At the hospital, Stefan stood near the nurse's station, adjusting the strap of his bag over his shoulder. The discharge papers were finally signed, and he was cleared to go home.
The doctor offered him some final words. "Remember to limit screen exposure and don't strain your eyes. Healing takes time."
"Understood," Stefan said quietly.
He was just about to return to his room when he noticed something that made him pause.
Across the hallway, just outside his room, his mother was standing close to Ivy, their heads bowed together, speaking in hushed tones.
They looked up briefly when they noticed him watching. Ivy offered a smile, the kind that didn't quite reach her eyes. Elizabeth straightened her posture and turned away, as though nothing unusual had happened.
But Stefan wasn't fooled. Since when were they so close? He thought.
