Seeking answers, Daniel requested a retest, convinced that a mistake had been made. While waiting for the results, he buried himself in research, scrutinizing each case of supposed medical impossibilities. But no medical journal could explain how he—someone who had always prided himself on his integrity and compassion—could be implicated in such a heinous act.

Every day, he visited Emily, now acutely aware of the life growing within her. He felt an overwhelming sense of responsibility, not only for the child but also for Emily, who had been stripped of her dignity and agency.

Sitting by her bedside in the dim light of the ICU, he spoke to her for the first time beyond routine clinical updates. He apologized, his words a quiet plea for forgiveness, though he didn’t fully understand what for. He promised to protect her, to find justice for her and her unborn child.