Chapter 5: The Harsh Truth

The morning light filtered through the blinds, casting long shadows across the cold, sterile floor of the hospital's obstetrics and gynecology department. Jayden stood with a stack of maternity records in his hands, his eyes scanning line by line, searching for a name that would match the victim's profile. The air was heavy with the scent of disinfectant and the muted sounds of hospital life.

Beside him, a nurse moved about her duties, her voice a low murmur as she spoke into her phone, trying to reach a patient who had missed their appointment. "This Samara Anderson... why can't I reach her by phone? It's way past her appointment time."

Jayden's hand paused mid-flip, the name ringing a distant bell in his mind. But the thought was fleeting, overshadowed by the urgency of the case at hand. He didn't have time for distractions, not when a victim was waiting for justice.

"Captain Williams, we have a lead!" The call came through on his phone, and without a second thought, he was out the door, leaving the hospital and the truth he sought behind.

The hospital registration form, with Samara's name clearly printed, lay forgotten on the desk, just one page away from his view. If only he had looked a little further, just a little deeper, he would have seen the truth that screamed his wife's innocence. He would have known that she was not lying... and that his father's death was not her fault.

But fate had other plans, and Jayden raced back to the police station, his mind fixed on the case.

A bloody letter had appeared at the station, seemingly out of nowhere. It taunted them with a message that sent chills down their spines. [Guess who I am? Hint: Baby doll.] The letter seemed to appear by magic, in a spot the security cameras could not see. No clue who sent it. Everyone crowded around, looking pale. Could it be connected to... the fake fetus delivered the day before?

Jayden frowned in annoyance before taking out his phone. He pulled Samara's number out of his blacklist once again and called her a bunch of times, but it went straight to voicemail. Frustrated, he sent another angry voice message on WhatsApp. "Samara, are you done with these tricks? Do you think I'll ever forgive you for this? Not in a million years! Never! You only make me hate you more!"

However, Zac looked serious at the moment. "Just to be safe, maybe we should check it out," he suggested.

Still, my husband was not having it. "Don't waste your time on that woman's prank."

Luckily, Zac was not convinced and insisted on investigating. "I'm going to check the drug cartel's files." My husband did not want to get involved in anything related to me, so he turned around and walked toward the archives room.

Meanwhile, Zac took a team to a nearby dump. They spent hours sifting through trash until they found the fake fetus my husband had thrown away.

Zac examined the fake doll carefully, turning it over and over in his hands. After a while, he accidentally pressed a hidden button.

"Ugh!" A horrible fishy smell filled the air. Then, to his horror, a human-shaped object covered in dark red blood came out of the doll.

Blergh! It was… a perfectly formed fetus!

"Hey, Jayden! Something terrible happened to Samara!" Zac burst into the archive room, looking extremely pale.

My husband's temper flared when he heard my name. "Whatever happened to her is none of my business! Don't even think about bothering me even if she's dead!"

"The fake fetus!" Zac blurted anxiously. "The doll from yesterday! It had a real, newly formed fetus inside!"

"Are you sure the fake fetus yesterday was really sent by Samara?"

My husband froze. "A... real, newly formed fetus inside?"

The day before, he assumed I was playing a prank and blamed me without even checking if I really sent the box. Now, there was no way to trace where it came from.

Zac's face turned grim. "Jayden, I have a worrying, scary suspicion. When was the last time you spoke to Samara?"

My husband stared back, his expression showed a mix of confusion and disbelief.

"That can't be right! Samara, she..."

Just then, another officer rushed in, panting. "Captain Miller, Captain Williams, we have a visitor for Captain Williams. She reported that..." He glanced at my husband and continued, "There's a missing pregnant woman named Samara Anderson! She's been gone for a week!"