Suddenly, a knock on the door shattered the silence like a gunshot. Daniel flinched, startled back to the present. It was Julia, the ultrasound technician, her face a mask of worry and compassion.

“I heard,” she said gently, stepping inside and closing the door softly behind her. “Daniel, this doesn’t make sense. I know you. We all do. There has to be more to this.”

Her faith in him was a small light in the encroaching darkness, but even that felt undeserved. How could he explain what seemed inexplicable? Yet the hospital demanded answers, and the investigation was no longer just an internal matter. The police were involved now, and the media had gotten wind of the story. It was only a matter of time before everything spiraled out of control.

“I don’t remember, Julia,” he said, voice cracking with the strain of his confession. “I can’t recall anything that would… that would lead to this.”