Daniel quickly grabbed Anastasia's arm, stopping her in her tracks. "Stop. Tell me, what's going on?" His eyes searched her pale, lost expression. Taking a deep breath, he asked again, "Did someone contact you?"
Anastasia shook her head, still in disbelief. "I need to go, I really need to go," she tugged at her arm, but Daniel's grip tightened. "Just let me go!" Her voice echoed down the hallway, shattering the silence of the hospital.
"Hey, hey… shhh…" Daniel, sensing that she was on the verge of breaking down, gently pulled her into a comforting embrace. "Tell me… please, let me help," he said softly, his voice strained with worry as he held her close.
Daniel felt her chin trembling against his shoulder. Gently pulling away from the embrace, he looked straight into her eyes. "Your mom?" he asked softly, trying to keep her grounded. "Calm down, okay? Now, what is it?"
