Chapter 51

Maggie:



As I stood in Julie’s empty house, the air was heavy with silence, disrupted only by the rhythmic pattering of raindrops on the roof. My gaze shifted to the ominous sight of blood-soaked towels in the sink, a stark reminder of the urgency that had led us to the hospital.

Carrying Angel’s slumbering form to her room, I tucked her in with the tenderness only a guardian could muster. Her innocence contrasted sharply with the turmoil echoing within the walls of this once-vibrant home.

Descending the stairs, I embarked on a quest for Julie’s phone, a lifeline that could connect us with her family. The phone lay hidden beneath a pillow, its screen betraying missed calls and unsent messages.

With a deep breath, I dialed the number Julie had frequently called. The voice on the other end belonged to a woman who seemed both concerned and perplexed. As the revelation of Julie’s hospitalization unfolded, her disbelief resonated through the phone lines.