The confession surprised even him. He rarely discussed that period of his life. But something about Hannah made honesty feel easier. The words created an unexpected connection between them. Not romance, not yet. Something deeper, understanding. For the next hour, they talked quietly about fear, about family, about loss. For the first time, Hannah noticed something unusual.
Lucas listened. Really listened. Most people waited for their turn to speak. Lucas seemed genuinely interested in every word. It felt comforting, familiar, safe. Meanwhile, several floors above them, a nurse entered Rose’s room. The elderly woman had regained consciousness. Weakly, she opened her eyes.
Fragments of memory returned. The collapse, the ambulance, the pain. Then suddenly another memory surfaced. Walter, her late husband, the wooden box, the documents, and the promise she made decades earlier, a promise she had almost failed to keep. Panic flickered across her face. She reached toward the bedside table. Phone.
