthouse was immaculate.
A long marble island stretched across the center of the room, its polished surface reflecting the soft glow of the pendant lights hanging above.
Dark walnut cabinets lined the walls, blending seamlessly with sleek stainless-steel appliances that looked as though they had barely been touched.
Everything looked expensive, precise… controlled.
Ethan Blackwood stood near the island counter, his sleeves rolled slightly above his wrists as he prepared coffee.
His movements were slow and deliberate, as though even something as simple as pouring coffee required focus.
The rich aroma filled the kitchen as the machine hummed softly.
Across from him, Sebastian leaned lazily against the opposite side of the counter, one elbow resting on the marble while scrolling through his phone.
His posture was relaxed, completely at ease in the quiet luxury of the space.
"You know," Sebastian said after a moment, glancing around the enormous kitchen, "most CEOs at your level would have a chef doing this."
Ethan didn't look up. He poured the coffee into two dark ceramic cups before sliding one across the island toward him.
"Then maybe you should go work for them," he said.
Sebastian caught the cup with a small chuckle.
"Ah… but none of them are as entertaining as you."
He took a sip, nodding in approval.
Silence settled between them, broken only by the faint hum of the refrigerator.
Sebastian tapped the rim of his cup thoughtfully.
"My mother called this morning," he said.
Ethan leaned slightly against the counter, taking a slow sip.
"And?" he asked.
"She asked when I plan on settling down. Apparently my mates already have children running around the house."
"That sounds like a personal problem," Ethan said calmly.
Sebastian stared at him for a second before laughing quietly.
"You really have no sympathy for people, do you?" he asked sarcastically.
"I just don't see the problem," Ethan replied, placing his cup down.
"Of course you don't," Sebastian sighed dramatically.
"Well… she wished to see you," he added.
"We'll go see her soon," Ethan said shortly.
Sebastian nodded with a smile.
The mug teetered on the edge of the counter and fell.
The shatter echoed louder than usual, fragments of glass scattering across the floor.
Ethan's ears tingled, and he shut his eyes tightly. Fragments of buried memories surfaced.
"Dark room… cobwebs… crying sounds of a child…"
His blood seemed to freeze.
"Ethan? Ethan!" Sebastian called, breaking through the sudden silence.
"Y-yeah… I'm fine," he replied shortly, his voice tight.
"It's been a while since your last appointment with the doctor," Sebastian said gently, concern evident in his tone.
"No time for that now," Ethan managed, jaw tense.
_______
HOSPITAL – NIGHT
Mia rested her head beside the bed.
Aunty Ann had called earlier, though she had lied that everything was fine.
Her thoughts wandered even though her eyes were closed.
Suddenly the machine started beeping.
Mia jolted up.
Brielle's body was shaking as if she was having convulsions.
Mia's heart raced, dropping to her stomach.
With a loud scream she yelled,
"Doctor! Doctor!"
The doctors rushed in.
She watched helplessly as Brielle fought for her life.
Mia burst into tears.
One of the nurses led her outside.
She covered her mouth to prevent herself from screaming.
Leaning against the wall, she slowly slid down until sitting on the floor, legs sprawled before her.
She dipped her finger into her mouth and bit down hard, trying to suppress the pain tearing through her chest.
A feeling of abandonment crept into her heart.
She removed her almost-bleeding finger.
Her mind drifted back to the card.
With trembling fingers, she pulled the card from her pocket.
"I guess I have to go to hell to save her," she muttered.