Ethan POV

The clock on the hospital wall ticked relentlessly, each second drilling into my skull like a hammer. 3:07 a.m. The hallway was quiet now, emptied of the chaos that had swallowed me hours earlier. Nurses’ shoes squeaked faintly on the linoleum floors; the scent of disinfectant hung heavy in the air. I sat in the waiting room, hands clasped, dripping jacket long since discarded, my clothes still damp from the storm.

I should leave.

That thought had been circling my head like ...