Chapter 14 - The Footage
The room went dead silent. Ethan’s head snapped toward me, his eyes wide with a mixture of shock and sheer terror. "What camera?" he breathed, his voice barely a whisper.
Liam reached into his scrub pocket and pulled out his hospital tablet. He tapped the screen twice. "Three weeks ago, my sister installed a legally permitted, motion-activated security camera in the smoke detector of their shared kitchen," Liam explained to the officers. "It uploads directly to my secure server."
Liam turned the tablet around so the officers—and Ethan—could see the screen. He pressed play.
The high-definition video was crystal clear. The audio filled the sterile hospital room: Ethan’s roaring demands for the password, the sickening thud of my head hitting the pantry door, his foot connecting with my ribs, and finally, his hands wrapping around my throat as he choked me into unconsciousness.
"You should have learned when to stay quiet," the digital Ethan hissed on the playback.
Ethan’s mask shattered completely. The illusion was dead. Driven by blind, cornered rage, he let out a guttural scream and lunged toward my hospital bed, his hands outstretched.
He never made it. The two hospital security guards tackled him, slamming him hard against the tiled wall. The police officer grabbed his arms, twisting them behind his back with practiced force. The sharp click of metal handcuffs echoed through the room.
"You treacherous little bitch!" Ethan spat, thrashing against the wall.
May you like
The officer shoved him harder against the tiles. "Finish that sentence, Mr. Vale. I dare you."
Ethan went completely silent.
