Giovanni’s POV

The room smelled faintly of antiseptic and lavender air freshener—clean, quiet, yet heavy with tension. My palms were clammy as I sat across from the doctor, the hum of the fluorescent light above us buzzing faintly in the background. Mia sat beside me, her hand resting gently on mine.

The doctor cleared his throat, adjusting his glasses as he studied my file. “Miss Scofield,” he began cautiously, “I just want to make sure we’re on the same page. You’re saying you ...