Chapter 2

The nurse, Sofia Allen, stood at the doorway of the VIP suite, holding a folder. "Dr. Nelson, the obstetrics department needs you to sign off on last night's resuscitation records."

Chad tested the water temperature before handing the glass to Lucy.

He didn't even look back. "Just leave it at the nurse's station. Can't you see that Lucy needs me right now?"

"But Dr. Nelson, this record is urgent. It's about the patient from last night—"

"What's so urgent? The obstetrics department has emergencies every single day," Chad cut her off.

He grabbed a tissue and wiped the water from the corner of Lucy's mouth.

"I stayed up all night watching over Lucy, and I don't have the energy for anything else right now. Have Dr. Pitts sign it."

Sofia opened her mouth to argue, her eyes welling with tears.

Clutching the folder tight, she ultimately said nothing and walked away.

I followed behind her, watching as she slipped my death certificate into a drawer.

She stuffed it into a medical records folder, right alongside a pink newborn ID ankle band that never got the chance to be worn.

The morgue was freezing.

My baby and I lay inside a refrigeration unit, our eyes forever closed, with no one there to claim us.

I had no choice but to float back to Chad's side.

After finishing her water, Lucy timidly tugged at Chad's sleeve. "Chad, the way Caitlin looked at me last night was so vicious. It was like she wanted to kill me. Is she still mad at me? Is she hiding on purpose just to avoid you?"

Chad pulled out his phone and stared at our empty WhatsApp chat history.

His brows knit together slightly.

Usually, if he were gone for more than two hours, my messages would flood his screen one after another. I'd ask when he was coming home or if Lucy was having another episode.

But from last night until now, my chat box had been dead silent.

"She's just stubborn. She thinks I'm favoring you and is throwing a tantrum."

Chad's fingers tapped across the screen.

I floated over, reading the texts he was sending me.

"Have you thrown your fit yet? Let me know when you're done. Lucy has been through enough. Stop pushing her.

"Our baby isn't a tool for you to use to vie for my attention. Do you really think playing the missing person is going to make me give in?"

As soon as he sent them, he locked his screen.

As Lucy watched him, a flash of smugness crossed the depths of her eyes.

She bit her lip, and tears began to stream down her face again. "What if she calls the police on me? I'm so scared."

Chad pulled out the copy of the waiver. "With this, she can't press charges. Besides, she's a doctor herself. She knows if she's in danger. Once she cools off, I'll make her apologize to you. After all, she really did provoke you last night."

I watched him with total detachment as I listened to him use his gentlest voice to convict a dead woman.

Outside in the hallway, two passing nurses lowered their voices to gossip.

"That pregnant woman last night was a tragedy. She completely bled out."

"I know, right? They couldn't even save the baby. I heard it was a fully formed baby girl."

The hand Chad was using to hold his glass froze.

He suddenly remembered that that day was supposed to be my due date.

He stood, feeling a sudden tightness in his chest. "I'm going to step out and check on the obstetrics department."

He had barely taken a step when Lucy suddenly clutched her arm and shrieked, "Ouch! Chad, my head is spinning. Am I going to start bleeding again?"

Chad turned around instantly, sitting right back down at her bedside to hold her hand.

Out in the hall, the nurse muttered, "I think the father's surname on the baby's ID tag for that poor woman was Nelson."

Just as Chad was about to turn around, Lucy let out another sharp cry and threw herself entirely into his arms.