I reached for the IV pole to steady myself, but my hand missed.

My knees buckled.

I collapsed onto the floor, the cold tile stinging my skin.

Above me, the call button hung just out of reach.

I tried to crawl, but my muscles refused to cooperate.

The exhaustion of the past forty-eight hours, the trauma of the accident, and the weight of the Harrison family secrets finally crushed me.

I lay my head down on the cold floor, my eyes fluttering shut.

Through the haze of my fading consciousness, I remembered the day I left.

I remembered the look on Eleanor’s face when she stood in my kitchen five years ago.

She had told me she would ruin Ethan’s career before it even started if I didn’t disappear.

I had to tell him.

He had to know that I didn’t leave because of the money, or because I didn’t love him.

I closed my eyes, the darkness taking over.

In the hallway, the sound of heavy footsteps approached my door.

The handle began to turn.

The heavy footsteps clicked sharply against the linoleum.