Chapter 3
Daniel finally called emergency services only after Claire whispered, “Please.”
Even then, he sounded annoyed.
“My wife fell,” he said. “She’s pregnant. Yes, she’s conscious.”
Evelyn stood beside him like a director correcting a scene.
“Say she lost her balance.”
Daniel repeated it.
“She lost her balance.”
Claire closed her eyes.
No.
She remembered standing at the top of the stairs.
Remembered the room tilting.
Remembered her knees weakening.
Remembered reaching for the banister and finding her grip too slow, as if her own body had stopped answering her.
She did not remember a push.
She did not need to.
Something had been wrong before she fell.
Olivia crouched near her but did not touch her.
“Claire, try to calm down.”
Claire opened her eyes.
Olivia was wearing concern like makeup.
Perfectly applied.
Completely removable.
“Move,” Claire whispered.
Olivia blinked.
“What?”
“Move away from me.”
Daniel’s expression hardened.
“Don’t start.”
Claire looked at him.
She wanted to ask when he stopped being her husband.
But she already knew.
Before tonight.
Before the stairs.
May you like
Before Olivia learned where the bedroom robes were kept.
Read the full story 👉 Everyone in the hallway acted concerned, but each of them seemed more worried about the story than Claire’s body.
