CHAPTER 2 — The Nurse Who Couldn't Stay Silent

Emily returned to the hospital the following morning.

Officially...

She wanted Lily's belongings.

Unofficially...

She wanted the truth.

Most nurses avoided eye contact.

Until one woman quietly stopped her outside the pediatric ward.

"My name is Hannah."

She looked around nervously before speaking.

"I've been trying to reach you."

Emily's heart pounded.

"You knew Lily?"

Hannah nodded.

"The night before she died... she saw your husband arguing with someone."

"Who?"

"A hospital attorney."

Emily felt her knees weaken.

"What were they arguing about?"

Hannah hesitated.

"I wasn't supposed to hear."

"But your husband kept demanding the paperwork be signed before morning."

Emily's voice cracked.

"What paperwork?"

"The emergency consent forms."

Hannah swallowed hard.

"One doctor refused."

"So another one was called."

Emily stared at her.

"What happened after that?"

Hannah handed over a small flash drive.

"I copied security footage before it disappeared."

"They told us the cameras malfunctioned."

"They didn't."

Emily rushed home.

Her hands trembled as she inserted the drive into her laptop.

The video showed Mark standing outside Lily's hospital room.

He wasn't alone.

A lawyer handed him several documents.

Mark signed them.

Then another man entered the room.

Only minutes later...

The monitor inside Lily's room suddenly flatlined.

Emily covered her mouth.

Not because she had proof that Mark killed their daughter.

She didn't.

But she now had proof that he had concealed critical paperwork and lied about what happened that night.

Before she could process everything...

Her phone rang.

Unknown number.

When she answered...

A small voice whispered,

"If you want justice for Lily...

Don't trust the police."

The call disconnected.