Chapter 5 - The Stairwell Encounter
The audio recording was the undeniable proof I needed to send my entire family to prison.
I forwarded the audio file to my secure email address just as my phone battery died completely.
I shoved the dead phone into my pocket and carefully opened the door to my hospital room.
The hallway was dimly lit and completely deserted by the night nursing staff.
I limped heavily toward the glowing red exit sign marking the emergency stairwell.
Every step sent a blinding flash of pain up my spine, but the fear of Liam returning kept me moving.
I pushed the heavy metal door open and stepped into the freezing, concrete stairwell.
I began the agonizing descent from the fourth floor, clinging to the railing with my only good arm.
I had only made it down one flight of stairs when I heard the heavy door click open above me.
Footsteps echoed loudly against the concrete walls, moving rapidly down the steps in my direction.
I tried to hurry, but my injured leg gave out, sending me crashing hard against the metal railing.
A bright flashlight beam swept across the darkness and landed directly on my face.
My sister, Tessa, stood two steps above me holding a gleaming medical scalpel.
She did not look like the annoyed, eye-rolling sister from this morning.
She looked like a predator who had finally cornered her wounded prey in the dark.
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She smiled wickedly and said that Liam had sent her to make sure the sedative actually worked.
Tessa raised the sharp surgical blade and lunged directly toward my throat.
