ARIA'S POV — DISCHARGE DAY, 9:47 AM
The morning started well.
Morrison signed her discharge papers at eight, went through her aftercare instructions with the thoroughness she appreciated, and told her she was one of the most cooperative patients he'd had in years, which made Damien laugh quietly beside her because they both knew cooperative was doing a lot of work in that sentence.
Her mother arrived with a change of clothes and the specific energy of someone who had decided today was going to be a good day and was prepared to defend that decision against all evidence to the contrary.
By nine fifteen Aria was dressed, her discharge bag packed, sitting on the edge of the bed waiting for the wheelchair the hospital required as a formality, feeling genuinely lighter than she had in weeks.
Then Alexander arrived.
With four men she had never seen before.
