Maya's POV
The hospital's harsh fluorescent lights cast everything in a sickly pale glow that seemed to leach the warmth from the walls. I made my way through the antiseptic corridors clutching a small insulated bag, the weight of the thermos inside heavier than it should have been.
The time since watching the paramedics drive away felt like a strange dream. After the initial panic subsided, something inside me had shifted into motion. I'd contacted the hospital, confirmed Arthur's admission, and realized that pacing the empty mansion would serve no purpose except to drive me mad with worry.
The receptionist directed me to the cardiac unit's waiting area, where I spotted Sebastian immediately. He sat hunched forward in one of those uncomfortable plastic chairs, his face buried in his hands, fingers tangled in hair that had lost all semblance of its usual perfect styling. His expensive suit looked like he'd slept in it, his tie nowhere to be seen, shirt collar hanging open.
