Chapter 4
The oppressive, terrifying standoff in the sunlit room was suddenly shattered by a blaring noise. Above the door, the emergency alarm lights activated, flashing a brilliant, blinding strobe of red against the white walls. The silent call button Maya had pressed had bypassed the standard nurse's station chime, triggering a full security alert.
“What the hell is that?” Daniel panicked, uncrossing his arms and stepping away from the heavy wooden door.
Richard turned sharply toward the door, his leather shoes squeaking against the floor. His authoritative expression faltered for a fraction of a second. “Daniel, lock that door right now!”
“It doesn't have a manual lock on the inside!” Daniel shouted over the alarm, his fair skin turning a sickly shade of white.
Taking advantage of their distraction, Maya pushed herself fully upright. She spread her arms wide over the bassinet, her body acting as a human shield over the two remaining newborns. She glared at Richard with a lethal, maternal hatred. “You aren't going anywhere with my son, you monster.”
“I own half the board of this hospital!” Richard bellowed, pointing a finger at her. “I will have you committed to the psychiatric ward before the day is over! I will take all three of them if you defy me!”
“Let’s just go, Richard!” Jessica urged, her smug contempt rapidly dissolving into frantic anxiety. She grabbed her father-in-law’s suit jacket. “We have the boy. We need to leave before the staff gets here!”
Before Richard could move, the heavy door was violently shoved open.
A senior nurse in bright blue scrubs burst into the room, flanked by two massive hospital security guards in dark uniforms. The nurse’s face was flushed, her eyes wide with a mixture of shock and sheer horror. Clutched tightly in her trembling hands was a thick, sealed manila file bearing the hospital’s legal department stamp.
Daniel went completely pale, backing away until his shoulders hit the wall. Jessica froze in place, her high heels rooted to the floor, her eyes darting between the guards and the crying baby in Richard’s arms.
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The nurse didn't look at Richard or Daniel. She looked directly past them, locking eyes with Maya. The nurse’s voice was tight with unprecedented urgency, cutting clearly through the flashing red lights.
“Maya…” the nurse gasped, her voice shocked and grave. “He was planning to sell the child to…”
