Chapter 3 - Sarah's Blind DevotionWhen the front door clicked open at precisely six o'clock, Sarah walked in carrying her medical bag, looking exhausted yet warmly smiling. "Mom? Leo? I'm home! Oh, Marcus, you're here too? It smells so clean in here."
My heart hammered against my ribs like a trapped bird. I stood by the kitchen island, clutching a dish towel so tightly my knuckles turned pure white. Marcus was already standing by the stove, stirring a pot of soup with an expression of deep, domestic concern.
"Hey, beautiful," Marcus greeted softly, walking over to press a tender kiss on Sarah's cheek. "Rough shift?"
"You have no idea," Sarah sighed, resting her head against his shoulder before pulling back with a frown. She looked around the room, her nursing instincts immediately kicking in. "Wait... why does Leo look so pale? Mom, is he okay?"
I opened my mouth, the truth clawing its way up my throat, desperate to break free. But then my eyes flicked to the dark doorway of the hallway. Marcus was standing just behind Sarah, completely out of her line of sight. He slowly raised his hand, sliding his thumb across his throat in a silent, lethal gesture.
"He... he caught a stomach bug this morning," I forced the words out, my voice trembling violently. "He had a bad reaction to some juice."
Sarah immediately rushed past me, kneeling beside the sofa where Leo lay quietly, staring blankly at the ceiling with haunted eyes. "Oh, sweetie, why didn't you call me? Marcus, did you check his temperature?"
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"I did," Marcus answered smoothly, walking over with a comforting hand on Sarah's back. His eyes locked onto mine, daring me to challenge him. "I told Evelyn we should keep a close eye on him tonight. I even offered to stay over and help monitor his vitals."
"You're a saint, Marcus. I don't know what I'd do without you," Sarah murmured, completely unaware of the nightmare unfolding beneath her nose.
