Doctor Harn leaned back in his chair, flipping through a few papers before sliding them into a folder. His voice was calm, steady. “For the neurologist, I’ll reach out myself and give him her details. You don’t need to worry about that.”John and Eveyln both nodded, a thin thread of relief crossing their faces.Harn pushed to his feet, smoothing the front of his coat. They rose with him, and John quickly extended his hand. The doctor shook it firmly, his gaze steady.“She might also need a few sessions with a psychiatrist,” Harn added, glancing at Eveyln.Eveyln tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and gave a small nod, her lips pressed tight.John exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. “But how long before we start seeing results?” His tone carried the weight of worry, heavier than his words.“That depends on how she responds,” Harn said, adjusting his glasses with a quiet patience. “Maybe six months, maybe sooner. It really comes down to her.”“Six months…” Eveyln breathed, her ch
Mimi didn’t bother answering her question. She just watched her pick up a call, voice sharp and hurried, before she left the room in a rush. The silence pressed in, and Mimi’s thoughts scattered until she found herself at the hospital, sitting stiffly by her son’s bedside, her heart pounding with every beep of the monitor.The doctor’s words still echoed in her ears, “He’s slowly improving in his health.”Relief washed through her chest, her lips breaking into a faint smile. She reached for his small hand, her fingers trembling as they wrapped around his. Lowering her head, she pressed a soft kiss on his knuckles, whispering against his skin like a prayer she was afraid to say out loud. “I love you, darling,” she whispered, careful not to disturb his sleep. Her voice barely brushed the quiet, softer than the hum of the machines around him.Her gaze lingered on his face, and her chest tightened. Every curve, every line—it was Solomon staring back at her. The same jaw, the same lashes,
Mimi’s chest thudded so hard she thought her heart might leap out. No matter how much she shook her head, she couldn’t push away his words, the way he’d confessed still clung to her like smoke, heavy and impossible to escape. She pressed her lips together, trying to will it all away, but his voice kept echoing.“Mimi!”She jolted, shoulders snapping up, and spun toward the doorway. Rain stood there, arms folded tight across her chest, head shaking with clear disappointment.Mimi’s throat went dry. “H-how long have you been standing there?” she asked, her voice trembling as Rain stepped into the room and crossed to the bed, sitting down with a heavy sigh.“As long as I’ve been watching you shake your head and act strange,” Rain said, tilting her head as her eyes searched Mimi’s face. “What’s the problem?”Mimi looked away, chewing on her lip. Rain wasn’t just anyone. Ever since Evelyn left to search for Bea, the two of them had grown close. Rain had that easy kind of charm like she cou
Of course Bea had to slip out, leaving the two of them alone. Mimi didn’t regret a single word she had thrown—if anything, the silence only hardened her resolve. She rolled her eyes and turned to leave, but before she could take a step, Solomon moved, planting himself right in front of her.She shifted to the side, ready to slip past him, but he mirrored her step, blocking her again. She tried the other way—same thing. He wasn’t letting her through.“I’m… I’m quitting working with John,” he said suddenly, his voice low and unsteady.Mimi froze. That alone stopped her from shoving him aside, because the thought of John had been burning at the back of her mind.A bitter scoff slipped from her lips as she crossed her arms tight against her chest. Her eyes locked on his, sharp and unforgiving.“So?” she shot back, her tone laced with venom. “Is that supposed to make me feel better?”She asked the question, and he slowly shook his head.“You won’t have to bother seeing me around this place
Mimi’s hands froze in the soapy water, a plate slipping back into the sink with a dull splash. Her thoughts tangled, pulling her under. Why had Evelyn suddenly changed like this?She used to be the only one who stood firm, the one who almost got him fired after what he did, the one who swore Mimi would never have to face him again. Mimi had believed her, etched those words into her mind as truth.But now Evelyn was softening, changing her tune, asking her to talk to him?Mimi’s jaw clenched. Heat pricked her chest as she grabbed the sponge and scrubbed harder, suds flying, the squeak of porcelain sharp in the quiet kitchen. She didn’t want to remember that day. The weight of it pressed against her ribs, the most crushing memory she carried.Her breath left in a sharp hiss. “How the hell did that bastard get into her head?” she muttered, her voice low and raw. She scrubbed faster, her hands red from the hot water. “Did he lie to her? Twist her? Manipulate her like the snake he is?”A s
EVEYLNI didn’t know why, but the teacher’s words left a knot in my stomach. There was no way that could be true. How was that even possible?“Babe!” John’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts, and I jolted upright in the passenger seat. He was beside me in the car, phone in hand, eyes wide.“Do you see the news? They—” He shoved the screen closer to me. “They exposed Giovanni. Just like that.”“Yeah, I saw it,” I said flatly.He blinked at me, clearly expecting a different reaction. His gaze searched mine, confusion written all over his face. I let out a long sigh and looked away, pressing my palms against my knees.“What’s wrong?” he asked softly. “Is it… what the teacher said about that girl?”“Isn’t it weird?” I whispered, dragging a hand through my hair. “Harry swears he sees her, but the teacher says she doesn’t exist. How is that possible? What if… what if he’s hallucinating or something?”I leaned back against the seat, closing my eyes for a moment as the weight of it all pres