Chapter 91. The Return
Mason’s eyes remained locked on Cassandra’s, both of them unwilling to break the silent tension that hung heavily between them.
After his firm statement, Cassandra huffed and finally stepped into the hospital room where the doctor and Laura were waiting.
"What’s really going on here?" Cassandra demanded, her voice sharp and laced with frustration. "Why were they trying to stop me from coming in?"
The doctor raised his hands gently, trying to calm her down.
"Please relax, miss. These are Mr. Bernard’s orders, and there’s nothing I can do about them. If they believe Maria’s life might be in danger by any means, it’s my duty to follow the security measures put in place. I understand your concern, but please bear with the situation."
The doctor’s calm explanation softened Cassandra’s anger a little. Her shoulders dropped, though the heaviness in her chest didn’t go away. Slowly, she walked closer to Maria’s bed.
Seeing Maria lying there, lifeless yet somehow still shedding tears from her closed eyes, shattered the last of Cassandra’s defenses. Her heart broke, and tears rushed down her cheeks.
"What could she be going through now?" Cassandra whispered, her voice cracking as she stared at Maria’s peaceful but pained face. "And here we are, useless... completely unable to help her out of this."
Her legs trembled, and she sank to the floor, overwhelmed. Laura and the doctor quickly rushed to her side, helping her back up and trying to comfort her. Laura rubbed her back gently, whispering soothing words.
Laura’s chest tightened. The atmosphere in the room was suffocating, and she couldn’t bear it anymore. She stood up, preparing to leave.
"Where are you going, Laura?" Cassandra asked, her voice weak but curious.