The silence in the hospital’s hallway was louder now.

Raina sat again, the fury she felt at seeing Jessica was now gone, it was replaced by a that suffocating feeling of dread and helplessness.

Jessica leaned against the wall, her arms folded but eyes nervously trained on the ICU doors. Margaret stood closest to them, unmoving, her posture unnaturally stiff.

Then the doors creaked open.

A doctor in blue scrubs stepped out, pulling down his surgical mask.

Margaret was the first to move. “Doctor?”

He nodded, his voice calm, clinical—but not without a human edge.

“Okay, we've done our final checks for today

He’s still stable for now. But still...