PART 3

Just another fragile breath.

I rushed to the bedside.

The person under the sheet was turned toward the wall. An oxygen tube rested beneath her nose. Her dark hair covered most of her face.

But I knew that hair.

I knew the tiny silver clip near the back of her head.

Chloe had worn that clip since she was twenty-three.

My hands began shaking so violently that I could barely pull the blanket back.

And then I saw her face.

Pale.

Bruised.

Her lips dry and cracked.

But alive.

My daughter was alive.

“Oh, God…”

I dropped into the chair beside the bed and grabbed her hand.

It was cold.

But it squeezed mine.

Barely.

Yet enough.

“Mom?”

The word was so faint I almost missed it.

I pressed her hand against my cheek.

“Yes.”

My voice broke.

“Yes, sweetheart. I’m here.”

Her eyelids fluttered.

For one second, she looked directly at me.

Then fear exploded across her face.

“Don’t…”

She tried to lift her hand.

I leaned closer.

“Don’t what?”

Her breathing became faster.

“Don’t let… Julian…”

She stopped.

Her eyes widened.

Then she whispered something that made my blood turn cold.

“He knows.”

“Knows what?”

Chloe looked toward the door.

“Baby…”

My heart stopped.

“The baby is alive.”

I stared at her.

“What?”

Her eyes filled with tears.

“Mom…”

She tried to speak louder, but her body betrayed her. She began coughing violently.

I reached for the call button.

Before I could press it, the door opened.

A nurse walked in.

She was young, perhaps thirty, with dark hair pulled tightly into a bun. The moment she saw me, she stopped.

Her face changed.

Not surprise.

Recognition.

Fear.

“You shouldn’t be here,” she whispered.

I stood.

“I’m her mother.”

The nurse glanced toward Chloe.

Then toward the hallway.

Then back at me.

“I know.”

That answer frightened me more than anything.

“How do you know who I am?”

She swallowed.

“Because I’ve been told about you.”

“By whom?”

She didn’t answer.

Instead, she walked quickly to the bedside and checked Chloe’s oxygen.

“She’s not supposed to have visitors.”

“My daughter is alive,” I said. “Her husband told me she was dead.”

The nurse’s hands stopped.

She looked at me.

“He told you she died?”

“Yes.”

The nurse closed her eyes for a moment.

Then she whispered:

“Then you need to leave before he realizes you’ve found her.”

I stared at her.

“Who are you?”

“My name is Elena.”

She looked toward the hallway again.

“I was the nurse assigned to Chloe during labor.”

“Then tell me what happened.”

Elena hesitated.

“There was a complication.”

“What complication?”

“She began hemorrhaging.”

“That explains nothing.”

“I know.”

Her voice trembled.

“She lost a lot of blood. The doctors were preparing for an emergency surgery when…”

She stopped.

“When what?”

Elena looked at Chloe.

“When we heard the baby crying.”

I felt something inside me crack.

“You said the baby is alive.”

“He was.”

“Was?”

Elena shook her head.

“No. He is alive.”

I almost collapsed again.

“Where is he?”

She looked toward the door.

“I don’t know.”

“What do you mean you don’t know?”

“I mean I was not allowed to know.”

“Who wasn’t allowed to know?”

Elena’s eyes filled with tears.

“Everyone.”

Before I could ask another question, footsteps echoed down the hallway.

Elena immediately pulled the blanket over Chloe’s face.

“Hide.”

“What?”

“Now.”

She pointed toward the small bathroom.

I moved without thinking.

I slipped inside and closed the door, leaving it open by less than an inch.

Seconds later, the room door opened.

Julian walked in.

My entire body went cold.

I watched through the narrow gap.

He wasn’t crying anymore.

He walked directly toward Chloe’s bed.

His expression was calm.

Far too calm.

He looked at Elena.

“Has she spoken?”

Elena shook her head.

“No.”

Julian stood beside the bed.

Then he reached down and touched Chloe’s forehead.

“You should have listened to me.”

I pressed my fist against my mouth.

Chloe’s eyes remained closed.

Julian leaned closer.

“You were supposed to cooperate.”

Elena stepped between him and the bed.

“She’s very weak.”

Julian looked at her.

“You’re becoming difficult.”

“I am doing my job.”

“No.”

His voice became colder.

“Your job is to follow instructions.”

Elena’s face went pale.

Julian pulled a phone from his pocket.

“I’ve already spoken with the hospital administrator.”

He paused.

“If anything happens to my wife, you’re going to explain why.”

Elena said nothing.

Julian turned toward the bed.

“I need to know whether she told anyone.”

My heart hammered against my ribs.

Told anyone what?

Julian stared at Chloe.

“About the baby.”

My breath stopped.

He knew she was alive.

He knew.

But why?

And what was he hiding?

After several seconds, Julian walked out.

The door closed.

Elena immediately rushed to the bathroom.

She opened it and pulled me out.

“You heard everything.”

I nodded.