Discovering the phone still worked, she quickly made her exit, leaving no room for sentimentality.

Outside the hospital, snow began to fall.

Marcus watched Melissa climb into a blue taxi which soon blended into the snowy backdrop, leaving him in a state of unrest.

He paced, caught between the desire to see his son, Matthew, and the fear that any impulsive action might drive Melissa away from Duefron for good.

Melissa harbored resentment towards Marcus, a sentiment he understood all too well, though he felt hatred where she did not.