The day drifted by with deceptive gentleness.
Emily sat outside the café near school, legs crossed, tapping her shoe against the pavement. The air was warm, but her patience was thin. She checked her watch again — Nathan was late. He always was, but today it gnawed at her.
Across town, Evan moved through the hospital corridors like a shadow that had lost its source. The sterile lights flickered above him. His heart thudded faster with every step toward his mother's room.
When he reached it — the bed was empty. His throat tightened.
He turned, spotting a nurse hurrying by.
"Hi—sorry, can I get a little help here?" he called.
"Yes, but make it quick. I'm due in surgery," she replied briskly.
"Mrs. Samuels. She used to be in this room but…"
The nurse paused mid-step. "Samuels Magano?"
"Yes! Where is she?" Evan asked, voice rising.
"She's in a coma," the nurse said simply. "Two days now."
The world stopped for a beat.
"What? How—why?" Evan stammered, tears stinging at the corners of his eyes.
"Your sister didn't tell you?" the nurse asked.
"Vicky… knows?"
Before he could get another word out, an alarm blared down the corridor. Doctors rushed past — code red somewhere nearby.
"Sorry, I have to go. Come back after sixteen hundred if you want to see her," the nurse said, already moving away.
Evan stood frozen in the empty hall. The words coma and two days echoed until they felt like a physical weight pressing on his chest. He slid down against the wall, hands over his face. The strong, collected Evan cracked — and for a moment, he was just a boy terrified of losing his mother.
Later that afternoon, the world went on elsewhere.
Vicky returned home; Nathan made it to his. The family had gathered for lunch — a scene too normal for how fractured everything beneath it really was.
"Has anyone seen Dad since morning?" Monica asked, spoon suspended midair. "Has he woken up?"
"He left early for a business meeting," Betty replied, not looking up from her plate.
"Hmm. Alright," Monica murmured.
As they ate, Catty cleared her throat. "While we're all here… I'd like to bring up something regarding our union."
"Go ahead," Kuku said, ever the calm mediator.
Catty straightened, her tone suddenly managerial. "We've decided to hire another event planner. Vicky isn't well."
Nathan choked on his drink. Aune quickly passed him a glass of water.
"We did?" he asked, voice edged in disbelief.
"Yes, babe," Catty said sweetly, though her smile didn't reach her eyes.
"Who? The engagement is this Friday," Kuku said, frowning.
Catty shrugged. "I know. But we can't rely on someone suffering a mental breakdown for an event that's meant to celebrate love and stability. I've already posted a replacement request — we'll be receiving recruits soon."
Kuku's gaze turned to Nathan, who looked like he'd just discovered a stranger sitting in his place.
"Did Vicky cancel herself?" he asked.
"No. You're going to call her," Catty said sharply. "Tell her she's been replaced."
Monica set her fork down. "You keep saying we, but my brother clearly has no idea what you're talking about."
"This Vicky girl is in every conversation lately," Daniels muttered. "It's exhausting."
"She saved your family yesterday, you might want to show some gratitude," Monica shot back.
"Saved us?" Betty asked, frowning.
Ruben leaned in. "Yesterday the twins got trapped near her workplace — she got them out before the gas explosion."
"She's a savior, apparently," Catty said with a dry laugh.
Sofia raised an eyebrow. "I don't understand. You changed the planner without consulting your fiancé?"
"Aunt Sofia," Catty said firmly, "the decision I made is for everyone's good — including hers. What's there to discuss?"
Nathan's patience broke. He rose abruptly from the table, napkin clenched in his hand. "Excuse me." He left without looking back.
Kuku sighed. "Is this really how you are, Catty? Because none of us recognize you right now."
Catty's tone hardened, her words like glass. "That girl is sick, Kuku. Unstable. And if we're caught employing someone mentally unfit for an event of this scale, we could be liable. I'm protecting all of us."
Daniels nodded. "She's not wrong, technically."
Catty smiled coldly. "Thank you. And for the record — this is my wedding. My name, my life, my reputation. You, of all people, should understand that."
She stood, smoothed her dress, and walked out. Silence fell like dust after a storm.
Sofia turned to Cinthia. "She's your friend, isn't she?"
Cinthia groaned. "Mom, please, not now."
She pushed her chair back. "I'm done. I just want one day without drama."
And just like that, she left too — leaving behind a room full of untouched food, unanswered questions, and the faint echo of a family quietly splintering.