Chapter 4

Fiona's POV

The doctor soon came out with an update.

The baby had a minor infection and mild dehydration, but his life wasn't in danger. He needed to be admitted for observation. Since his identity was unknown, the hospital would proceed with state emergency custody, and the medical bills would be temporarily covered by the state social fund.

I listened carefully.

In my past life, Sean had sweet-talked me into taking the baby home on day one. After that, every bill, every sleepless night, and every heavy responsibility fell squarely on my shoulders. By the time I wanted to back out, his family had already put me on a pedestal as the "perfect mother." If I complained about being tired, I was labeled selfish and ungrateful.

In this life, I wouldn't make the first mistake.

Sean, however, was getting desperate. "We can't let him go to state custody. He's so small. If he keeps moving around facilities, it'll ruin his health. Fiona, it's just a temporary signature. No one is asking you to adopt him right now!"

My mom was trembling with rage. "Are you out of your mind? My daughter leaves for Europe next week. Why on earth should she sign up to be a foster parent?"

Hailey chimed in, her voice soft and timid. "Mrs. Helen, Sean is just worried about the baby. Fiona is a medical student; taking care of him for a few days shouldn't be that hard, right? Maybe the trip to Europe can be pushed back a bit."

I turned my gaze to her. "If it's so easy, why don't you sign the papers?"

Hailey turned pale. "I'm a nurse at this hospital. It's a conflict of interest for me to sign."

"But aren't you the one who cares about the baby the most?"

Hailey's eyes filled with tears instantly. "Fiona, why are you attacking me? I was just stating a fact. Your family is well-off. Even if you delay your fellowship for a year, you'll have another chance. But if nobody helps this baby, his life could be ruined."

I actually laughed out loud.

My family is well-off, so I should sacrifice. My grades are good, so I should step aside. I have a soft heart, so I should be the one to suffer. In my past life, everyone used these exact arguments to slowly push me into a corner.

"I cannot delay," I said, looking Hailey dead in the eye. "Not even for an hour."

Sean's face twisted. "Are you seriously going to abandon a baby just for your career?"

I countered, "Are you seriously trying to ruin your fiancée's career for a baby of unknown origin?"

Sean choked on his words.

Hailey whispered, "Sean, stop pushing Fiona. If she doesn't want to, forget it. I can come by and check on the baby after my shifts."

Her words sounded like a compromise, but they were designed to make me look incredibly cold and selfish.

I refused to play her game. I turned to the doctor. "I am not the baby's relative, nor am I his guardian. Please do not contact me for any future signatures or payments. Sean is the one who found him, and the police are still investigating the baby's origin."

The doctor nodded. "Understood."

Sean gritted his teeth. "Fiona, do you have to draw such a harsh line between us?"

"Yes," I said. "There is absolutely no legal or biological relationship between me and this child."

Just as the words left my mouth, the phone in Hailey's pocket vibrated.

She glanced at it, and a look of sheer panic flashed across her face.

I caught it.

Though she quickly flipped the phone screen-down, I caught a glimpse of a text message from an unsaved number: The hospital band wasn't removed. Don't let them trace it back to the retreat.

I didn't expose her right then and there.

I just looked out the window. My calm reflection stared back at me in the hospital glass.

The prey had already exposed their weakness.

There was another reason I didn't call them out on the spot.

I knew Sean and Hailey too well. If I accused them right there, they would have thrown a massive scene. One would cry about her "good intentions," the other would claim he was "just scared," and they would use the baby as a shield so no one would dare to press further.

I wasn't going to fall into that circus again.

In this life, I wanted hard evidence.

Written, undeniable evidence.

When I got home, I wrote down every single detail in my notes.

Sean's excuses, Hailey's arrival time, the baby's ID band number, the doctor's statements. I recorded everything chronologically.

In my past life, I lost because I believed "family" shouldn't keep score or keep receipts.

But bad people thrive when good people don't keep receipts.

In this life, I would make sure every lie was documented, and every suspicious move had a paper trail.