Monroe returned with Jamie just as the afternoon sun cast long, warm shadows across the hospital room. Jamie had a paper bag in one hand and a chocolate smear on his cheek—the kind of boyish mess Maya hadn’t seen in years.
James gave them both a final nod, murmured something about pending meetings, and left with the same quiet efficiency he always carried. The room felt noticeably still without him.
Maya sat on the edge of the hospital bed, her fingers clenched around her phone. Damien’s private number glowed on the screen—just a series of digits, but it felt like a loaded weapon.
Should she call?
Just a quick thank you. For Jamie. For everything.
But her thumb hovered and didn’t move. She couldn’t find the courage. Not yet.
“You okay?” Jamie’s voice broke the silence. He was still s
