Chapter 1: The Night Julian Came Home

The sound of the wheelchair crashing onto the marble floor would haunt Julian Blackwood for the rest of his life.

He had only been away for seven days.

Seven days of business meetings, unanswered calls from his younger sister, and messages from Nurse Halloway assuring him:

"Clara is improving. She is calmer now."

But the moment Julian stepped through the front door of Blackwood Estate, he knew something was terribly wrong.

His ten-year-old sister was lying on the cold marble floor.

Her tiny body was shaking.

The wheelchair was overturned beside her.

And dozens of small white pills were scattered everywhere.

"Clara!"

Julian dropped his suitcase and rushed toward her.

The little girl looked up.

For the first time in months, there was hope in her eyes.

"Julian..." she whispered.

"I'm here. I'm here."

He pulled her into his arms.

But when he looked up, he saw Nurse Halloway standing there.

Calm.

Silent.

Unmoved.

"What happened?"

Halloway adjusted her glasses.

"She became emotional and refused her medication."

Julian looked down at the pills.

Then back at Clara.

"Medication?"

Clara grabbed his sleeve tightly.

"No..."

Her voice was barely audible.

"Those pills don't help me."

Julian froze.

"What did you say?"

The little girl looked terrified.

"Every time I take them... I can't think. I can't walk straight. I feel like I'm disappearing."

Halloway immediately stepped forward.

"Julian, she's confused. Her condition affects her memory."

But Julian noticed something.

Clara wasn't looking at Halloway like a patient looked at a nurse.

She was looking at her like a prisoner looked at a guard.

And that changed everything.

That night, after putting Clara to bed, Julian opened her medical files.

The first page looked normal.

The second page made his blood run cold.

There were missing reports.

Changed prescriptions.

And one signature repeated over and over.

Nurse Evelyn Halloway.

Julian whispered:

"What have you done to my sister?"

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