51. The Reveal. Lila pov

My low growl reverberated through the room as I berated my uncle for being so daft—so utterly blind—that he failed to recognize his own niece and instead welcomed an imposter in my place. How could he be so easily deceived? My pulse quickened with frustration, the betrayal stinging like salt in a fresh wound.

It had been three weeks since my grandfather was transferred to Thrill Hospice, the very facility my father founded before his untimely death. The hospice had become a sanctuary for many dignified sicklers, both old and young. Now, my grandfather was benefiting from the very legacy my father left behind—a bittersweet testament to the man he had been.

I ached to see my grandfather. The need gnawed at me day and night, hollowing out my chest with each passing moment. It hurt more than I could put into words, like a persistent, dull ache that no distraction could dull.

"Deep in thought?" came a voice from behind me.