The Sanctuary of Snow
By sunrise, Lily had been escorted from the hospital premises pending the toxicology results, forbidden from approaching within five hundred feet of Emma. Nate refused to let his daughter stay in Room 1204 another hour.
With Dr. Bennett's authorization, Emma was moved to a private, secure pediatric recovery room on the top floor, guarded around the clock.
Nate sat in an armchair by the large window overlooking the snow-covered pine trees. Emma was finally sleeping peacefully, her breathing steady now that the tampered IV solution had been replaced with clean saline and genuine antibiotics.
"Daddy?" a small voice called out.
Nate was beside her in an instant, smoothing the hair from her forehead. "I'm right here, angel. You're completely safe."
Emma looked around the room, her big hazel eyes wide with cautious hope. "Is she going to come back when it gets dark?"
"Never again," Nate said, kissing her temple. "I promise you, on my life, she will never walk through that door again."
"I didn't want to make you sad," Emma whispered, clutching his hand to her cheek. "You looked so happy when she smiled at dinner. But whenever you left the room, she stopped smiling."
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Nate’s eyes filled with tears of bitter self-reproach. He had been so blind, so eager to provide a complete family for his daughter, that he had invited a predator into their sanctuary.
"You didn't do anything wrong, Emma," Nate choked out softly. "Daddy was supposed to protect you. And I will spend the rest of my life making sure you only know real love."
