Sherah left the Sunshine Medical Center and went back to her home that same night.Her family was not big.The in-laws were long gone, and her older daughter had tied the knot, leaving just her husband, Radd Yates and her son, Zander Yates.She came home from the market to find Zander unexpectedly at the house."Zander?"He was sitting on the front steps with a cell phone, and when he heard her, he looked up excitedly. "Mom, you're back!"He dove into Sherah's bag, searching for something good. However, his face fell when he handed the bag back."No snacks? No treats?"Just potatoes and onions. Not a single slice of meat.Sherah flashed a smile. "I had no idea you'd be back, so I didn't pick up anything. There's no fresh meat left at the market now. Let's wait for tomorrow, I promise to prepare a feast for you then."They stepped inside the house.While putting things away, Sherah quizzed him, "So, Zander, what brings you home so early? I thought you still had a while before
Sherah did not answer him. Instead, she cried out, "Ouch! Let me go! Zander, help me!"Radd was strong, and she felt like her scalp might rip off.Radd hit her again. "Quiet down, you! Are you going to spill it or not?"He then shoved Sherah to the floor and kicked her as she fell. Zander watched silently, his expression dark as he looked at Sherah.After what felt like an eternity, Sherah could not take it anymore and blurted out, "I'll talk. I'll talk."Radd finally paused, eased himself into a chair by the dining table, and took a long swig of wine, his head thrown back.Sherah, trying to steady herself, stole a look at her son, her pride and joy, only to find him staring blankly, seemingly oblivious to the chaos around him.Radd's voice was a low growl. "Out with it already!"Shivering, Sherah rushed to explain, "I'll talk, I'll talk."She wiped away her tears and continued, "The patient I was caring for woke up suddenly, ran off, and had an accident. She died, and the hos
Radd's chilling voice cut through the silence from the doorway.Sherah jumped to her feet, her body shaking as she turned to face him.Radd's eyes locked onto the bank card in Zander's hand. Zander quickly pocketed it, his heart racing.Radd was so mad he could only laugh. He stormed over in a few quick strides and yanked Sherah's hair.In an instant, he unleashed a flurry of punches and slaps."You think you can fool me? You're asking for it! I'll show you what happens when you lie to me! And hiding money from me, too!"He remembered how she had only given him three thousand dollars when he got back, and no matter how much he questioned or hit her, she swore there was nothing left.However, with their son back, she suddenly had a wad of cash.She did not have an ounce of respect for him, the supposed head of the household!Fuming, Radd's hits grew even more vicious.Sherah was kicked in the belly so hard she doubled over in pain, crouching on the floor, clutching her stomach
"Mrs. Jeppesen, Ms. Sanders wants to see you."At the doorstep stood the pair who had been tailing the Yates family.They eyed Sherah, their expressions flickering with surprise at the sight of her bruised face.Radd shared a knowing look with his son and settled into the silence of the living room.A shiver ran through Sherah, her mind racing. Was it Madeline or Lydia?"Which... which Ms. Sanders?"The visitor raised an eyebrow, a hint of mockery in their tone. "You seem to be acquainted with quite a few Ms. Sanders."Sherah's body tensed."It's Madeline."At the mention of Madeline, Sherah trembled harder. She clutched the doorknob for dear life, steadying herself."I've quit my job at the hospital, and I've finished all the handovers. There's nothing left for me to say to Miss Madeline. Please, just tell her to stop looking for me."With that, she slammed the door with a resounding thud.Caught off guard, the visitors outside were left fumbling as the door sealed shut, a
Lydia had not quite sorted out the Sherah situation when her phone buzzed again.Glancing at the screen, she answered with a hint of impatience, "What now? Didn't I tell you to zip it? Madeline can't touch you if you do."However, this time, it was not a voice she recognized. "Is this Ms. Sanders?"Lydia's retort got caught in her throat.She double-checked the number—it was still Sherah's—and her tone dropped a few degrees. "Speaking. Who's this?"Radd tried to sound cheerful. "I'm Sherah's husband, Radd. My wife's been in Redenbaugh City, and she's really grateful for all you've done for her."Lydia's face stayed stone-cold, her voice even chillier. "Cut to the chase. I'm not here for small talk. What do you want?"Radd, hearing the frost in her voice, could not help but silently scoff."My wife spilled everything you had her do. She's clueless, and you got her off your back with a mere four hundred and fifty thousand bucks, but I'm not as easy to fool. You've got to up the a
Madeline's brow creased with concern. "Okay, Caleb. Let's head out."However, Caleb, ever the gentle soul, handed her a spoon. "No rush. Fuel up with some breakfast first."Madeline's frown grew even more pronounced.Caleb blinked in surprise. "Not to your liking? Tell me what you're craving, and I'll head out to get it for you."Madeline shook her head. "No, it's fine. This will do. I'll grab a bowl, and you should have some too, Caleb."They sat down to breakfast together.Madeline barely grazed her utensils against the food before setting them aside.Oddly enough, she was not usually fussy about food. The beef and noodle soup with its tangy cabbage had always been a favorite of hers.However, she just could not bring herself to eat it. All she could think about was that delicious seafood ravioli.Madeline gave her belly a rueful look, thinking that the little one inside sure had specific tastes."Caleb, we should head out."Caleb could tell she was not up for eating and d
Twilight descended, and the world was soon swallowed by the night.Sherah caught a glimpse of two figures in the distance as she carried her things inside.The house was dark and eerily quiet, devoid of any warmth.A shadow on the couch made her jump, and she clutched her chest. "Oh, you're here."Radd's eyes were a murky pool of ice as he fixed his gaze on her."What's wrong?"Radd's voice came out rough. "Zander hasn't come back. Someone saw him heading up to the back mountain."Sherah's face went ghostly white.What on earth was Zander doing on the back mountain?That place was crawling with wolves in the winter.Sherah spun on her heel and bolted for the door. "I need to talk to the village chief!"Radd watched her go, making no move to stop her.The guards outside took one look at her frantic dash and nodded to each other, trailing behind her.Before long, the village's able-bodied folks had grabbed their flashlights and were off to the back hills, searching for the m
By the time Madeline reached Sherah's house, night had fallen like a thick curtain.Pregnant and uncomfortable, the journey by car was a series of stops and starts, each one adding to their delay.The heavy snowfall only made their travel slower.Stepping out of the car, she was greeted by Caleb's people."Mrs. Jeppesen's been worried sick since evening. Her son went up the mountain and hasn't been seen since. She pleaded with the village chief to organize a search party. She and her husband joined them too."The search party has been scouring the woods for what feels like forever, but Radd and Sherah are still nowhere to be found. With wolves lurking and a blanket of snow covering the ground, the search party had no choice but to head back home, empty-handed. "Madeline's heart raced with worry. "You don't think something bad happened, do you?"Caleb tried to soothe her fears. "I doubt it. They know this area like the back of their hand. They had each other too. They'll be fine