The Woman in Ward C
Chapter 07 - The Woman in Ward C
Firefighters found no active fire.
The alarm had been triggered manually.
Smoke came from a theatrical canister placed in the lobby to delay entry.
In Ward C, investigators found Anna with three former North River patients and a clinic nurse named Rachel Stone.
Rachel had helped copy the memory card.
Victoria moved Anna there after learning Lucas went to a public emergency room.
She planned to transfer everyone again before demolition erased the old files.
Rachel locked the ward from inside and activated the alarm to attract attention.
Anna returned to Saint Matthew’s under independent medical protection.
Ethan waited outside her room.
He did not enter until she asked.
When the door opened, Anna looked at him for a long time.
“You believed I was dead.”
“Yes.”
“Did you ask to see me?”
“The report said there were no identifiable remains.”
“That was not my question.”
Ethan lowered his eyes.
Victoria and Anna’s attorney handled the funeral arrangements. Ethan had been overwhelmed and accepted every answer offered by people who seemed more capable.
“I did not ask enough,” he said.
Anna nodded.
That was the truth she needed first.
Lucas entered with Maya.
He stopped near the doorway.
Anna did not rush toward him.
She asked, “May I come closer?”
Lucas nodded.
She knelt at his eye level.
He removed the blue hat himself.
“Were you really waiting for me?”
“Every day.”
They embraced carefully.
Ethan watched from the hall.
May you like
The reunion did not restore a family to an old shape.
It began a new one with permission instead of assumption.
