Hailey sat at Aiden's bedside in the hospital, gently peeling grapes and placing them one by one into his small hand. His cheeks had begun to fill out again, his arms less frail than they were just weeks ago. But Dr. Phil had yet to approve his discharge. His recovery, while promising, was still frustratingly slow.
"Mum, I want to go home with you," Aiden said, his soft voice cutting through the stillness of the room.
Hailey's heart clenched. She looked over at Julia, who sat quietly in the corner, flipping through a children's storybook. The older woman lifted her head slowly, her gaze steady—reminding Hailey without a word that she still hadn't told Aiden the truth. About Blake. About Killian. About how everything in their world had shifted.
"You will, baby," Hailey said with a gentle smile. "But the doctor says you need to rest a little more before you can come home."
