Ava's POV

After a while, Holly’s breathing deepened, signaling that she had fallen back into a deeper sleep. I lingered a moment longer, fingers tracing the lines of her face as if to commit every detail to memory. “I’ll fix this,” I whispered, more to myself than to her. “I swear.”

Outside the room, I motioned for the head guard. “I need three of you stationed here at all times,” I instructed, my tone leaving no room for argument. “No one enters except her doctor and Nurse Dora. No exceptions.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he replied. I met his eyes, searching for any hint of hesitation, but found only grim determination. Good....