Haylie POV
I stood in the hospital hallway, just a few steps away, my eyes fixed on Mathew. He sat slumped in a chair, his head in his hands, looking utterly lost, as though clinging to the last threads of hope.
The corridor buzzed with activity—nurses rushing past, patients being wheeled by—but no one seemed to notice me. A cold, sterile chill filled the air, seeping into my skin.
I couldn't say how long I had been standing there, but eventually, a nurse approached Mathew. She held a piece of paper in her hands, her face clouded with worry and genuine concern etched into her furrowed brow.
Mathew rose slowly from his seat, his movements hesitant, as though bracing for impact.
"Sir Berkley," the nurse began, her voice soft but steady, "we've received the results from the paternity test."
