The door to the ward opened gently, and the maid looked somewhat panicked. She said, “Ms. Paityn. There’s a lady who claims to be your sister and wants to see you.”

Paityn looked up sharply. Was Tegan here?

Sure enough, a travel-worn Tegan stood at the door. The moment she saw Paityn, her first question was, “Who is Carol's father?”

Paityn hesitated. She wanted to keep it a secret. With that said, she might be able to hide it from others, but she couldn’t conceal it from her own sister.

Tegan slowly walked in, making her way to the small hospital bed. She looked down at the sleeping Carol. The little girl’s oval face was pale and reminiscent of Paityn’s own features as a child. It looked like she was already about five years old.

Tegan trembled as she touched Carol's face, connecting with the child who shared her bloodline. After a long moment, she quietly asked, “Did you have her while you were in college?”

As the elder sister, Paityn was usually an undeniable authority in fron