Chapter 5: The Doctor’s Verdict
Dr. Harrison’s footsteps were heavy as he approached the two waiting chairs in the deserted hospital hallway. He removed his surgical mask, letting it dangle around his neck, revealing a tired, drawn face that immediately told Daniel everything he needed to know. Victoria stood up first, her posture rigid, her professional composure snapping back into place like a tightly wound spring.
"Mr. Vance?" Dr. Harrison asked, looking directly at Daniel. "And Mrs. Vance... or rather, Ms. Hayes." He glanced briefly at Victoria, recognizing the complex web of relationships that often bled into the emergency room.
Daniel stood up, his knees trembling. "How is she? And the baby?"
Dr. Harrison sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose before speaking. "Clara is stable, Mr. Vance. We managed to control the internal bleeding, and she is currently resting in recovery. However... the trauma was severe." He paused, choosing his words with agonizing precision. "We induced an emergency delivery. Due to the gestational age and the blunt-force impact, the baby did not survive."
The words hung in the sterile air, heavy and suffocating. Daniel staggered backward, catching himself against the wall as a low, ragged groan escaped his lips. The reality of the loss crashed over him, destroying any remaining illusions he held about the safety of his choices. He had traded everything for a fleeting desire, and now the price had been paid in full.
Victoria placed a steadying hand on Daniel’s forearm, but he violently shook her off, glaring at her with a hatred that frightened even her. "Get away from me," Daniel whispered fiercely.
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Dr. Harrison watched the exchange with a practiced, clinical eye, though his expression tightened with suspicion. "The injuries sustained by Ms. Miller are consistent with a high-impact vehicular collision from the front," the doctor noted quietly. "The police have already been notified. It’s protocol for accidents of this nature, especially given the circumstances."
Victoria’s breath hitched, the carefully constructed facade finally beginning to crumble. She looked from Dr. Harrison to Daniel, realizing that the narrative of a simple, tragic parking lot accident was already slipping rapidly through her trembling fingers.
