Chapter 187

DAHLIA

The hospital smelled faintly of antiseptic and stale flowers as usual.

I was conscious of the smell today because of the headache that I fear might kill me before Alex or Sebastian’s ghost. Whichever or whoever finds me first.

I ran through the sliding doors, my heels clicking against the linoleum like gunshots. My chest heaved as I darted past the reception desk, ignoring the startled glances of nurses and visitors.

“Excuse me! Where’s my mother?” I demanded, voice raw, a trembling edge to it.

The nurses froze, exchanging looks. One younger nurse stepped forward, her hand hovering over her clipboard.

“Your… mother?” she asked cautiously. “You mean… Mrs. Reed?”

Oh, God!

I want to slap this idiot right in the face.

But I don’t.

“Yes! That’s right. Where is she?”

The nurse hesitated, brow furrowed. “She… she signed a discharge this afternoon. She left. You didn’t know?”

I froze, the words echoing around my