Chapter 12: Glimmer of hope

Kayden sat behind his polished desk. His hands folded tightly as he stared blankly at the papers scattered in front of him. The office was tidy and clinical, but there were personal touches here and there: a framed degree on one wall, a small plant that added a bit of color, and a faint scent of antiseptic lingering in the air.

The white walls were offset by the soft, warm lighting that diffused through a minimalist lamp on his desk, casting a slight shadow across his furrowed brow.

Outside, muffled voices of hospital staff and the gentle beeping of machines filtered in now and then, faint reminders of life moving on just beyond these four walls.

Yet inside, everything felt frozen. His mind was whirring, replaying his conversation with Knox that night, the image of Shawn carried by another man, and the contents of the investigation result he asked on one of his sister's employees.