Chapter 7 - The Price of One Perfect Birth
Ethan requested a private meeting and arrived without his cufflinks. The bare marks on his wrists made him appear younger, almost honest. He admitted the center was weeks from breaching its loan agreement. A regional hospital chain had offered rescue financing if Vance could produce a flawless launch for its new "miracle birth" program. Serena's five miscarriages, polished career, and scheduled C-section made her the campaign's centerpiece. The early chime, sponsor flowers, and waiting cameras were rehearsed assets, not signs of romance. "I thought you had hours," he said. "I needed one delivery to go right." Then he confessed he had canceled the backup anesthesia team to meet the chain's cost target. That explained why he had treated my emergency like an inconvenience. It did not explain Serena's warning, Caleb's relief, or why Ethan had seemed glad to find us together. When I asked whether Serena knew about the staffing cut, he answered too carefully. "She knew enough to be nervous."
