Chapter 4: The Shadow in the Hallway
The post-op recovery ward was hushed, dimly lit by the faint glow of vitals monitors. Maya was propped up on two pillows, an IV drip running slowly into the back of her hand. Her color was gradually returning, but the terror in her eyes hadn't faded.
"Mom," she whispered, her voice raspier than before. "He told me it was a special vitamin to help with my asthma. He said if I spat it out, bad men would come to the house."
Clara sat beside her, gently smoothing back Maya’s tangled hair. "You did nothing wrong, sweetheart. You are safe now. I swear on my life, he will never touch you again."
Suddenly, the heavy glass doors at the end of the corridor slid open. Heavy, hurried footsteps echoed against the linoleum. Clara stood up immediately, positioning herself between the doorway and Maya’s bed.
Through the observation window, she saw Thomas. He wasn't wearing his usual crisp suit; his jacket was soaked, his hair disheveled, and his eyes darted frantically around the corridor. When he spotted the security guard posted near the central desk, his hand drifted toward the pocket of his overcoat.
May you like
Clara quietly locked the sliding door of Maya’s room from the inside. She pocketed the titanium drive, grabbed a heavy metal drip stand from the corner, and waited in the shadow of the door frame, her heart pounding a furious rhythm.
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