When Benjamin returned to my room that evening, his demeanor had changed slightly, and the confidence he usually carried seemed less certain.
“What did you tell them,” he asked quietly, closing the door behind him.
I looked at him directly, no longer pretending to be unaware.
“I told them the truth,” I said.
“No one will believe you because you were under heavy sedation,” he said sharply.
“Not enough to silence me completely,” I replied.
He stepped back, his eyes narrowing.
“You do not understand who you are dealing with,” he said.
“I understand you better than you think,” I answered softly.
At that moment, the door opened, and Natalie entered with the doctor.
“Mr. Cole, your visitation privileges are suspended while we continue this review,” the doctor announced.
“This is unreasonable,” Benjamin protested.
“It is a precaution we must take,” the doctor said firmly.
Benjamin looked at me one last time, and I saw anger mixed with disbelief in his eyes.
“This is not over,” he said quietly.
“It was never a contest,” I replied calmly.
In the days that followed, my condition continued to improve steadily, and the investigation began to uncover patterns that could no longer be ignored.