Chapter 78
The entire drive to the hospital was blanketed in a heavy, suffocating silence. Leo kept his eyes fixed on the morning traffic, while Evan sat tense in the passenger seat, his knuckles white against his knees. In the backseat, Eleanor stayed close to Serenity, keeping a firm, warm grip on her trembling hand and offering the quiet sanctuary of her presence when words were useless.
Every few blocks, Leo caught himself glancing back at Serenity in the rearview mirror. A profound sense of helplessness washed over him as he watched her stare blankly out the window. It felt surreal—not even ten hours earlier, she had been glowing, dancing with her father in one of New York's grandest, most vibrant hotel ballrooms. The memory of Mr. Calloway smiling and holding his daughter's hand un
