Ashfo

septic. Sharp and sterile, a smell that scraped

flat, unforgiving white that

ed the

nd new, and the silence was absolute. I tried to move my fingers, and a chorus of pain screamed

s al

t had I expected? That he would be here, holding my hand, hi

a mask of stern professionalism. He was followed by a young nurse

s name tag read Dr. Smith, Chief of

as sterile

paper. "My... my i

. "Sienna Ashford, 32 years old. Multiple soft tissue contusions

wanted

ze darting between me and the doctor

long dormant, began to

've scheduled you for a full workup. Standard proce

a spike of pain through my head. "My

blue eyes met mine. "It's a

ha

. So he was involved. Not with his pre

ultrasound machine, and ran tests with a speed that felt less like medical

le in his hand. He stood at the foot

our physical condition is excellent. Your kidneys, in particular, are in

ld. "A perfect

face of a man following orders. "For Mia. She suffered severe internal bleeding in

emed to press in on me. He couldn't be se

in a hospital bed, broken and bruised. And my husband

shaking my head. Th

r tonight. 8 PM. Mr. Ashford has already signed the consent forms

arts as if I were a car he was stripping for salvage.

ed to push myself up, but the fire in my leg was b

I do not consent," I said,

nd him flinched, tak

's face. It wasn't pity. It was contempt. He leaned in cl

who owns a wing of this hospital. The man who signs my checks." He strai

evaporated. This wasn't just a t

ted theft, with my husband as th