It felt like my soul got chained to Delia, dragged along behind her.

The second she stepped in, Harlan pounced.

"Well? Did you find William?"

She looked dazed. "No... they said he's dead."

"Dead?!" He flinched like she slapped him, then grabbed her arm. "That's—no. He's just hiding. Probably made it up to mess with you."

Delia frowned. Said nothing.

Harlan slapped on a fake smile.

"Yeah, that's it. Still mad from five years ago. Doesn't wanna help. Maybe we just... drop it? I'll turn myself in..."

She paused. Then nodded. "No. He's hiding. But we're not done. I'll find him—and he's taking the fall."

Harlan's eyes got misty, voice cracking. "Delia, you're so good to me—"

"But," she cut in, hesitation creeping in, "if he's pulling stunts like this, he's pissed. Harlan, this is it. Once he goes down for you, we're done."

I was so stunned, I almost forgot I was dead.

Delia wanted to dump Harlan?

Wild, considering how hard she fought me over him back then.

We were barely a year into marriage when Harlan came crawling back into the country—conveniently assigned to our hospital.

They got cozy fast. Right under my nose.

When I finally called it out, she called me paranoid. Jealous.

And now she's ready to end it?

She didn't see the way Harlan's face tightened.

She looked away, voice dropping. "I need to move on. I gave him money before, but I've only held him back. Honestly... I do feel guilty."

Harlan blinked, caught off guard.

"Delia... you're leaving me?"

"I don't know." Her eyes drifted. Brows pinched. "Ever since I left William's place, I've felt off. Like something's about to go wrong."

She paused. Then steadied.

"But I'll help you. I'm not letting you go to prison. I'm heading out to find him now. Wait here."

She turned and walked off, back straight, full of resolve.

Harlan didn't follow.

But the second she was out of sight, that pitiful look dropped.

His eyes turned sharp. Cold. Poisonous.

And what he muttered through clenched teeth?

My name.

Desperate to find me, Delia went straight for Raine.

I followed her car to Citadel Hospital.

Muscle memory. For years, it was just home and hospital—on loop.

Some routines outlive the person.

She had a lead foot and a permanent frown, probably still stewing over Harlan.

The car barely stopped before she bolted inside, straight to the inpatient wing.

"Check the room for Raine Wright."

"Uh... sure." The nurse blinked and started clicking through the system.

Then came a cold laugh from the side.

"Well, if it isn't Dr. Foster. What brings you to our humble little hole?"

Delia turned—and just like that, her face dropped.

Lena Wynn. Senior attending back in the day.

She and Delia? Never exactly besties.

Weirdly enough, Lena had quit right after the malpractice case too.

Now, standing face to face, the tension snapped back to life.

Delia gave her a once-over, scowl loaded. "That's none of your business."

Lena folded her arms, smirk sharp. "Sure. Just funny—you had no time when they were dying. But now that they're gone, you show up?"

"Dying?" Delia blinked. "What are you talking about?"

She looked... genuinely lost.

But I knew exactly what Lena meant.

When I got stabbed, I was barely hanging on by the time the ambulance showed.

They called Delia—just needed someone there before I flatlined.

She was with Harlan. Didn't even answer.

Next call? Number blocked.

Same story with Raine.

When her chart went critical—no more funds, no more treatment—Delia was off vacationing with Harlan.

Raine died alone.

Lena held her stare a second longer, then let out a dry laugh. "You really sell it. Whatever. I never got what he saw in you—why you were worth everything he gave up."

She walked off, leaving Delia frozen in place.

Her fingers tightened around her purse strap—a nervous tic.

But what was she scared of?

"Dr. Foster?" The nurse's voice snapped her back. "The patient you asked about..."

A beat. Then—

"Raine Wright passed away three years ago."

Delia's pupils shrank.

She didn't move. Like the words nailed her in place.