I should have known my brief moment of peace wouldn't last. After a night of fitful sleep at the hospital, I made the decision to leave early the next morning. The doctors had cleared me, and I couldn't bear another day surrounded by white walls that reminded me of vulnerability.
My phone buzzed. Raymond's name flashed on the screen.
"Mr. Ricardo asked me to bring you breakfast," he said when I answered.
"Tell him I've already been discharged," I replied, gathering my few belongings. "I'm heading back to my apartment."
"But Miss Johnson—"
"It's fine, Raymond. I need some space."
I hung up before he could protest further. Disappointment settled in my chest. Nathaniel hadn't come himself—again. I'd hoped after yesterday's conversation with his grandmother, something might have shifted between us.
Clearly, I was wrong.
I slipped out a side entrance, avoiding the main lobby where reporters might be waiting. The cool morning air hit my face as I waved down a taxi.
