★★★★ Jasmine approached the reception desk, her steps measured but determined. The hospital’s quiet atmosphere unsettled her, the sterile air tinged with a strange stillness. She cleared her throat softly before addressing the receptionist, a middle-aged woman with a no-nonsense demeanor. "Excuse me," Jasmine began, her voice steady though her nerves hummed beneath the surface. "I’m here to see Mr. Ronald Cooper. Could you please tell me which ward he’s in?" The receptionist looked up from her screen, her expression carefully controlled. She studied Jasmine for a brief moment, her gaze sharp and assessing, as though weighing her intentions. "First floor," she replied crisply, barely blinking. "Ward number 809. But make sure all your electronic devices are switched off before you enter. It’s hospital protocol." There was something in the receptionist’s tone—a slight edge, a warning cloaked in professionalism—that made Jasmine hesitate for a fraction of a second. But she quickly dism
★★★★Jasmine stood frozen, her heart hammering against her ribcage as the scene before her slowly sank in. "No... this can’t be real. I’m not seeing this," she whispered, her voice barely audible as she placed a trembling hand over her chest. Her once rosy cheeks had turned ashen, and her breath hung in the cold air like fragile wisps of mist. Her mind fought against the reality her eyes couldn’t deny, the sight of her father’s lifeless body sprawled out on the hospital bed.The doctor, his voice detached and clinical, broke the heavy silence. "His neck was broken, and there was significant internal bleeding in the brain. Those injuries were the primary cause of death."Jasmine snapped her head toward the doctor, her voice laced with a rising panic. "He was killed, wasn’t he?"The doctor met her gaze, his tone unwavering. "Such injuries aren't self-inflicted. Cancer wasn’t what ended his life."Her knees nearly buckled beneath her as she took in the cold, unfeeling truth. She turned b
★★★★★ Dante’s fingers hovered briefly over his phone, his thoughts racing as he dialed the number. The tension in his voice was unmistakable when the woman at the reception answered. "This is Dante Colley. I need to speak with my father immediately," he said, his voice cutting through the pleasantries, leaving no room for delay. The receptionist didn’t hesitate, recognizing the weight behind the name. "Yes, right away, Mr. Colley," she responded, quickly patching the call through to the boardroom where his father was entrenched in a high-stakes meeting. The boardroom was a sea of stern faces, the air thick with the unease that had settled in after the day’s shocking announcement. Among them, a middle-aged man who had been a loyal steward of the Colley family’s wealth for decades finally spoke up, his voice wavering with the gravity of the situation. "Sir," he began, addressing Dante’s father with a tone that mixed respect and concern, "I know I’m not in a position to demand answer
★★★★★ As Phil and Damon screeched to a halt outside the hospital, the tension between them was palpable. They barely managed to slam the car doors shut before charging toward the main entrance, their urgency clear in the hard set of their jaws. Inside, the atmosphere was thick with the sterile smell of disinfectant and the low hum of fluorescent lights. When they reached the reception desk, surprisingly it was a man sitting there instead of the woman who had guided Jasmine earlier. Phil leaned forward, his voice laced with an edge of impatience. "What is Ronald Cooper's ward number? And can you tell me if his daughter is with him?" The man, seemingly unfazed by the rush, glanced up briefly before turning his attention to the computer. His fingers danced across the keyboard with a disconcerting calmness. "Just a moment," he replied. After a few clicks, he finally spoke, his tone monotonous and detached. "Mr. Cooper was admitted five days ago, brought in by his daughter and mother. Th
★★★★★“Sir, I swear, I’m not lying,” the man gasped, his voice strained as Damon’s grip lifted him off the ground, his feet barely touching the floor. “I don’t know where she is. We saw her come into this room, but… but she never came out. I don’t understand it either, I—” The man’s words faltered as Damon’s hold tightened, his fear now mingling with confusion.Damon’s eyes blazed with fury, his voice low and venomous as he spat out his words. “She’s not a ghost. Someone took her, and you’re telling me you have no idea? In a hospital you work at? You think I’m going to believe that? You know this place inside out, and you know the people who run it. So start talking, or I’ll make you wish you had.”The man’s breath came in shallow, panicked gasps as he struggled to speak. “There’s… there’s a basement,” he choked out, his voice barely audible. “It’s… it’s hidden, behind that wall. It leads to a tunnel that goes straight to the road behind the hospital. The road… it goes to the docks by
★★★★★Jasmine’s voice cracked as she unleashed the fury that had been festering inside her for far too long. "He did everything for you and your mother," she spat, her words slicing through the tension in the room like a blade. "He betrayed my mother, turned his back on everything for you people, and what did he get in return? A broken neck and internal bleeding! He was dying already. You didn’t have to go and kill him like that. It wasn’t enough that he was already suffering?"Kesha leaned back, her eyes narrowing as a cold smile curled her lips, the kind that never quite reached her eyes. "Why are you so concerned with a dead man, Jasmine? Shouldn’t you be more worried about yourself, about what’s coming next?" Her voice was smooth, almost mocking, as if she took pleasure in Jasmine’s rage. "You think you can make us feel guilty with your accusations? Nah! What you should be doing is begging for mercy, because what’s about to happen to you... well, let's just say, you won’t be able
★★★★★ Payne’s brow furrowed in concentration as she tried to locate her mother’s phone, but the screen only displayed its last known location—the hospital. Her stomach twisted in knots; she knew her mother wasn’t there. Dante had made that clear when he mentioned something had gone terribly wrong. Ceece paced back and forth, her frustration mounting with every second that ticked by. "Nadia, we need to stop sitting around and start looking for her! I’m so angry at myself," she muttered, her voice filled with self-reproach. "I should’ve listened to Payne earlier. We should’ve acted sooner, but now we’re stuck, and who knows what’s happening to her?" Nadia sighed, rubbing her temples as she tried to quell the throbbing pain in her head. "Ceece, this isn’t the time for self-blame," she said, her tone firm but not unkind. "We can’t afford to lose focus. We need to figure out where she is and how to get to her as quickly as possible. Blaming yourself or anyone else isn’t going to help. Ma
★★★★Layla's breath hitched as she stepped back, half-hidden behind her mother, a soft, terrified whisper escaping her lips. "Damon Colley..." Kesha’s heart pounded in her chest, the sight of armed men in her home sending a surge of icy fear through her veins. She tried to keep her voice steady, to muster any semblance of authority, but the fear was palpable in her tone. "Who are you people? And why have you barged into my home with guns drawn?"Damon’s eyes were cold, filled with a fury that cut through the air like a knife. "Where is she?" His voice was low, almost a growl, but it carried the weight of a deadly promise.Kesha's hands trembled slightly, but she squared her shoulders, trying to hold onto her composure. "Who are you talking about? We don't know anything!" Her voice wavered as she tried to appear strong, though the fear that gripped her heart was almost overwhelming.Damon’s expression darkened, his patience wearing thin. "If you waste another second lying to me about