Chapter 13

The sharp smell of disinfectant hung in the quiet VIP ward. Monitors ticked in a steady rhythm. Conrad sat by a hospital bed. His hands, which were always steady when handling precision instruments, were trembling. He brushed a fingertip over the bruise on Isobel's thin cheek. Her face was pale, and her eye sockets were sunken. The eyes that had once shone with warmth and intelligence were shut tight. Her long lashes cast a fragile shadow on her cheeks. She was painfully thin. The loose hospital gown made her look even fragile, as if a single gust of wind could carry her away. How had she become like this? She used to be the most promising genius in the entire computer science field. Her eyes were always calm and steady, and her smile was warm and gentle. How had she ended up in that hellish psychiatric facility and suffered such torment? How could Dominic dare to do something so cruel to her? The pain and pity almost tore Conrad apart. He carefully wrapped his fingers around