CHAPTER FOURTEEN – THE HOUSEWARMING PARTY

The red and blue sirens wailed in the night, carving a path through the city traffic. Inside the car, a tense silence hung heavy. Sam gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles white. Beside him, Scarlett stared out the window, her heart a frantic drum against her ribs. Every passing second stretched into an eternity, the city lights blurring into streaks of color. "We'll be there soon," Sam finally spoke, his voice gruff. Scarlett nodded mutely, her mind a whirlwind of worry. Images of Clara, pale and lifeless, flashed before her eyes. Just a few hours ago, they had been laughing together, their new apartment buzzing with life. Now, this. The screech of tires as Sam pulled into the hospital parking lot jolted Scarlett back to the present. They rushed through the automatic doors, the sterile smell of disinfectant hitting them like a wave. "Clara Thompson?" Scarlett gasped, her voice breathless as they approached the reception desk. The nurse behind the counter, a woman with a kind