Hospital Shadows

The afternoon sun cast long shadows through St. George's Psychiatric Hospital windows as Adrian guided Ella through the familiar green-tinged corridors. Though she had walked this path countless times before, today felt different. The power dynamic had shifted slightly since their night at the West estate, and Adrian's unprecedented agreement to this visit left Ella watchful, uncertain.

"Room 312," Ella said quietly as they approached her mother's door.

Adrian's expression remained unreadable as they reached the door. "I'm coming in with you," he stated, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Ella tensed, gripping her purse tightly. She didn't want him there, didn't want his cold, assessing presence in her mother's sacred space. But after months of conditioning, she knew better than to protest.

"As you wish," she replied quietly, lowering her eyes.

—

The room was bathed in soft light. Sofia Morrison sat in her usual chair by the window, thin hands folded in her lap, her vacant gaze fixed on some distant point beyond the glass. Her once-beautiful face remained a ghost of itself, hollowed by years of medication and confinement.

"Mom," Ella said gently, moving to her mother's side. "It's me."

At first, nothing happened. Sofia remained as still as a photograph. Then, slowly, her eyes shifted from the window to Adrian's face.

The change was instantaneous and terrifying.

Sofia's eyes widened in recognition and pure terror. She jerked back violently, her chair scraping against the floor.

"No!" she screamed, her voice raw as if torn from somewhere deep. "Stay away! Don't touch me!"

Her frail body trembled as she pressed herself against the wall, hands raised as if to ward off a blow.

"William!" she gasped. "Richard! Please, no more—"

Ella rushed to her mother, trying to calm her. "Mom, it's okay! He won't hurt you…He is Adrian, my current…sponsor…"

But Sofia was beyond reach, lost in some personal hell. Her screams brought nurses running. They moved quickly, efficiently, one gently pulling Ella aside while another administered a sedative.

"You should wait outside," the nurse told them firmly, with no room for argument in her tone.

In the hallway, Ella leaned against the wall, shaken to her core. Adrian stood a few feet away, his face pale, jaw rigid with tension.

"William and Richard," he said quietly. "My father and uncle."

Ella looked up at him, heart pounding. "She recognized you. Not as yourself, but as…"

"As my father," Adrian finished, his eyes dark with some unreadable emotion.

Dr. Patterson approached, his expression grim. "What happened?" he demanded. "Ms. Morrison was stable this morning."

"She saw me," Adrian answered before Ella could speak. "And reacted... violently."

The doctor's face changed subtly as he registered who Adrian was. "Mr. West. I wasn't aware you were visiting today."

"Clearly," Adrian replied coldly. "Tell me, Doctor, what exactly triggered this episode? She called me by my father's name. And my uncle's."

Dr. Patterson shifted uncomfortably. "Patient confidentiality prevents me from—"

"This hospital belongs to West Enterprises," Adrian cut in, his voice dropping dangerously. "And I believe my family has paid for Sofia Morrison's care for over a decade. I think I'm entitled to some answers."

The doctor glanced nervously down the hallway. "Perhaps we should discuss this in my office privately."

In Patterson's cramped office, the doctor seemed to shrink behind his desk under Adrian's relentless stare.

"Ms. Morrison suffers from severe trauma-induced psychosis," he explained carefully. "Certain triggers—faces, voices, even phrases—can cause flashbacks."

"To what?" Adrian demanded.

Patterson hesitated. "I'm not at liberty to discuss the specifics of her case."

"Because of patient confidentiality, or because someone told you not to?" Adrian's question cut like a blade.

The doctor paled slightly. "The hospital administration has certain protocols…"

"The hospital administration," Adrian interrupted, "meaning my uncle Richard, who sits on the board and oversees operations here?"

Dr. Patterson's silence was answer enough.

"I see," Adrian said coldly. "Thank you for your time, Doctor."

—

Outside in the corridor, they found Camila waiting anxiously by Sofia's door. Her eyes widened at the sight of Adrian.

"Ella?" she asked, rushing forward and embracing her friend. "What happened? I heard screaming—"

"My mother had an episode," Ella explained, returning the hug gratefully.

Camila's eyes darted suspiciously to Adrian. "What's he doing here?"

"He brought me to visit," Ella said simply, not wanting to elaborate.

Camila looked as if she had a thousand questions, but instead turned to the more immediate concern. "Is Sofia okay now?"

"They sedated her," Ella replied, her voice catching. "She... she saw Adrian and started screaming."

Camila's expression darkened. "That's not unusual lately. Last weekend when I visited, she had an episode. Kept screaming two names over and over."

"William and Richard," Ella whispered.

Camila nodded, surprised. "How did you know?"

Adrian stepped closer, his interest palpable. "You visit my mom regularly?"

"Every weekend," Camila confirmed warily. "Someone had to check on her when Ella..." She trailed off, glancing uncomfortably at her friend.

"When I couldn't," Ella finished quietly.

Adrian's phone vibrated. He checked it, his expression hardening further. "I need to make a call," he said, moving down the hallway for privacy.

Alone with Camila, Ella felt the weight of her friend's concern.

"What the hell is going on, El?" Camila whispered fiercely. "Why are you here with him?"

"It's complicated," Ella replied, the understatement of the year. "Things have... changed."

"Changed how? Has he hurt you?" Camila demanded, eyes searching Ella's face.

Ella couldn't answer that honestly without breaking down. "I'm handling it," she said instead.

Camila looked unconvinced but squeezed Ella's hand. "Your mom's been different lately. More agitated. The nurses say she keeps drawing the same thing over and over."

"Drawing?" This was new information. Sofia had never shown any artistic inclination.

"Some kind of symbol. A circle with lines through it. They think it's just part of her delusions."

Before Ella could ask more, Adrian returned, his expression grim but determined.

"We need to go," he said to Ella, then acknowledged Camila with a slight nod. "Ms. Hall."

"I'll visit again soon," Ella promised Camila, hugging her tightly.

—

In the car, a heavy silence settled between them. Adrian stared straight ahead at the road, his jaw clenched tight. Ella turned toward the passenger window, neither willing to acknowledge what they had just witnessed.

As the hospital disappeared from view, fragmented memories surfaced in Ella's mind. Growing up, they had lived in an unexpectedly nice apartment—far nicer than her mother's meager income should have afforded—yet they always struggled for basic necessities. Neighbors would look at them with thinly veiled contempt, whispering when they passed.

Then there were the nights. A strange man would come to collect her mother. Sofia would resist, her eyes filled with dread, but she always went. When she returned in the morning, her face carefully composed but her body bearing fresh bruises beneath her clothing. As a child, Ella hadn't understood the contradiction—why they lived in a nice place but had no money, why her mother left with those men despite clearly not wanting to go.

A few seats away, Adrian's fingers moved swiftly across his phone screen. He was texting his private investigator, his message direct: "Investigate Richard West's connection to St. George Hospital. Focus on his involvement with patient Sofia Morrison. Priority level: highest."