She stared at me until I swallowed the pills.

“Mrs. Thompson, my eye hurts a bit. I need to rest.”

She nodded and went to wash the dishes.

When she came back, she saw me lying still and assumed I was asleep.

She went straight for my baby’s container.

I suddenly grabbed her hand.

“What are you doing?”

She jumped in shock.

“Ms. Summers, I thought you were asleep!”

“I’m just following Mr. Hayes’s orders. Please don’t make this harder on me.”

She shook off my hand and grabbed the container.

I lunged forward to stop her.

“Let go of it! Do you hear me?”

She slapped me so hard I fell back onto the bed.

Blood seeped through the gauze on my right eye.

“What are you doing! You’re just a caregiver — how dare you hit me?”

But Mrs. Thompson showed no fear, clutching the container tightly.

“As long as I get this out of here, my daughter’s future will be safe!”

Daughter?

I froze.

Of course — she was Zoey’s mother.

So Ethan had chosen her deliberately.

I staggered forward to stop her, but she kicked me hard in the stomach, sending me sliding across the floor.

I curled up, gagging, my lips trembling.

“Put it down! I’ve already called the police!”

Mrs. Thompson spat at me.

“Ha! Mr. Hayes will take care of it!”