I shook my head and stepped back from Nathaniel, his touch suddenly overwhelming. "I need a minute," I whispered, my voice cracking. "Please."
Understanding flickered across his face. He nodded once and backed away, giving me space to breathe, to process.
Who was I? The question pounded in my brain like a heartbeat. Not Cameron Johnson's daughter. Not even his illegitimate child. Just someone Ivy had used to secure her place in a wealthy family.
I walked toward a small garden area adjacent to the hospital entrance. The cool night air hit my face, and I gulped it in desperately. My entire existence felt like quicksand beneath my feet.
Meanwhile, Ivy slipped through the hospital corridor, her heels clicking softly against the linoleum. She paused outside Cameron's room, hearing voices inside.
"Please try to be kinder to Juliana," Evelyn's soft voice pleaded. "She's always worked so hard to please you."
