Another 30 minutes passed, and Kaylee still hadn't returned. It was already past the latest time she would normally come home. I tried calling her, but I couldn't get through at all.
Just as I was beginning to worry that something might have happened to her, she sent a message. "I'm in a meeting at the office. I'll head back a bit later!"
As I read it, my heart sank. Winter had already uploaded a video to social media of herself relaxing at home and watching TV—so how could Kaylee still be in a meeting at work?
Something suddenly clicked in my mind. Could that woman really have been telling the truth? I didn't think twice and drove straight to the hospital.
I walked up to the nurses' station. The nurse on duty looked at me in surprise. "Dr. Cantrell, what are you doing here?"
"Vanessa, pull up last night's patient records for me," I ordered, my face stiff and tense.
Noticing my expression, Vanessa McKinnon didn't press for details and immediately went to handle it.
"You were on duty last night, and only one patient came in. Here."
With that, she handed me a printed medical record. I looked down at the name and phone number on it.
The woman was called Amber LeBlanc. I went back to my car and dialed her number. "Hello, Dr. Cantrell," she said, as if she had been expecting my call.
"Where's Kaylee?" I asked.
She let out a laugh. "I told you, didn't I? She's disposing of a body."
I gritted my teeth. "Don't be ridiculous. Kaylee would never kill anyone."
Amber paused for a moment. "So, you still don't believe me, huh? But I'll make sure you do."
With that, the line went dead. I sat in the car, my mind in complete turmoil.
When I got home again, Kaylee had already returned and was asleep. Seeing her peaceful, almost childlike expression, I finally felt a sense of relief. No matter what, I would still choose to trust her.
But just as I was about to drift off, I heard her murmur something in her sleep that sent a chill down my spine.
"Amber…"
…
The next morning came, and I woke up with dark circles under my eyes. Kaylee had already made breakfast and was waiting for me.
"Kaylee, were you really working overtime at the office last night?" I asked, biting into the bread in my hand. It felt unusually dry today, and even the milk couldn't wash it down.
She frowned. "Of course, I was."
"But your company has never stayed open that late," I said, faltering slightly.
"Beau, what are you trying to say?" Kaylee suddenly raised her voice. "Are you really questioning me? What right do you have?"
I couldn't understand why my usually gentle girlfriend had changed so suddenly.
"That's not what I meant—"
"Enough. We should take some time apart. Beau, you're not who I thought you were."
Kaylee kept her eyes fixed on me until she walked out the door. I knew we had fallen into a silent standoff.
Her strange behavior left me completely confused. I couldn't help but suspect that Amber was pulling the strings behind everything.
Upon arriving at the hospital today, I found several police officers waiting in my office.
"You must be Dr. Beau Cantrell."
"Yes. What's this about?"
"We've found that a woman named Amber LeBlanc came to see you two nights ago. Is that true?" the middle-aged officer asked, watching me closely.
"Yes." I paused briefly. "She told me something strange."
"What did she say?"
"That someone would kill me. I can't make sense of it."
I hesitated for a moment. In the end, I decided not to bring up Kaylee.
The officer's expression immediately turned serious. He handed me a death certificate with Amber's name and photograph. Cause of death: neuropathic pain.
