The hallway was silent when Zoe returned. Her steps were steady, but an invisible weight rested on her shoulders. The cold hospital air felt heavier, denser, and every breath demanded more effort. As she approached the private room, she saw Arthur with a serious expression, Otto and Eloísa beside him, and, a little farther away, the lawyer Álvaro. Thor and Celina had arrived while she was still talking to Sabrina.

As soon as Zoe crossed the doorway, Celina was the first to stand up. The worried