Ryan grabbed my hand tightly.

“You’re signing those papers, Emily. One way or another.”

But I wasn’t dying anymore.

I was waiting.

Five minutes later, there was a knock.

“That must be the notary,” Claire said.

The door opened.

But the voice that followed wasn’t a notary’s.

“Good evening, Ryan. Before you touch her again, explain why her brakes were cut.”

Everything stopped.

And I realized—

this was only the beginning.

The silence pressed down so heavily even the heart monitor sounded louder.

Ryan slowly released my hand—not out of fear, but calculation.

“Who let you in?” he asked.

“The same staff who already spoke to the police,” Ms. Parker replied calmly.

My only ally.

My only protection.

And still, I was trapped inside my own body—unable to warn her.

Because the real danger wasn’t Ryan.

It was Claire.

She didn’t sound scared.

She sounded irritated.

“This is nonsense,” she said. “Emily had an accident.”

“Interesting accident,” Ms. Parker replied. “The brakes weren’t faulty. They were cut.”

Claire leaned close to my ear.

“That proves nothing,” she whispered.

But her hand trembled.

For the first time—