David stepped into the hospital that quiet Sunday morning. The moment he entered Emma's ward, a soft scene met his eyes.Sophie sat curled in the hospital chair, her head resting gently against the edge of Emma’s bed.One hand held the corner of Emma’s blanket, as if even in sleep, she refused to let go.David walked quietly to her side and gently tapped her shoulder. "Sophie... hey."She stirred, blinking quickly, then sat up with a start. "David?""Yeah," he nodded softly, crouching beside her. "You okay?"Sophie looked at Emma. “Yeah. I'm fine.”"You’ve been here all night?""Since morning," she said. Her voice was dry. "I didn’t want to leave her alone.""You should go home, Sophie. Get some rest, take a shower, eat something. It’s Sunday. I’m not going to the office. I’ll stay with her."Sophie hesitated. Her eyes drifted back to Emma's unmoving figure."I don’t know... I just...""I promise," David said gently. "I won’t leave her side."That reassuring tone finally made her sigh
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