Chapter 221: A Father’s Anguish

As the days passed, Emily's condition remained critical. The hospital hallway was a quiet, sterile place, filled with the hushed whispers of worried families and the soft shuffle of nurses' shoes. Emily lay in her bed, her face pale and drawn, surrounded by machines that beeped and whirred in a steady rhythm. Her father entered the room, his footsteps heavy with exhaustion, his eyes red-rimmed from tears and sleepless nights. "Emily," he whispered, his voice trembling with emotion as he approached her bedside. Emily's eyes widened in shock at the sight of her father. It had been years since she had last seen him, and the sudden appearance filled her with a mix of confusion and apprehension. "Dad?" she croaked, her voice barely above a whisper. Her father's shoulders sagged with the weight of his anguish. "I'm here, sweetheart," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "I'm here now." Amelia, Emily's sister, stood in the corner of the room, her arms folded tightly acros