Chapter 1: The Red Lobby
The heavy, pristine glass doors of the emergency wing swung shut, cutting off the view of the medical team swarming Clara’s unconscious body. Julian stood frozen in the glossy, white-tiled lobby, his grey vest stained a stark, horrifying crimson. The silence of the room was suddenly broken by the sharp click of designer heels.
Eleanor was backing away toward the automatic exit doors, her sunglasses now firmly over her eyes to hide her panic. "Julian, darling," she stammered, her voice lacking its usual aristocratic command. "I need to call our lawyers. I need to get ahead of this."
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Julian’s gaze snapped from the emergency doors to his mother. The raw devastation in his eyes hardened into something entirely unrecognizable. He didn't shout; he didn't weep. Instead, he pulled his phone from his pocket and walked directly to the hospital’s head of security standing near the reception desk.
"Lock down this building," Julian ordered, his voice deathly quiet. "Nobody leaves. Especially not her."
