He was locked out of his own kingdom.

Ethan let out a harsh, bitter laugh.

He shoved the wet papers back into his briefcase, buckling the straps with violent, jerky movements.

He pointed a finger at the first guard.

“Tell Natalie she can’t hide in that hospital forever,” Ethan snarled.

He turned on his heel and marched back down the steps.

He got into his SUV, slamming the door so hard I could hear the echo through the small speaker of my phone.

The tires spun on the wet gravel as he backed down the driveway, disappearing into the grey mist.

I let out a long, slow breath, my chest aching where the skin was tight from the stress.

I closed the app.

The screen went black, reflecting my own pale, tired face.

A knock on my hospital door broke the silence.

Dr. Rachel Carter walked in, carrying a clipboard.

She looked at my phone, then at my face.

“You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Rachel said, pulling up a plastic chair.

“Just a man realizing his paper castle is melting,” I said.