I stumbled, struggling to keep my composure. Just then, the hospital room door swung open.

Inside, Claire was casually leaning against the hospital bed, looking perfectly fine. How could this be an emergency?

"Oh, so you finally decided to show up!" Mom snapped the moment when she saw me, her face darkening, "I texted and called you a hundred times, and you ignored me. What are you trying to do—disown your own mother?"

"Mom, didn't you say something happened to Claire? ...