Diane's POV
The quiet of the hospital waiting room enveloped me like a cocoon, sheltering me from the emotional storm that had just erupted in my mother's room. My hands remained on my belly, drawing comfort from the twins' movements as I tried to process everything that had just happened.
My parents…reunited after decades apart…holding hands like young lovers. Andrew kneeling at my mother's bedside, tears streaming down his face as he begged for forgiveness. And then Sophie, appearing in the doorway at the worst possible moment, her presence a stark reminder of the betrayal that still cut so deep.
I don't know how long I sat there, lost in thought, but eventually the door to the waiting room opened. I looked up, half-expecting…dreading…to see Sophie, but instead, it was Joan.
"There you are," she said softly, settling into the chair beside me. "I've been looking everywhere."
"I couldn't stay in there," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. "Not with her."
