Judy’s POV

I went back to the hospital quietly.

My steps felt heavy, like my body was moving but my heart was still stuck at the café where I left Clark. My cheek still burned, not from the slap I gave him, but from the pain he stirred inside me.

I kept telling myself I was strong.

But strength doesn’t mean you don’t feel pain.

The hospital corridor smelled of medicine and cleaning liquid. Nurses walked past, pushing trolleys. Some people were laughing softly, others crying as a result someon