Chapter 18

LIAM'S POV The doctor stood before me, his face unreadable as he reached into his pocket. He hesitated, then handed me a small evidence bag. Inside was a tiny, empty vial that made my blood run cold. "This was in her pocket," he explained, his voice dropping to a professional whisper. "It's a specialized anticoagulant—prevents blood from clotting. The cuts on her wrists were actually quite shallow. Without this, they would have stopped bleeding on their own within minutes." I stared at the vial, turning it over in my hands as my brain refused to process what he was saying. The implications hung in the air between us like a guillotine blade. "What are you saying?" I finally managed, my voice barely above a whisper. The doctor sighed, pushing his glasses up his nose. "The cuts were superficial, Mr. White. With this anticoagulant, she ensured they'd bleed dramatically without causing any real damage. It's... concerning." My world tilted sideways. Was he suggesting Sophia had staged this?