The sharp smell of antiseptic hit me like a wall. It was too sterile, too intense. It felt like guilt hanging in the air. I stood in the parking lot of the private clinic, my hands trembling uncontrollably. I couldn't seem to calm them down. This was it—the point of no return. Once I stepped through those doors, there would be no turning back.
Angela was already inside. Godwin had taken care of everything. He assured me that Dr. Vitale was discreet and that it would all be over quickly. But all I could picture was Brigget's face if she ever found out. The trust in her eyes would shatter into a million pieces. I'd rather face anything than witness that.
"You look like you've seen a ghost, Alex." Godwin's voice startled me. He emerged from the clinic, his expression calm and collected. "Everything's ready. She's in the back, and the doctor is waiting."
"I can't do this, Godwin." My voice came out as a strained whisper. "This feels so wrong. On so many levels."
He placed a heavy hand on my shoulder, like a weight I couldn't shake off. "It's a bit late for second thoughts, my friend. Think about what's at stake. The scandal. Losing everything—your job. This is the only way out."
"Is she… is Angela going to be okay?"
"She's scared, but she's brave. Braver than you are right now." He nudged me gently toward the door. "Go on. Be there for her. It'll be over before you know it."
I stepped into the clinic, the lights glaring down on me. A nurse directed me down a hallway. I found Angela in a small room, wearing a paper gown that made her look so vulnerable. Her eyes were red and filled with fear.
"Alex," she whispered. "I'm so scared."
I took her hand, and it felt so cold. "It's going to be okay," I reassured her, but the words felt like a lie. "I'm right here."
Then Dr. Vitale walked in. He was a small man, his hands just as cold as his expression. "Are we ready?" he asked, his voice dripping with boredom.
Angela looked at me, her eyes full of desperation. I could only nod, my voice caught in my throat. They wheeled her away, and the door to the operating room swung shut behind them. I was left standing there, all alone.
I started pacing the hallway. Each minute dragged on like an hour. My phone buzzed in my pocket. It was Brigget : *Dinner? I made your favorite.* A wave of nausea washed over me. I couldn't respond, so I turned off my phone.
Suddenly, the door to the operating room burst open. Dr . Vitale stood there, his surgical mask pulled down, his face pale and panic-stricken.
"Mr. Smith," he said, his voice tight with urgency. "There's a problem. There's been… a lot of bleeding."
My heart dropped. "What do you mean? Fix it!"
"We're trying, but her blood pressure is dropping fast. This facility… we aren't equipped for this level of complication."
The world around me began to spin. "What does that mean?"
He didn't answer. He just turned and rushed back into the room. I stood there, frozen in place. I could hear the frantic beeping of a machine from inside. Then came the most terrifying sound I've ever heard.
The beeping stopped. It was flatlined. That sound felt final, like the end of my world.
The door opened again, and Dr . Vitale stepped out slowly, removing his gloves. He wouldn't meet my gaze.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Smith," he said, his voice empty. "We lost her."
I stared at him, the words making no sense. Lost her? How could they lose her? She had just been here, just holding my hand.
"No," I choked out. "No, that's not possible."
"She's gone," he said simply.
I stumbled back, hitting the wall. Everything went silent. All I could see was Angela's terrified face, and all I could hear was that final, flat line. It was over. He took in the scene—my face, the doctor's despair. His eyes widened. He knew.
He rushed over and grabbed my arm. "Alex. Listen to me. We have to go. Now."
"But… Angela…"
"There's nothing you can do for her now!" he hissed, his voice low and urgent. "But you can save yourself. We need to get out of here before anyone else arrives."
He pulled me down the hallway. I felt like a robot, my legs moving but my mind was blank. We burst out into the night air, and I gasped as I took it in.
I glanced back at the clinic. It looked so ordinary, just a quiet building. No one would ever know what had happened inside. No one would know I had killed a girl there.
Godwin shoved me into my car. "Go home, Alex. Act normal. I'll handle the doctor. I'll clean this up."
"Clean it up?" I whispered. "Godwin, she's dead."
"I know," he said, his expression hardening. "And if you don't want to end up like her, you'll do exactly what I say. Now drive."
I started the car, my hands trembling so much I could barely hold the wheel. I pulled out onto the dark street. In my rearview mirror, I saw Godwin on his phone, already weaving his web of lies.
I had just left Angela's body in that cold room. I had run away. I was a coward. A murderer.
I drove toward my perfect home, where my perfect wife was waiting with my favourites dinner. I was going to have to sit at that table and smile, pretending my world hadn't just crumbled.
A single thought echoed in my shattered mind, growing louder with every mile.
Brigget can never know.