"Ruby?" Rayna asked again, stepping closer when she noticed Ruby had zoned out. Her brow furrowed with concern as she took in the stunned, pale look on her friend''s face. "What happened? Did they say anything? Why is it the police calling? Has she been arrested?"

    Ruby blinked slowly, her thoughts still reeling, words forming like msses in her mouth. "I don''t know…" Her voice came out quiet, almost breathless. "The officer just said something happened to my mom. He said I needed toe to the hospital."

    Rayna''s eyes widened slightly. "Which hospital?"

    "Zeden General." Ruby swallowed. "He said they''re sending a car to pick me up." Her gaze drifted, unfocused. "Why didn''t we see her when we were leaving there?"

    "Maybe we had already left by then," Rayna said, shaking her head. "I don''t know… but I''m going with you."

    Ruby nodded numbly. "Okay. But I need to change first—I''m burning up in this dress." She tugged lightly at the floral chiffon gown clinging to her skin. "It''s like it''s suffocating me."

    "No problem," Rayna replied, though there was a distinct note of worry behind her calm tone. She hesitated, clearly holding back something. "Just don''t take too long. And let Stefan know you''re heading out again."

    Just then, Ruby''s phone vibrated again in her hand. She nced down and showed the screen to Rayna. "It''s Stefan."

    She picked up quickly. "Hey, babe, I was just about to call you."

    "Babe?" Stefan''s voice was low, steady—but there was an edge to it, a deliberate calm that sounded… wrong. "Where are you?"

    "I''m home, but I''m about to head out again. I just got a call from a detective. He said my mom''s at the hospital—Zeden General. I don''t know what''s going on yet."

    There was a brief pause on the line. Ruby frowned, wondering why Stefan was silent and he''d been the one to call. Didn''t he call her for something?

    Ruby frowned. "Stefan?"

    "Listen," he said finally, carefully. "Why don''t you wait for me? I''m on my way. I want to take you there myself."

    "You don''t have to," Ruby replied, confused. "Rayna''s going with me. I''ll be okay. You don''t need to rush back just for that. Focus on Daniel''s family and make sure they''re safe. Rayna abd I will check what''s going on and I''ll make sure I''m safe. The police will be there so there''s nothing to worry about."

    "I already put everything in ce. Daniel''s family is safe now," Stefan said softly. "I just… I don''t want you to go alone. Please wait for me."

    "I would love that too but… the police already sent a car—"

    "Cancel it." His tone was firmer now, with a hint of urgency. "Let me take you, Ruby. I have my reasons."

    Something in his voice made her stomach twist. There was an undertone she didn''t recognize—something heavy. Dread, maybe. Or guilt. Or maybe both.

    "…Okay," she whispered, a coldness creeping down her spine. Why did it feel like Stefan knew something he didn''t want her to know?

    "I''ll be there in fifteen," he said, and the line went dead.

    Ruby stared at the screen for a moment before lowering the phone slowly. "Something''s wrong," she murmured.

    Rayna''s head snapped up. "What do you mean?"

    Ruby looked at her, unsettled. "He didn''t sound like himself. And he wouldn''t tell me anything over the phone. He just… wants to take me there himself," Ruby said and went on to tell her Stefan''s end of the conversation.

    Rayna nodded grimly after listening. "Me too. I feel it too. Let''s just wait. Go change ande back down, okay? I''ll be here."

    Ruby sighed and nodded, her steps heavy as she headed up the stairs. A part of her wanted to run—run to the hospital, run to her mother and find out what was going on—but another part… a darker part… feared what she would find there.

    Why was she at the hospital? What could''ve happened or had she been there to try to kill Elizabeth or Eliana herself? She couldn''t have done that or could she? She mused as she changed.

    By the time she came back down, now wearing a soft cotton top and fitted jeans, Rayna was still in the living room. But she wasn''t pacing anymore. She stood frozen, arms folded tightly across her chest, eyes staring at the floor, lost in a world of her own dread.

    Ruby slowed her steps. "Hey," she said gently. "You okay?"

    Rayna looked up slowly, and the moment their eyes met, Ruby''s breath hitched.

    "What is it?" Ruby asked, voice brittle. "Did something happen?"

    Rayna inhaled, then exhaled shakily. "I think… I think I know why the police want you at the hospital. And the reason Stefan insisted on going with you."

    Ruby frowned. "What do you mean? What is it?"

    Rayna hesitated, her voice soft, deliberate—too soft. "Your mom… your mom is dead, Ruby."

    Ruby blinked once. "What?"

    "She''s gone," Rayna repeated. Her voice cracked slightly as she stretched out her phone to Ruby. "Ivy… Ivy did something. She''s responsible." She handed Ruby the phone, her hands trembling.

    Ruby took it with shaking fingers, her heart thundering in her chest. She stared at the headline on the screen: BREAKING: Regina Quinn stabbed during domestic dispute—daughter Ivy Quinn wanted in connection.

    For a moment, the words didn''t register. Then suddenly, they did and the ground swayed underneath her legs.

    Her fingers loosened and the phone dropped with a tter onto the tiled floor.

    "No…" Ruby whispered, her legs buckling as she copsed onto the couch, arms wrapping around herself. "No. No, she can''t be dead. I never got to fix anything—Rayna, I never even got to talk to her. She can''t be dead now. No, not now. It''s a lie! This can''t be true."

    Rayna was beside her in seconds, wrapping her in her arms, holding her tightly as sobs wracked Ruby''s body.

    "She was still my mom," Ruby cried. "Even if she hated me. Even if she never protected me. I didn''t want this. I never wanted her to die! Not like this and definitely not now!"

    "I know," Rayna whispered fiercely, rocking her. "I know, Rubes. But this isn''t your fault. You didn''t know she''d die now or that she wouldn''t love you as a mother would. Your rtionship with her would''ve been better if she''d at least treated you like her child.

    "Even at that, I should''ve called at some point. I should''ve visited or even tried to do better as her daughter. I should''ve been a better person to her. I should''ve—"

    "No," Rayna interrupted, pulling back just enough to meet her eyes. "I won''t listen to you me yourself for her ugly your rtionship with your mom turned out. She made her choice when she always chose Ivy. Even at your lowest, she sided with the one who hurt you. You don''t owe her me. She gave up that right a long time ago."

    Ruby sobbed harder, burying her face in Rayna''s shoulder. "Why does it hurt so much then?"

    "Because you''re good," Rayna said, her voice breaking. "Because no matter what she did, you still loved her in your own way. And you''re grieving what never was."

    Ruby sat up slowly, her eyes red and swollen, her chest heaving. "What now?"

    Rayna brushed the hair from her face. "Now we go to the hospital. You do what they ask. And you let the police handle Ivy. She''s dangerous, Ruby. And she has to be stopped before she hurts anyone else or evenes for you."

    A silence settled over them, thick and fragile.

    "She''s really gone. I would never see or talk to her again. I can''t reconcile with her again, Ray," Ruby whispered.

    Rayna nodded slowly, eyes wet. "Yeah. And it wasn''t your fault."

    Ruby stood shakily, her bnce off. "Let''s go. I can''t wait for Stefan anymore. I have to see her."

    Rayna reached for the car keys just as the door opened.

    Stefan and Ethan stepped in, their expressions grim—like men returning from battle.