Chapter 3

Logan’s face drained of color. He darted an anxious look left and right down the corridor before snapping in a harsh whisper:

“What kind of sick nonsense are you spouting?! You’re completely unhinged! Your jealousy has gotten so toxic you’re trying to ruin a young girl’s reputation!”

With that, he stepped forward and grabbed my arm in a vise grip.

“She just asked you to hold a baby! Is it really worth making such a massive scene?”

“You are holding this child today, whether you want to or not!”

One of his hands twisted my arm while the other tangled brutally into my hair, yanking my head down and forcing me toward the bundle in Chloe’s arms.

Seeing this, Chloe beamed with manic delight and shoved the blanket toward my chest.

The terror of dying in agony in my past life surged back. Fighting with everything I had, I wrenched myself violently away. A thick clump of my hair ripped free in Logan’s fist before I stumbled backward, breathless.

The commotion had already drawn the attention of nearby visitors and staff.

My heart slammed violently against my ribs. A sharp, stinging throbbing burned across my scalp. I touched the spot, my fingers coming away stained with bright, slick crimson.

“Good grief, what is going on over there? That woman’s head is bleeding!”

“Wait, isn’t that Dr. Miller, the head of pediatrics? And that’s the charge nurse, right? Why are they getting physical?!”

A crowd began to form, murmuring in shock. Logan’s expression darkened until it looked black as thunder.

Just then, a confused voice broke through the murmurs.

“Chloe? What are you doing out here? Why did taking the baby for a bath take this long? You haven’t answered any of my calls or texts!”

The crowd parted to reveal Chloe’s sister-in-law, Rachel Vance, still clad in a patient gown and looking frail after labor.

Chloe flinched hard. Her grip on the bundle tightened convulsively, her eyes darting away in guilt.

Suddenly, she whipped around, pointed a trembling finger at me, and cried out:

“Rachel! The nurse manager blocked me in the hallway and wouldn't let me leave! She… she killed the baby!”

Rachel swayed on her feet. In the next breath, she lunged forward like a madwoman, snatching the bundle right out of Chloe’s arms.

The moment she peeled back the cloth and saw the pale, purplish face, a guttural, blood-curdling wail tore from her throat:

“My baby! My baby boy!”

I had assumed that refusing to touch the child would keep me out of harm’s way, but Chloe was dead set on framing me at any cost.

Spotting Lisa in the periphery, I caught her eye and gave a subtle, urgent nod for her to call the police.

Then, I projected my voice clearly and firmly: “I never touched that infant. Nor did I ever block Chloe from leaving.”

“On the contrary, she cornered me and tried to force that bundle into my hands. The hallway cameras will prove every word I say.”

As if finding an ace up her sleeve, Chloe sniffled and broke into a triumphant sob.

“Of course you’d say that! The hallway cameras have been down since this morning for maintenance!”

“Everyone knows you and Dr. Miller have been married five years without having a single kid! You’re just bitter and jealous that Rachel could deliver a healthy boy, so you took your spite out on an innocent baby!”

“Nurse Manager, I could stomach you bullying me at work, but how could you murder my nephew?!”

The second the accusation left her mouth, Rachel turned on me with unbridled fury. She lunged, her palm cracking across my face in a barrage of vicious slaps.

“You barren monster! You can’t have kids of your own, so you butcher someone else’s?! People like you deserve to rot childless forever!”

“Do you have any idea what I went through to bring him into this world?! Seven years of endless shots and agony! Give me back my son!”

Instinctively, I curled my body to shield my lower abdomen. Blood seeped from the corner of my split lip, but I forced my voice through the ringing in my ears:

“I never touched him! If you don’t believe me, order an immediate autopsy. The medical examiner can determine the exact cause of death!”

“His face is cyanotic—he most likely drowned! There isn’t a single puddle of water in this hallway for him to drown in!”