Chapter 7: The Cold White Room**
The emergency room at St. Jude’s Memorial Hospital smelled of antiseptic, floor wax, and unspoken grief.
Victoria sat in the waiting area, refusing the blanket and hot tea the nurses offered. She still wore the shredded, mud-caked black gown. Her bare feet were bandaged, her skin pale, but she refused to leave the corridor outside the trauma bay.
The double doors swung open, and Julian walked in, holding little Lily by the hand. Lily was still clutching the tattered brown coat, refusing to let go of it.
Julian stopped in front of Victoria. The arrogance and polished composure that defined him were gone, replaced by a deep, hollow shame.
"I canceled the party," Julian said quietly, his voice hollow. "I told everyone the truth. I told them what you did... and what I allowed to happen by staying silent."
Victoria looked up, her eyes vacant and bloodshot. "It wasn't you, Julian. It was me. I wanted this life so badly that I sold my soul for it. I threw away the only person on earth whose love was unconditional."
Julian knelt down beside his wife on the linoleum floor, heedless of his custom tuxedo touching the hospital dirt. "I was an accomplice, Victoria. When I saw her in the hallway tonight, I thought about my reputation at the firm before I thought about the woman who helped us buy our first apartment. We both lost our way."
The trauma bay doors swung open with a sharp click. Dr. Harrison, a tired-looking trauma surgeon, stepped out, pulling down his surgical mask.
"Are you Mary Vance’s family?" he asked gravely.
Victoria sprang to her feet, stumbling forward. "I'm her daughter. How is she? Please tell me she's okay!"
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The doctor’s expression remained grim. "She suffered severe hypothermia, two broken ribs, and a fractured pelvis from the fall. But the most concerning issue is her heart. The shock of the cold has triggered acute heart failure. She is stable for the moment, but the next twenty-four hours are critical. You can see her now, but only for a few minutes."
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