The sound of Naomi’s fingers clicking on the keyboard was the last thing I heard before I drifted into a heavy, dreamless sleep.

Hours later, the sound of a soft knock on the door woke me.

The room was dark, save for the pale light from the hallway filtering through the small window.

I blinked, my vision blurry as I looked toward the door.

A figure was standing in the opening, a woman’s silhouette outlined by the hallway light.

It wasn’t Naomi, and it wasn’t a nurse.

The door pushed open further, and the woman stepped into the room, her high heels clicking softly on the floor.

As she entered the light, I recognized her face.

It was Brielle Kane.

She was wearing a heavy trench coat, and her blonde hair was pulled back.

On her left hand, catching the faint light from the corridor, was my grandmother’s diamond ring.

She stood at the foot of my bed, her face pale and her hands trembling.

“Tessa,” she whispered.

I stared at her, my hand instinctively tightening on the bedrail.