Elissa froze. Why was he calling for her? She hadn’t said a word. She had hardly even breathed.
“I know you’re there,” Ernest continued, his voice reassuring and gentle. “Don’t be scared. I’ll find out who’s behind this. As long as I’m around, I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
Elissa’s heart skipped a beat, panic rising inside her. She quickly reached out and ended the call.
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“Elissa?” Hadley’s voice carried deep concern as she approached her friend.
“What gives him the right to speak to me that way?” Elissa’s eyes blazed as she shook her head violently. “I don’t want to hear another word from him—not one single word!”
She turned to Hadley with sudden remorse. “I’m so sorry! This is your phone, and I had no right to—”
She felt utterly exposed and defenseless in that moment.
“It’s perfectly fine.”
Hadley could never find fault with her friend’s reaction. She wrapped Elissa in a protective embrace, her voice gentle and soothing. “If you don’t want to listen to him, then don’t.”
As an outsider looking in, Hadley understood perfectly that throughout their entire relationship, Ernest had been the one to blame; he had failed and hurt Elissa over and over. But the more urgent question remained—who was the mysterious person shadowing Elissa?
Later that night, Hadley chose to sleep in Joy’s room, keeping her daughter close.
Something jolted Hadley from a deep sleep in the early hours.
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Joy lay curled in her arms, eyes squeezed shut, soft whimpers escaping her lips.
“Joy?” Panic crept into Hadley’s whisper.
Hadley snapped to full alertness, fumbling for the light switch.
The light revealed Joy tossing restlessly, her eyes fluttering barely open, tiny beads of perspiration dotting her fevered brow.
“Joy, sweetie, what’s the matter?” Cold dread washed over Hadley as her palm pressed against Joy’s flushed cheek, feeling the telltale warmth.
Her hands trembled as she retrieved the thermometer from the bedside drawer.
The digital display read 37.8°C—a low-grade fever.
But for Joy, any fever carried dangerous implications. Less than six months post-surgery, Joy’s fragile system couldn’t handle even minor illnesses.
“Mommy.” Joy’s voice came out as barely a whisper, her lips forming a tiny pout. “Joy doesn’t feel good.”
Those simple words shattered Hadley’s composure, tears threatening to spill over. But terrified of frightening her vulnerable daughter, she forced the tears back down.
“Everything’s going to be perfectly fine, sweetheart.” Hadley dabbed at Joy’s damp forehead, fighting to keep her voice steady. “We’ll get you changed and head to the hospital. The doctor will make you feel better.”
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