May was visibly shaken. "How is that possible? When Miss Claire went to prison five years ago, she was perfectly healthy."
Her words were like a bomb dropped into a tranquil river, shattering the silence.
Aberdeen, Grace, and Sean all widened their eyes in shock.
If Claire was healthy before her imprisonment but missing a kidney afterward, it suggested that the organ was taken during her incarceration.
A heavy silence descended over them, like a suffocating blanket.
Sean recalled the documents he'd reviewed earlier that morning.
Liam hadn't uncovered anything about Claire losing a kidney, but given the torment she'd endured over the years, it wasn't hard to surmise that the loss was connected to those who'd harmed her.
What kind of deep-seated hatred would drive someone to do such a thing to a fragile young woman?
Even Sean, who considered himself ruthless, couldn't fathom such cruelty.
The waiting felt interminable, each minute stretching painfully as they all held their breath.
Aberdeen clutched a rosary, praying fervently for Claire's safety.
Grace and May wept silently, hearts breaking for Claire's plight.
After what felt like an eternity, the door to the emergency room finally opened, and a weary doctor emerged, pulling down his mask. "She's stable for now, but she'll need to stay in the hospital for further observation. We must closely monitor her condition."
Everyone exhaled in relief, their hearts easing just a little.
...
At Cresthaven General Hospital, Ethan looked disheveled, his eyes shadowed with fatigue and regret. The confident man he once was seemed a distant memory.
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