Rowan’s POV

The sterile, cold air of the hospital clung to me like a second skin as I paced outside Sia’s room. Every time the door opened, I half expected to be told something worse, something devastating. The smell of antiseptic, the quiet hum of machines, the occasional muttered conversation of nurses passing by—all of it wrapped around me like a suffocating blanket. It had been hours since I’d last spoken to Dr. Frank, and the waiting was tearing me apart from the inside.

When he finally emerged, his face was neutral, too neutral, which only made my stomach clench tighter. I stood from my seat, my heart pounding in...