Chapter 18

Wrapped in her coat and clutching the plastic bag, Chloe walked out of the hospital like a ghost, dazed and disoriented. The sun outside was blinding, but she still couldn't stop shivering. Her baby must be freezing too, right? Just lying there, naked, stuffed in a trash bag like garbage. If she hadn't taken him back from Irene, would he have ended up dumped somewhere, torn apart and burned, like he never even existed? It wasn't supposed to be this way. This—this was all on her. Her fault. If only she had been stronger, braver, maybe her baby would still be here. She couldn't protect him. She failed him. Going back to the Hudsons or Hank's place? No way. She didn't belong anywhere anymore. The truth hit her hard—her whole life, she'd never really lived for herself. Chloe wandered through the streets, empty-eyed, like her soul had already left her. People she passed stared, whispered behind hands, or quickly got out of her way, like she was carrying something contagious. She walked aiml