The moment I burst through the door of her room, I almost couldn't believe what I was seeing.
Grandma lay motionless, her ashen face threaded with tubes, unconscious and utterly still.
I took her withered hand as gently as I could. The tears came instantly.
Just days ago on the phone, her voice had been strong and sure. I'll always have your back, she'd said.
Now Julie and Piers had reduced her to this. A woman her age, suffering like this because of them.
I clenched my jaw so hard pain shot through my skull, and the pain dragged me back to something resembling reason.
This was a hospital Piers had already gotten to. I had to get Grandma out. Now.
I contacted Joseph to help arrange a transfer. On my way to handle the paperwork, I ran straight into Julie.
"There you are! How did you end up here? Piers and I have been looking everywhere for you."
I didn't slow down. "Get out of my way."
I'd known the moment I showed up here, Piers would be notified. But I had no time or patience to waste on her.
She grabbed my wrist, hard. The mask slipped, and the malice in her eyes was naked. "So you found out about the old hag."
"But there's something else you definitely don't know. About your mother."