Chapter 497
“Absolutely,” the doctor said. Then he paused and looked at her more carefully. “Did you—”
“No, no — I was just curious,” Kristine said quickly. “Thank you, doctor. Goodbye.”
He watched her wheel herself out, then shook his head slowly.
He was overthinking it. Certain drugs — corticosteroids, neuromuscular blockers, chemotherapy agents — could cause muscle atrophy under specific conditions, yes. But she showed no other symptoms, and the atrophy was localized entirely to her calves. An injection alone causing something like this seemed far-fetched.
He put it out of his mind. “Next patient, please!”
Kristine reached the elevator — and went pale.
Bobby.
She couldn’t understand it. This hospital had no ties to the Yates family. What was he doing here?
She steered the wheelchair into the elevator the moment the doors opened, tucking herself into the back corner as other passengers crowded in around her. The mass of people in front of her worked in her favor. She exhaled slowly as the metal doors began to slide shut.
Then a voice called out for the doors to hold.
Bobby squeezed in just before they closed.
Kristine’s jaw tightened.
If he spotted her, he would go straight to Colton. The unauthorized medical visit would be exposed, and with it, everything she had risked to come here.
She stayed perfectly still behind the people shielding her, watching the floor numbers climb and willing Bobby to step out before they did.
He didn’t move.
Floor by floor, the elevator emptied. The man standing directly in front of her shifted — and started toward the doors.
Kristine’s heart lurched, and her hands tightened around the armrests of the wheelchair.
A second later, the large man stepped out — and when she slowly raised her eyes, Bobby was gone.
She released the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. Relief swept through her, leaving her body slack against the seat.
He must have stepped out alongside the other man. Then a thought struck her: if Elyse had been transferred to this hospital after her suicide attempt, Colton might be here too.
Her pulse quickened all over again.
The moment the last passenger stepped off, she reached forward and pressed the button for the ground floor. She needed to leave immediately.
The elevator descended — then stopped without warning.
Kristine’s whole body tensed. When the doors opened to reveal two nurses, some of the tightness in her shoulders eased.
But both nurses fixed her with sharp, disapproving looks. “What are you doing out here?” one of them said, already taking hold of the wheelchair. “Didn’t we make it clear you weren’t allowed to leave? How did you slip out? Come on — we’re taking you back to your room.”
“You’ve mistaken me for someone else,” Kristine said, stunned.
“Stop trying to run off. Your legs are still healing. Your health comes first — the rest can wait.”
“I’m telling you, you have the wrong person. I came here for a doctor’s appointment.”
The two nurses stopped.