Sophie stepped out of the car with Gavin right behind her. She didn’t wait a second before rushing inside the hospital. Her chest was filled with worry.As she entered the hospital building, her eyes landed on the front desk. A nurse was seated there, flipping through a file. Sophie quickly approached her.“Excuse me,” Sophie said, almost out of breath. “Emma. I mean, Dr. Morgan. What ward is she in?”The nurse raised her head. “Dr. Morgan?”“Yes, yes,” Sophie nodded quickly. “That’s her. I’m her best friend. I was told she was admitted here.”The nurse checked her system and nodded. “Room 312. Second floor. Turn left from the elevator.”Sophie didn’t even say thank you. She just rushed toward the elevator. Gavin followed, a little slower, dragging his steps.When Sophie reached the room and opened the door, she froze.Emma lay still on the hospital bed, her head bandaged and her face pale. There were light bruises on her arms, and the machines beside her beeped slowly. She looked pea
Allison sat behind the wheel, her fingers tapping impatiently on the steering wheel as she waited for the traffic light to change. She had received a text from her mother that morning asking to meet her at a restaurant. No explanation. Just a time and place. Allison sighed and leaned back in her seat. She already had a strong feeling about what her mother wanted to talk about.Probably the usual pressure. Another child? Seriously? Allison rolled her eyes at the thought.She had heard it before. Her mother wanted her to secure her place in the Lawson's family, a sibling for Henry, a fuller household, blah blah blah. Allison didn’t have the energy to argue, not today. But out of respect, she decided to go. She would hear her mother out, smile politely, and leave as soon as the conversation turned into another lecture.When she got to the restaurant, she walked in briskly, eyes scanning the tables. Isabel was already seated near the window, a glass of water in front of her, untouched. S
Mathew's phone vibrated against the side pocket of his coat. He glanced at the screen, and his expression instantly shifted. The warmth that had been in his eyes as he sat beside Emma’s hospital bed vanished. A shadow settled over his face.He quietly rose from the chair and adjusted the covers over her shoulder. “I’ll be right back,” he whispered, even though she couldn’t hear him.He walked briskly toward the exit of the hospital corridor. Once he reached the empty veranda outside, he answered the call.“Fred,” he said firmly, “What’s the update?”Fred’s voice came through with a trace of excitement. “Mathew, I’ve managed to get a link. Someone contacted me about retrieving the surveillance footage from that day. It’s a long shot, but it might be what we need.”Mathew’s eyes lit up instantly, his heart racing with the faintest hope. “That’s good,” he said, lowering his voice. “Offer them anything. I don’t care what the price is. Just make sure we get that footage. It’s important to
David stepped out of the car in front of the police station. He had been hoping to speak with one of the officers in charge of the explosion investigation. He was halfway up the station steps when his phone rang in his pocket.He pulled it out and checked the screen—Grandpa.David quickly answered."Hello, Grandpa?"There was a long pause on the other end before the old man spoke. His voice was slow, almost hesitant."David… I didn’t know whether to call, but Claire… she’s been crying. She keeps asking for her mother."David stopped in his tracks. He turned around slowly, walking toward the edge of the station."Crying?" he asked softly."Yes," Grandpa said. "She’s been such a good girl this whole time. Not a single complaint. At first, I thought she just missed her mother. But this feels different. I think she must have overheard our conversation from earlier. I think she knows something’s wrong with Emma."David rubbed his forehead, feeling a deep wave of guilt. Claire had always be
David, Isabel, and Mathew sat across from Dr. Allen in the consultation room as they listened to him."As you all know, the surgery was successful," Dr. Allen said, adjusting his glasses. "But when Dr. Morgan regains consciousness, the recovery phase is quite delicate. She needs complete rest—no stress, no loud noises. Try to keep her surroundings calm and avoid too many visitors. It’s important for her healing process.”David nodded, absorbing every word. Mathew also nodded slowly, listening carefully to every word.“We’ll make sure of that,” Mathew said softly. "Thank you, Dr. Allen."Isabel, who had been quiet till now, smiled and added, “We’ll take good care of her, just as you’ve said, doctor. Emma means a lot to us.”When she said that, something flashed in Mathew's eyes, but he quickly masked it. But he wasn't lucky enough… David happened to have seen it, and his curiosity piqued even further, but he said nothing… yet.Dr. Allen gave a nod before excusing himself to tend to his
When David saw Mathew, for a second, he thought the older man had simply come here for some quiet — to breathe, to process everything.So David offered him a small, respectful nod before turning toward the door, planning to head back down to check up on Emma.But before he could take a step, Mathew turned slightly and stopped him."David," he called out in a calm voice.David turned around.Mathew studied him for a brief moment, then asked, "How are you doing?"Caught off guard by the question, David hesitated for a moment before replying, "I'm doing quite well. Thank you."Mathew nodded slowly. He stepped closer to the railing, hands in his coat pockets, eyes drifting out toward the skyline as if trying to find answers in the scattered lights.Then, after a long pause, he muttered, "Thank you for coming over when you heard about Emma's accident."David exhaled slowly. "I was just glad she survived. That was all that mattered."Mathew nodded in approval. He turned his head slightly, a