"No!" I screamed like a madman, trying to push the evil Mark away, to no avail. All I could do was watch as the liquid was slowly injected into Evan's body.

Evan began to convulse violently. The heartbeat monitor went haywire, and a piercing alarm blared.

"Beep—Beep—Beep—"

Hearing the sound, the medical team rushed into the room.

I desperately wanted to hold Evan, but my soul was once again yanked away by some powerful force, instantly pulling me back to Amanda's side.

I felt like I was about to go crazy. I threw punches and kicks at her, screaming at her to check on Evan and save him. But alas, my limbs simply flailed in the air, never hitting anything.

With my soul hovering less than three feet away from Amanda, I continued to thrash about in a state of absolute anxiety and despair.

However, she was completely absorbed in making a cardboard house. It was the craft project Evan had to complete for school. He had happily asked Amanda to help him, but she had impatiently refused.

Well, the due date for that project had long passed, yet here she was, pretending to be a dutiful mother.

Suddenly, the door flew open.

Mark came in with Keith in his arms. He ran up to Amanda, looking absolutely terrified, his voice shaking as he cried, "Mandy! Please check on Keith. I… I just saw Lara sneaking out of a hospital ward with Caleb and Evan…

"I just wanted to go over to them and check on them, but Caleb… suddenly lost his mind. He used a knife to stab Keith! My heart is hurting like mad, but I'm too scared to go to the hospital…"

Amanda clenched her fists in rage when she saw the faintest streak of blood on Keith's arm. She immediately destroyed the cardboard house she was building.

After calling a doctor she knew to come to the house to treat Mark and Keith, she began spamming my phone with calls. When none of them went through, she called Lara's phone instead.

However, Lara had dropped her phone outside the resuscitation room when she followed the doctors who'd taken Evan there. She was unreachable as well.

"I see how it is!" Amanda scoffed in anger before throwing the cake and the gifts she bought to the floor.

She stomped on the items, destroying them all in a fit of anger.

"Tomorrow, I'm going to host a grand birthday party for Keith's birthday! I'm ordering every single person on the squad to attend!" Amanda roared into her phone before sending the voice message to the group chat.

Over at the hospital, following a two-hour rescue attempt, Evan's heart stopped beating.

The doctors repeatedly tried calling Amanda, but their calls went unanswered. Mark, who had stayed by Amanda's side, had secretly declined them all.

Our colleagues from the police squad who'd gone to the hospital all fell into a heavy silence.

In the end, Lara said hoarsely, "It's Evan's birthday tomorrow. Let's celebrate with him one last time before putting him to rest."

…

The next day, the house that Amanda and I shared was all decked out with colorful decorations. The place looked festive and lively.

A massive cake stood in the center of the living room, and Keith stood in front of it, his smile smug.

Mark stood beside Amanda with a pleasant, gentlemanly smile on his face. All the people on Amanda's squad showed up, but none of them were smiling.

"It's time to blow out the candles, Keith. Let's all wish a happy birthday to my wonderful godson!" Amanda declared as she tried to lead everyone in a happy birthday serenade.

Keith puffed out his cheeks. He was just about to blow out the candle when the front door was kicked open.

Lara and a few other colleagues entered. They were all dressed in black, their expressions somber. Two teammates behind her were holding funeral portraits draped in black cloth.

"Amanda, we're here to bring a fallen hero and his son home."

Amanda's smile froze. Looking rather flustered, she questioned, "What fallen hero? What kind of stunt are you guys trying to pull this time?"

The moment she said that, a gust of wind blew in through the front of the door, lifting the black cloth off the funeral portraits of Evan and me.