Dr. Patel continued calmly. “The recordings show you approaching restricted staff areas and attempting to speak privately with a lab technician. Hospital policy requires us to report suspected interference with medical testing.”
Ethan’s mouth opened, then shut again.
The confidence drained from his face the way glass cracks—sudden and irreversible.
“I didn’t—” he began.
The officer’s radio chirped. “Administration is on the line.”
My heart pounded, but beneath the fear another feeling settled in—clear and cold. Ethan had never wanted the truth.
He wanted leverage.
If the baby wasn’t his, he would abandon us.
If she was his, he would twist reality until he escaped responsibility anyway.
Dr. Patel looked directly at him. “You demanded this test. You threatened your wife while she was recovering. And now you’re escalating inside a hospital room.”
Ethan’s voice dropped, suddenly desperate. “I just… I just needed to be sure.”
I stared at him.
“No,” I said quietly. “You needed an excuse.”
The security officer guided him toward the door. Ethan kept turning his head to look back at me, like he expected me to chase after him—to beg, to fix things.
I didn’t move.