Chapter 6

I kept flipping through the pages.

The medication records were super detailed, but since I was not a doctor, it all looked like medical jargon to me.

I noticed that after I was transferred to the ICU, there were a few temporary orders for nutritional support and sedatives.

The doctor's signature was completely illegible. I couldn't make out a single letter.

But the nurse's signature was perfectly clear.

One of the names made my eyelid twitch. Grace Linley.

I remembered that name.

She was a senior nurse in the delivery room back then. Very experienced. She was the one who comforted me during labor.

After I was discharged, I thought I bumped into her again when I brought Lucas in for his shots. She fussed over Lucas and said, "Wow, he's getting big so fast."

Did she know something?

I jotted down her name and the times of those suspicious orders.

"Excuse me, I'd like to make copies of these pages," I said to the nurse, pointing to the ICU records and medication logs.

"Sure, just a moment," the nurse replied.

While I waited for the copies, my heart was pounding.

If Grace was the key person who knew the truth, I had to track her down.

Once I had the copies, I walked out of the hospital and stood in the sunlight, but I couldn't feel any warmth at all.

The records looked clean on the surface.

But that nagging question about the anesthesia and Grace's existence convinced me that my coma wasn't just routine recovery.

I pulled out my phone, trying to search for Grace online.

She'd been at the hospital for years. Maybe I could still find some info about her.

Just as I was staring at my phone, a voice called out from behind me. "Emily?"

I froze, then whipped around.

When I saw who it was, my blood ran cold.

It was Richard.

He was dressed in casual clothes, holding a CT scan envelope from the hospital, and looked genuinely surprised to see me.

"Richard?" I heard my own voice, tight and strained. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to pick up a follow-up report," he said, taking a few steps closer. His eyes flicked to the hospital file in my hand, then to my pale face. "What about you? Are you feeling sick? Why are you at the hospital?"

"I-I'm picking up some meds for a coworker," I said, instinctively hiding the file behind my back. It was a stupid move, but I couldn't stop myself.

Richard's gaze sharpened.

He used to run this hospital before he retired, so he knew every corner. The records room was down the hall.

"Picking up meds?" His voice stayed calm, but the pressure was unmistakable. "Why are you coming out of the admin building?"

"I-I got turned around," I said, forcing a smile. "This hospital's huge. I get lost so easily. Richard, did you get your report? I should get going. My coworker's waiting."

I turned to leave.

"Emily," Richard called after me.

My feet stopped dead, my back to him, every muscle in my body tight.

"Is something bothering you lately?" His voice came from behind me. Not loud, but it hit me like a hammer. "If something's wrong, you can always talk to us. Don't carry it all by yourself."

"No, really, nothing," I said, trying to sound casual. "Just my work. It's been a bit busy. Richard, I really have to go. We'll talk later."

I didn't dare stay any longer. I practically bolted away.

It wasn't until I made it past the hospital gates and turned the corner that I finally dared to stop, leaning against the wall and gasping for air.

My back was soaked in cold sweat.

Did he see it?

Was he suspicious?

Was that CT scan envelope just for a check-up, or was he actually following me?

A suffocating fear of being watched and controlled gripped me tight.

I pulled out my phone, my fingers trembling as I dialed David's number.

The phone rang for a long time before he finally picked up.

It was dead quiet on his end.

"Hey, honey? Did you get there okay?" David's voice sounded totally normal.

"David," I said, my voice barely steady, almost trembling, "did your dad go to the hospital today?"

"My dad?" David paused, sounding confused. "No, I don't think so. He didn't mention it. Why?"

"It's nothing. I saw someone at the hospital who looked a lot like him from behind," I said, testing the water.

"Oh, could be. He sometimes drops by the hospital to play chess with his old buddies. But why are you at the hospital? Weren't you supposed to be on a business trip?"

"I brought a coworker over. She wasn't feeling well," I lied, my heart going cold.

David didn't know. Or maybe he was acting clueless.

"Honey," David said, his voice softening, "are you too tired? You sound off. Maybe you should drop the project and come home. I miss you."

Back when he said "I miss you," it used to make my heart flutter.

Now, all I felt was how fake it sounded, and a coldness so deep that it seemed bottomless inside me.

"Sure, I'll be back in a couple of days," I said. "Gotta go. My coworker's calling me."

After hanging up, I stared at the endless stream of cars on the street. For the first time, I felt utterly alone and terrified.

The truth was like an iceberg. I could only see the tip above the water, but beneath it, darkness and cold threatened to drag me under.

Richard already noticed something.

Time was running out.

I had to find Grace as soon as possible.

*****

After some digging and asking around, I found out that Grace had retired two years ago and was living in an old neighborhood on the west side of the city.

I didn't directly show up at her door.

I spent two days sitting in a café across from her building, keeping an eye on her routine.

Her life was pretty predictable: mornings for grocery shopping, afternoons picking up her grandson from school, evenings spent dancing.

On the third afternoon, I saw her come back alone, carrying shopping bags. Her grandson wasn't with her.

This was my chance.

I got up, crossed the street, and stopped Grace just before she walked into her building.

"Nurse Linley," I called out, using her old title from before she retired.

Grace paused, looking at me with a puzzled expression. She studied me for a few seconds, and then suddenly recognition dawned. "You're Mr. Carter's daughter-in-law, right? Sorry, what's your name?"

"Emily," I said, forcing a smile. "You still remember me."

"Of course I remember. You really had a tough time giving birth," Grace said, her face softening with sympathy. "Your kid must be pretty big now, right? He looked just like David. A handsome boy."

She mentioned David and Lucas naturally.

"Yeah, he's five now," I said, going along with her. Then I changed the subject. "Nurse Linley, I actually wanted to ask you about something that happened when I was in labor."

Grace's smile faded a bit. "Something from when you gave birth? That was so long ago. Why are you asking about that now?"

"I haven't been feeling well lately, so I went to the hospital for a check-up. The doctor asked about what happened back then, but I can't remember some of the details, especially the part where I was unconscious."

I tried to look as helpless and confused as possible. "I remember you were the one taking care of me, so I wanted to ask you. Was I out for a whole day and night because of the anesthesia?"

Grace's gaze wavered for a moment.

She avoided my eyes, looking down as she started fiddling with her shopping bag.

"Honestly, it's been ages. I can't really remember the details. The hospital keeps all the records anyway. Why don't you check your medical records?" she said.

"I checked my medical records. It said the anesthesia was to blame," I said, moving a little closer and lowering my voice. "But Nurse Linley, I talked to some other doctors later.

"They told me with the amount of blood I lost, I shouldn't have been out for that long. And I sort of remember hearing a baby cry while I was unconscious, but the cry sounded off somehow."

That last part was something I made up.

I was taking a gamble.

I was betting Grace knew what really happened, and that she'd feel guilty about it.

Grace visibly stiffened.

She suddenly looked up at me, her face turning pale. "W-What did you hear?"

Got her.