Chapter 3 - The Broken Vow
Claire stared at the man she had loved for seven years. The man who had held her hand through three failed IVF cycles, who had wept tears of joy when the test finally turned positive six months ago. Looking at him now, standing over Serena like a devoted protector, she realized the terrifying truth: the man she married had died the moment Serena walked back into his life.
Ethan’s family owned a major stake in the hospital network. With a single phone call an hour ago, he had invoked his legal authority as her husband and medical proxy to reassign Claire’s primary surgeon, head anesthesiologist, and senior nurses to Serena’s suite, claiming Serena’s condition was critical. He had left Claire with a single, terrified junior resident who was currently locked out of the system orders.
"You took my doctor..." Claire whispered, her voice barely audible over the harsh beep of the monitor. "You signed the transfer paperwork using your proxy rights."
"I did what was necessary," Ethan said coldly, checking his watch. "Serena’s baby is sensitive. Yours is stable enough."
"Stable?!" Claire screamed, a sound of pure agony ripping from her throat as another violent contraction twisted her lower body. She reached out, her fingers brushing his coat sleeve. "Ethan, please... look at me! Look at your wife! I am bleeding!"
Ethan glanced down at where her hand touched his sleeve. With deliberate slowness, he reached down, unclasped her fingers, and pushed her arm away.
"Don't cause a scene in the hallway," he said flatly. "I’m going to stay in Serena’s room until her epidural is set up. Lie down and stop worked up. You’re making your own vitals worse."
Serena offered Ethan a faint, sweet smile, reaching out her hand. "Ethan, my side hurts again..."
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Without another second of hesitation, Ethan turned his back on Claire. He took Serena’s hand, guiding her out into the bright corridor, shutting the heavy wooden door behind them—leaving Claire in total darkness save for the flashing red light of the dying monitor.
👉 Left isolated in a locked-down room, what hidden card will Claire play to save her child’s life?
