Chapter 4 - The Sound of Shattered Glass“Leo! STOP!”
He didn't.
He swung the bottle.
SMASH!
The window cracked.
A second strike punched through the glass.
Leo reached inside, ignoring the cuts along his arms, unlocked the door, and threw it open.
A wave of trapped heat rushed over him.
The little girl lay motionless in her car seat.
“Mia!”
Leo unbuckled her and pulled her into his arms.
“Somebody call 911!”
The country club erupted.
A pediatric nurse among the guests rushed forward.
“Put her here!”
Leo carried Mia beneath the nearest cabana.
Cold towels appeared.
Water.
Medical supplies.
People who had been sipping champagne moments earlier now stood frozen in horror.
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Then sirens screamed in the distance.
For the first time that afternoon, the country club's perfect illusion completely collapsed.
Related Stories
Chapter 5 - The Mother ArrivesThe ambulance doors were almost closed when a woman stumbled out of the clubhouse.
Chapter 6 - The Longest Ten MinutesAt Austin Children's Hospital, doctors fought to stabilize Mia.
Chapter 7 - The VideoThe next morning, the footage appeared online.
Chapter 8 - The Price of Doing NothingBrenda was fired within forty-eight hours.
Chapter 9 - A Little Girl Fights BackThree days later, Mia opened her eyes.
Chapter 10 - The Woman Who Finally Told the TruthMia's aunt, Sarah, had been living with guilt for years.
