Chapter 4
Elena’s expression didn't shatter; it hardened just enough around the edges for Arthur to see the sharp, calculating mind beneath the polite exterior. She didn't raise her voice, nor did she rush forward with theatrical denials. Instead, she let out a soft, pitying sigh, walking gracefully toward the kitchen island.
"Arthur, please," Elena murmured, casting a sorrowful look toward Dr. Evans. "You are letting your anxiety run away with you again. The stress of the accident, the sleepless nights... it’s clouding your judgment. I only use the pediatric-approved sleep aids prescribed by the clinic down the road when Lily’s head pain keeps her screaming in agony for hours."
Dr. Evans’s eyebrows arched sharply. He turned to face her, his professional demeanor dropping away to reveal professional outrage. "Mrs. Miller, no such prescription was ever written by my office, nor would I ever authorize a sedative for a recovering head-trauma patient without a neurologist's sign-off. It directly counteracts her healing process."
Elena’s lips pressed into a thin line. "Doctors make mistakes with charts all the time. You are quick to cover your own tracks, aren't you?" She turned her gaze back to Arthur, her eyes gleaming with feigned hurt. "Arthur, look at me. Do you really believe I would harm the little girl I have bathed, fed, and nursed back to health every single day since the crash?"
Arthur stood frozen between them. Every instinct screamed that Elena was lying, yet her delivery was so flawless, so completely devoid of panic, that a tiny, insidious seed of doubt tried to take root in his mind once more. He looked at the sealed vial in Dr. Evans's hand, then back at Elena’s composed face.
"The lab results will tell us the truth, Elena," Arthur said, his voice dropping to a dangerous, low register. "The lab doesn't lie, and it doesn't care about your stories."
Dr. Evans tucked the vial safely into his leather bag and snapped the brass latches shut. "I’ll personally drop this sample off at the regional toxicology lab downtown. We’ll have definitive answers by evening. Until then, Arthur, I strongly advise you to keep Lily in my care at the clinic, or at the very least, ensure no one administers anything to her except you."
"I am her father," Arthur said firmly. "No one else goes near her room."
May you like
Elena bowed her head submissively, stepping aside to let Dr. Evans pass. "Of course, Arthur. Do whatever brings you peace of mind. But when the tests come back negative, I hope you will remember how quickly you turned on me in my own home."
As the front door clicked shut behind the doctor, the kitchen fell into an oppressive silence. Arthur didn't look at Elena. He turned on his heel and walked swiftly back up the stairs, his boots hitting the risers like drumbeats of war. He reached Lily’s door, pushed it open, and locked it from the inside with a sharp, echoing click.
