His Secret Heir In Her Arms

eavy blanket of ninety-degree humidity that smelled of exhaust fumes and stale asphalt

ss the concrete with a rhythmic, scra

racked phone screen. The estimated fare

for a second, trembling slightly, before she shoved

her mother's medication. It was not something she could spend on a car ride, n

toward th

the scent of pepperoni pizza and unwashed fabric. Ivana clutched her canvas tote bag

her hip. The screen lit u

ar had suddenly vanished. She answered, pressing the phone

she said. Her voice

ut she could hear the underlying urgency. "Her creatinine levels spiked an hour ago. We

I'm twenty

hrough her. She leaned her head back a

up. Not he

t changed much in four years, but she had. The pavement seemed har

than a place of healing. It was a far cry from the private clinics she had once known, b

back turned instantly cold, making her shiver. She walked past th

way. Fourth flo

hen the doors opened, she stepped into the hallw

as the color of parchment paper, almost translucent. Tubes snak

monitor was the only rhythm in the room. She walked

nt later. He was holding a

k about the bil

her face. "Can we do the treatme

ocol involves a proprietary filtration agent. It is not covered by standa

g in the air.

her's sleeping face. "C

ever, if you can put down a deposit of five thousand dollars within twenty-four hours

ut his sympathy didn't pay bill

rred. She opened her banking app. The bala

do something. Maybe the billing department made a mist

ike jelly. She needed to go to the fi

down, counting the tiles on the floor

e. Breathe. Fo

Click

m cut through the hospital hum. It

. She knew

d. High-pitched

, trying to make herself invisible. Sh

no. No

not in the business o

was Marnie, holding a tray of Starbu

lk. She looked like she had just stepped out of a magazine shoot, completely out of place in the dingy hospital hallway. She was wearin

nto the room, but the wheel of her sui

ipped over wit

oward the noise. Her eyes, lined

slow, cruel smile sp

e corridor. "Look what the cat dragged in. Or s

ainst her ribs. She gripped th