“Emma stays here until everything is verified.”
His eyes darkened.
“You can’t do that.”
The officer stepped in.
“Actually, we can.”
Daniel clenched his fists, then turned and walked out of the hospital.
Sarah felt a knot form in her stomach.
“He’ll be back.”
The officer nodded.
“And now we know he’s hiding something.”
A Chilling Discovery
Back at the ICU room, Emma sat beside her mother holding her hand.
“Did he leave?” she whispered.
“For now,” Sarah said.
Emma lowered her eyes.
“He always comes back.”
Sarah knelt beside her.
“This time, we’re here.”
Emma looked unsure.
“That’s what my mom said last time… and he found us.”
Sarah’s stomach dropped.
“Last time?”
Laura spoke weakly.
“We tried to escape a month ago. He caught us on the highway. I crashed the car trying to get away.”
Sarah swallowed.
“Has he always been violent?”
“At first, no,” Laura said quietly. “But when I realized what he was capable of… it was too late.”
Sarah took a deep breath.
“I’m going to make sure he never touches either of you again.”
Emma looked at her with tearful eyes.
“Promise?”
Sarah squeezed her hands.
“I promise.”
But deep down, she knew the fight was far from over.
A Shocking Record
At the front desk, a police officer’s radio crackled.
“Dispatch here. We found a missing child report filed three years ago. Name: Emma Bennett. Mother: Laura Bennett.”
Sarah felt the air leave her lungs.
The officer continued:
“The case was closed due to lack of evidence.”
The other officer looked at Sarah.
“That means this guy’s been keeping her all this time.”
Sarah nodded slowly.
“And her mother was too afraid to speak.”
Now they finally had proof.
The Confrontation
Less than thirty minutes later, Daniel stormed back into the hospital.
“This is outrageous!”
He waved a document in the air.
“I have her birth certificate right here!”
An officer took the paper and examined it.
“We’ll verify if it’s legitimate.”
Daniel glared at Sarah.
“I raised that girl for three years!”
“Against her mother’s will,” Sarah replied.
He lunged forward angrily.
“She gave that child nothing! I gave her a stable life!”
Sarah didn’t move.
“You kidnapped her.”
The officers immediately stepped between them.
“Sir, we need you to come with us.”
“I’m not going anywhere without Emma.”
“That’s not your choice.”
As they escorted him out, Daniel shot Sarah a furious look.
“This isn’t over.”
She met his gaze.
“For you, it is.”