“Elena,” he said carefully, “tell me everything.”
She closed her eyes, trying to remember.
“I remember the surgery,” she whispered. “Then I couldn’t breathe. I heard doctors arguing.”
Her fingers tightened around his.
“One of them said… ‘She heard too much.’”
Daniel felt cold all over.
Elena continued shakily.
“Then someone injected something into my IV. I couldn’t move anymore, but I could still hear.”
A tear slid down her face.
“They said the baby was healthy… but someone important wanted her.”
Daniel’s heart nearly stopped.
“What do you mean wanted her?”
Elena swallowed hard.
“I heard them mention a couple. Rich. Powerful.” Her breathing quickened. “They were going to say our baby died and give her to them.”
Daniel stood up so suddenly the chair crashed backward.
Human trafficking.
Inside the hospital.
His mind raced violently.
Then Elena grabbed his wrist with surprising strength.
“There’s more.”
He looked down at her.
“I saw one doctor clearly before they covered my face.” Her voice trembled. “Daniel… it was Dr. Marcus Hale.”
Daniel’s face drained of color.
Dr. Hale wasn’t just any surgeon.
He was one of the most respected fertility specialists in the state.
Wealthy families donated millions to his foundation.
Politicians attended his charity galas.
He was untouchable.
Or so everyone believed.
Suddenly, alarms began blaring outside the ICU room.
Footsteps thundered down the hallway.
The gray-haired nurse burst through the door, terrified.
“You have to go NOW!” she hissed.
“Why?”
“They found the funeral video online. The police are coming. And somebody inside this hospital is deleting records before investigators arrive.”
Daniel helped Elena sit up carefully.
Then the nurse said something that made his blood run cold.
“The hospital basement…”
She hesitated.
“That’s where they keep the real records. The babies that were never reported.”
Daniel stared at her in horror.
“How many babies?”
The nurse looked like she might cry.
“I stopped counting after twelve.”
Then suddenly—
The lights in Elena’s room went dark.
Every machine shut off instantly.
The hallway outside fell silent.
Too silent.
And from somewhere beyond the ICU door…
Slow footsteps began approaching in the darkne
