Briony stared at the doors of the emergency room, tears slipping silently down her cheeks.

...

Mary was gone.

She died on the very day her daughter was born.

The baby lay in an incubator, oblivious to the fact that her mother had left this world forever.

Maybe the newborn could sense the absence, because that night, she developed a high fever.

The doctors in the neonatal unit declared her condition critical.

Briony couldn't afford the luxury of grief. She rushed to the neonatal ward, signing a stack of consent forms for the baby's treatment.

It wasn't until the early hours of the morning that the child's condition finally stabilized.

But Briony's nerves and emotions stayed stretched tight, refusing to ease.

Mary had no family left. For now, her body was kept in the hospital morgue.

Briony went to see her.

Mary lay beneath a white sheet.

Briony gently lifted the cloth.

Mary's eyes were closed, her face peaceful, as if she were simply sleeping.

to leave her daughter behind,

hadn't even had a chance to look at her baby

woman slept so deeply

Briony's sobbing could

Mary simply missed Ferdinand too much, and chose to

right did Ferdinand have

Briony ran her hand gently over Mary's face for

Cold. Unforgiving.

would never come

...

Briony left the morgue, she looked up and spotted Stewart striding toward her from

etched across his face. "Bryn, are

swollen and red from crying. She looked at Stewart,

are you

days. But as soon as I arrived at the house, Carol told me about Mary.

I'm fine," Briony replied, keeping her distance. "I be busy with Mary's arrangements for a few days anyway, so it's good if you

but there was

Let a professional handle the funeral. I can ask Carl Shaw to make

makes me her family. I'll handle the funeral

pressed his lips

patience nor the energy

made everything clear last time." Her voice was weary. "Once you have the kids, just go. My

want you to wear

happens to me isn't something

words landed like

clenched at his side, a wave of

moment, he sighed. "Just... take

quiet thank you, then brushed past him, heading back toward

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