Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 11 - Chapitre 20

“Don’t touch them!”Esther’s voice tore through the hospital hallway.She suddenly threw her body, but two nurses caught her before she could reach the bassinets being wheeled away.“No! Please!” Her voice cracked. “Those are my babies!”The sharp scent of antiseptic burned her nose. Bright fluorescent lights glared overhead, making her vision blur. Every breath scraped her throat, raw from crying.She fought harder.“Peter!” she cried, desperation strangling every word. “Tell them they’re lying! Please!”Across the room, Peter stood motionless.His tailored suit was immaculate.His expression was empty and cold.As though the woman begging in front of him was a complete stranger.A doctor adjusted his glasses and handed him a file.“Mr. Grant, as stated in the psychiatric evaluation, your wife is emotionally unstable. She poses a danger to herself and the children.”“That’s a lie!” Esther screamed.Her wrists burned as the nurses tightened their grip.“I’ve never seen that report! Pet

Morning sunlight spilled through the apartment window. Neither Esther nor Alex had touched the tea. The folder still lay open on the table.“Ethan Grant…” Esther whispered.Her fingers hovered over the visitor log. “I don’t understand.” Alex folded his hands. “Neither did I.” “So I kept digging.”Esther looked at him. “You found something else?” “I did.” Alex pulled another document from the briefcase.“This wasn’t easy to get.” He slid it across the table. “The hospital’s security report.”Esther’s eyes widened. “I thought hospitals only kept medical records.”“They do but they also keep incident reports.” Alex added.She picked it up carefully. The paper felt heavier than it should.

The office was filled with the familiar rhythm of phones ringing, keyboards clicking, printers humming in the background. Esther stared at the spreadsheet glowing on her monitor, but the figures refused to make sense. Her thoughts drifted to the twins as her phone vibrated across the desk.She answered without looking at the caller ID. “Hello?”“Mrs. Williams?” The woman’s voice was gentle, almost hesitant. “This is Greenfield Academy.”A knot tightened in Esther’s stomach.“Yes?” There was a brief pause.“Please don’t panic.”Her fingers curled around the edge of the desk until her knuckles turned white.“What happened?”“Caleb and Callie started feeling unwell during class. The school nurse has examined them, but we’d like you to come.”Esther’s gaze shot to the clock on the wall.She had dropped them off less than three hours ago.“What symptoms?” she asked, already pulling her handbag closer.“Caleb says his stomach hurts, and Callie complained of dizziness. Their temperature is

Chapter 17Saturday afternoon sunlight slanted low across the pavement as Esther walked home from the grocery shop. The plastic bags cut soft lines into her palms: vegetables, rice, spices, and a small carton of juice the twins had asked for. She’d taken the bus across town, waited in two long queues, and carried everything back alone. By the time she locked the front door behind her, her shoulders ached and her feet felt heavy.She set the bags on the kitchen table, rested her forehead against the cool edge for a moment, and breathed slowly. Saturdays were always like this: quiet, slow, and full of things she could not say out loud.Esther lit the stove, set the pot of water to boil, and chopped onions and carrots with steady, automatic hands. While the food simmered, she wiped down the counters, folded the clean laundry piled by the door, and checked on Caleb and Callie asleep on the rug.The kitchen was filled with warm steam and the rich smell of stew. Esther leaned against the

Esther shut her laptop and stacked her files straight. She smoothed her skirt, then nodded to the desk beside her.“Have a good evening, everyone. See you tomorrow.”“You too, Esther. Sleep well.” One of her coworkers whispered.She exchanged quiet words with three more colleagues. No one rushed her. No one spoke sharply.As she reached for her bag, Margaret looked up from her screen. Her tone was sharp, loud enough for those nearby to hear.“Why rushing to get home while you got to work late today?.”Esther paused for half a beat. She met Margaret’s gaze calmly, gave a small, polite nod, and said nothing. She turned and walked out without looking back.When she stepped out to the car, the air felt soft and warm. She settled into the seat and rested her head back.Her fingers twisted in her lap. She thought of the gala invitation tucked in her bag. She had never been anywhere like that.“What if something gets wrong? She said to herself.She looked out the window at trees lining the ro