Luciana waited in the corridor.
Soon, Katie emerged with an empty thermos in hand.
She smiled at Luciana and stated, âLuciana, Mitchel ate everything.
He even said your cooking has improved.
â
âReally?â As Lucianaâs face lit up with joy, her wrinkles deepened, but somehow they only added to the warmth of her smile.
The past few years of marital discord and a distant son had aged Luciana significantly, stripping her of her once vibrant demeanor.
âOf course, I wouldnât lie to you,â Katie assured, her smile seemingly genuine.
When Luciana heard this, she felt a burst of happiness.
âMitchel always listens to you, Katie.
Was he in a good mood today? Can I go see him?â
In reality, Mitchelâs attitude toward Luciana wasnât as bad as it seemed.
Back then, Mitchel had been furious because Luciana held a funeral for Raegan at the riverbank.
Mitchel kept insisting over and over that Raegan was alive.
Afterward, Mitchel had a severe stress reaction that kept him hospitalized for weeks, and his condition remained unstable.
As time went on, the misunderstandings between Mitchel and Luciana deepened, often exacerbated by Katie who passed on news from one person to the other.
Luciana became frightened and uncertain of her place in Mitchelâs heart, so Katie persuaded Luciana to undergo psychological therapy.
âs BunnyBookery After the therapy, Lucianaâs self-esteem plummeted until she was second-guessing every decision.
She became dependent on Katieâs opinion and often sought Katieâs approval for everything, even when it came to seeing Mitchel.
If Katie said that it wasnât a good time, Luciana would agree without a fuss, afraid that she would upset Mitchel if she insisted on seeing him.
Luciana withdrew from worldly affairs, focusing on silently praying for Mitchel.
As Mitchelâs mother, the most important thing for her was Mitchelâs well-being and safety.
She would do anything to ensure that, even if it meant sacrificing everything else.
Katieâs eyes flickered as she said to Luciana, âLuciana, this is unfortunately not a good time.
Before I came out here, Mitchel told me he was feeling a little tiredâ¦â
Lucianaâs face fell and she wrung her hands together.
âThen next time,â she murmured in a low voice.
Katieâs phone rang at that very second.
Katie glanced at Luciana and said, âWait for me by the elevator.
I need to take this call.
â
Luciana nodded.
Katie walked over to a spot where Luciana couldnât see her to answer Abelâs call.
Luciana lingered by the elevator, her gaze aimlessly falling on the mirrored surface.
âDing.
â Suddenly, the elevator dinged open behind her.
Subconsciously, Luciana looked over and caught a glimpse of a girl hurrying past.
For a moment, Luciana felt as if she was struck by lightning because that girlâs side profile looked familiar.
She opened her mouth to call out the name on the tip of her tongue, only to shut it a moment later.
By the time she thought to follow, the girl had vanished.
Luciana stared at the hallway that led to Mitchelâs ward, a thoughtful.
expression on her face.
Mitchel was the only patient admitted on this entire floor.
Could that girl be Raegan?