Chapter 2 - The corridor erupted into chaos.Victoria stumbled backward.
“No.”
The nurse held the file against her chest.
“No, that’s wrong.”
Emily stared at her.
“Daniel Hayes?”
Victoria shook her head violently.
“You don’t understand.”
Raymond stepped forward.
“Then explain.”
Victoria's mouth opened, but no words came out.
Dr. Shaw finally spoke.
“Mr. Black, there must be a mistake.”
Raymond slowly looked at him.
“Doctors make mistakes.”
His eyes moved toward the medical file.
“Fraud is not a mistake.”
The security team closed in.
Emily could barely hear the whispers around her.
Daniel Hayes.
Victoria’s husband.
Dead for three years.
She turned toward Victoria.
“Why would your husband’s name be in my pregnancy file?”
Victoria looked terrified now.
“I didn't do this.”
“Then who did?”
“I don't know!”
Emily took a step toward her.
“You've spent weeks threatening me.”
Victoria shook her head.
“I never touched your file.”
“You knew too much about my appointments.”
“I was trying to help!”
Emily laughed bitterly.
“Help me?”
Raymond raised a hand.
“Enough.”
His tone instantly silenced everyone.
“Dr. Shaw, take us to your office.”
The doctor hesitated.
Raymond's eyes hardened.
“Now.”
They moved.
Emily walked beside Raymond.
The elevator doors closed.
For a moment, only the mechanical hum could be heard.
Raymond glanced at her.
“Are you hurt?”
Emily shook her head.
“No.”
“Did she hit you?”
“She tried.”
His jaw tightened.
“Why didn't you tell me sooner?”
“Because I thought I could handle it.”
“You almost got yourself trapped in a hospital controlled by people who wanted you silent.”
Emily looked away.
“I didn't know.”
Raymond softened.
“You were never supposed to know.”
Emily turned toward him.
“What does that mean?”
The elevator stopped.
The doors opened.
Raymond didn't answer.
They entered Dr. Shaw’s office.
The security team shut the door.
Dr. Shaw looked increasingly nervous.
Raymond placed the medical file on the desk.
“Explain.”
Dr. Shaw opened it.
He flipped through the pages.
His fingers began shaking.
“Those aren't my notes.”
Emily watched him.
“You signed them.”
He looked up.
“I know.”
“Then who wrote them?”
He didn't answer.
Raymond stepped closer.
“Doctor.”
“I don't know.”
Raymond's eyes narrowed.
“You'd better start remembering.”
Dr. Shaw turned another page.
His face drained of color.
“What?”
Emily moved toward him.
The doctor held up a page.
“Your blood test from six weeks ago.”
“What about it?”
“There’s a second patient number attached to the sample.”
Emily frowned.
“What does that mean?”
“It means someone duplicated your blood record.”
Raymond asked:
“Why?”
Dr. Shaw hesitated.
“I don't know.”
Raymond looked toward his security officer.
“Get the hospital IT department.”
The officer nodded.
Then the office door suddenly opened.
A young nurse rushed inside.
“Doctor!”
Everyone turned.
“We have another problem.”
“What?”
“The archive room was accessed last night.”
Raymond's expression changed.
“What was taken?”
The nurse swallowed.
“Old patient records.”
“Which records?”
She looked at Emily.
“Her mother’s.”
Emily froze.
“My mother?”
The nurse nodded.
“Margaret Carter.”
Emily's heart stopped.
She hadn't heard her mother's name spoken inside this hospital in years.
Her mother had died when Emily was sixteen.
Cancer.
At least, that was what Emily had always been told.
Raymond stared at Emily.
“Your mother was treated here?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“Sixteen years ago.”
The nurse placed another file on the desk.
“This is all that remains.”
Emily opened it.
The first page was normal.
Name.
Age.
Diagnosis.
Treatment.
Then she reached the final page.
There was a handwritten note.
One sentence.
Emily felt the blood drain from her face.
DO NOT LET HER KNOW WHO HER FATHER IS.
She looked at Raymond.
“Uncle?”
He didn't answer.
“Did you know?”
Raymond’s silence was enough.
Emily stepped back.
“You knew?”
“I was trying to protect you.”
“From what?”
Raymond looked at the locked office door.
“From the same people who are after you now.”
A metallic sound echoed from outside.
Everyone turned.
The lights went out.
The office dropped into darkness.
Someone screamed in the hallway.
Then came the sound of running footsteps.
Raymond immediately moved toward Emily.
“Stay behind me.”
Emergency lights flickered on.
The door was still locked.
But Dr. Shaw’s computer screen had suddenly come alive.
A single message appeared.
YOU SHOULD HAVE LEFT HER ALONE.
Below it was another sentence.
THE BABY CANNOT BE BORN.
Emily froze.
May you like
Raymond stared at the screen.
And for the first time, fear appeared in his eyes.
Related Stories
