A nurse quickly stepped between them.

“Sir, please calm down. We need to understand what’s happening before you take her anywhere.”

Emma shook her head and clutched her shirt tightly. Her lips trembled.

“My mom is here,” she whispered.

The social worker, Rachel, knelt down in front of her.

“Your mom is in the hospital, sweetheart.”

Emma nodded quickly.

“She’s going to save me.”

The man sighed in irritation.

“Don’t listen to her. She imagines things all the time. Emma, come here.”

He tried stepping closer, but Emma curled into herself even more.

“No. I don’t want to go.”

Rachel immediately stood up.

“You can’t take her until we understand what’s going on.”

The man clenched his jaw.

“I’m her father.”

“We’ll confirm that,” Rachel replied calmly.

He looked around the room, clearly annoyed.

“You don’t have the right to keep her here.”

Rachel folded her arms.

“Yes, we do.”

The tension in the room grew thick just as Dr. Andrew walked in holding a tablet.

“We have a patient named Natalie Carter in intensive care.”

Emma lifted her head instantly.

“That’s my mom.”

The man closed his eyes in frustration.

“This has nothing to do with us.”

Rachel ignored him and looked back at the girl.

“Do you want to see her?”

Emma nodded desperately.

The man stepped forward again.

“This is pointless.”

Rachel met his gaze firmly.

“If there’s nothing suspicious, you can take her afterward.”

He stayed silent.

Rachel held out her hand.

“Come on.”

Emma grabbed it right away.

As they walked down the hallway, the man—Marcus—watched them with a tight expression, his fist slowly clenching.

Emma held Rachel’s hand tightly as they walked. She kept glancing behind them nervously, as if afraid Marcus might appear and drag her away.

“Don’t worry,” Rachel said softly. “No one will force you to leave if you don’t want to.”

Emma didn’t answer.

Her bare feet made quiet taps against the cold hospital floor.

When they reached the room, Rachel glanced at Dr. Andrew. He nodded and gently opened the door.

The steady beeping of monitors filled the room.

Natalie lay on the hospital bed surrounded by machines.

Emma let go of Rachel’s hand and ran forward.

“Mom!”

There was no answer.

She climbed onto the bed and held her mother’s hand.

“Mom, wake up.”

Rachel approached carefully.

“She’s very weak, but she’s going to be okay.”

Emma’s shoulders shook as she tried not to cry.

Then a faint voice broke the silence.

“Emma…”

Natalie slowly opened her eyes.