Get medicine. Get help. Nothing else mattered.

And then she stepped in front of me.

Mira.

That same soft smile. That same gentle face. The one I used to mistake for kindness.

“Move,” I snapped, trying to shove past her. “My son is sick. I need the clinic.”

She shifted slightly, blocking me again like it was nothing. “Sick?” she repeated lightly, glancing at her maids.

“Please,” I said, already losing patience. “I don’t have time for this.”

Instead of stepping aside, her lips curled. She pulled out her phone and typed something, then turned the screen toward me.

[Jump into the pond first.]

I froze.

“…What?”

She tilted her head as if I was slow. [Did you read it?]

A shaky laugh escaped me. “Are you serious right now? My child is burning up.”

She didn’t react. Just typed again.

[Jump.]

My throat went dry.

Behind her, two guards stepped forward, silently blocking the clinic doors.

“Mira…” My voice cracked. “Please. He needs help. Just let me pass.”

She only shrugged, like I was asking for something trivial. [Then jump.]

Something inside me twisted violently.

I wanted to scream. To drag her down. To make her understand what it felt like to be powerless.

But Ezra…

Ezra came first.