Ar

h the glossy hospital corridor that smelled s

d like I'd slept three hours, cried in my bathroom, an

exactly how my sle

mured, rubbing the back of his neck.

lip. "Good. I. I n

a little. "

u need to worry a

me a loo

d straight ahead. "L

oor handle, I heard a sudden, shar

turn around to

ffic was awful," Ivy Castem

ally arrived. Ivy wore a cream dress of obvious high quality and cost, her dark hair bouncing in

iffened

ght for a hospital environment. "Luca. I came as so

r stepped out from around the corne

ou came," Helena said warmly, p

actically velvet-wrapped compar

owing her head politely. "I came as soon

as her long-lost daughter. "Magnus w

sight, holding my hands together like some u

Then she turned her eyes on me and gave a

ri

at was my

" I said, fo

eady turned b

Almost like shaking hands with s

nus would love to see you,

to grit my teeth. "W

figure out why I had a speaking role. "Ye

pitying smile. "It's fine, Aria

d. "Everyone goes i

need for that. Let Ivy say hello

was the same old reminder that I was the Luna

as she passed, a scent t

ure with a calm, cold expression. He nodded politely at Luca,

then looked at m

lpha Magnus lay on the bed, pale but breathing steadily. Ivy was alread

she whispered dram

fluttered. "

ad slightly, his eyes drifted to me just f

me," he

oser. "Of co

ips tig

the bed, clearly feeling anxious.

nd annoyed. Everyone keeps te

all laugh. "You

mbourne line i

drifted past

head respectfu

er cough. "You two. should c

d like she'd just won a prize.

twisted. Lu

e child everyone expected me to give the

ce was a slightly louder as he spok

inked.

te. your children. don't make the same mis

to me briefly with

r to Magnus with a soft, innocent smile. "He tries his bes

sement, half disbelief. "Girl, your flat

fore I could

lared

the nurse came in and told

ne fil

an following Ivy, who practically f

ched the waiting lou

, tilting her head

pped.

nd down slowly.

for your concern. Is that s

aw tw

ooks like you pulled it from the back of a laundry basket. You should really

ther collapsed," I said coolly. "No

e if you want to keep Luca interested, you might ac

iffened

cut hi

that wasn't even trying to be nice. "It's funny hearing advice f

twitched ju

hed. "Ex

But don't worry. Not ever

ike he was scolding her

o hard it could've

Luca," she hissed quietly. "You know

ny. Because it seems like you've been trying to pl

eath h

r, but I didn't miss the faint twitch a

sn't me, Ivy. Maybe it's that Luca never want

ce wen

his throat. "

is lips said he di

th me and frankly, I had better things to worry about, like my twins

y wasn

ve won?" she ca

t care about winning.

er eyes. "Yo

orward and spoke calmly

head toward him.

his voice making it clea

stomped toward the exit, her heel

d the corner, the hallway f

aled

lank expression. "You didn

eeded to,"

ri

ng past him. "I'm going

wrist gently. "Aria. thank

at his hand

r me. And now suddenly he was touch

r," I said, pull

y longer, I might break in

s done b

*