Chapter 24 The sirens hadn't even reached them yet when Scott dropped to his knees, his hands already soaked in blood. "Taylor," he choked out, cradling her limp body against his chest. Her dress was stained dark red the fabric around her stomach torn and warm with fresh blood. Her skin was pale-too pale-and her lips quivered with every shallow breath she took. "No, no, no. Stay with me, baby. Please." He pressed trembling hands against the wound, trying to stop the bleeding. His fingers slipped, slick with her blood, as she let out a small, strangled gasp. Her eyes fluttered open for a second. "Scott…?" "I'm here. You're okay. I've got you," he whispered, voice breaking. "Just hold on. Don't you dare give up on me now." A few feet away, the shooter started backing toward the exit, shaking and panicked. Scott's head snapped up, eyes wild. "You," he growled. The man froze. Scott laid Taylor down gently, then surged forward, tackling the man against the boutique door with so much force the glass cracked. He slammed him into the wall again, fists gripping his collar. "Who sent you?! Why? Tell me now!" The man stammered, "It-it was her! Vanessa! She paid me, she said she wanted her gone-she said she wanted her sister to disappear forever!" Scott's chest heaved with fury. "You shot a pregnant woman!" 'I-I didn't know-she just said scare her! I panicked, I-" Scott punched him. Once. Hard. Then again. Until someone pulled him back and the sirens olared outside. 'Stay with her!" he shouted to a nearby staff member. "Help's coming!" Then he ran back to Taylor, cradling her as the EMTs rushed in, tears pouring freely now. "You're gonna be okay," he whispered, kissing her forehead. "I'm right here. I'm not letting go." The fluorescent lights in the hospital waiting room buzzed faintly overhead, but Scott couldn't hear anything beyond the pounding of his own heart. His hands were stained with dried blood- Taylor's blood-and he couldn't stop shaking. The memory of her slumped in his arms, barely breathing, still haunted every second. Time stretched unbearably long, and every tick without an update was another second closer to losing her. He stood the moment the elevator dinged. Troy. Followed by Travis and Van. Scott's jaw clenched. His entire body trembled-not just with worry, but rage. Pure, boiling rage. 3:15 pm Troy approached slowly. "We heard. What happened? Is she-?" "This is your fault!" Scott roared, voice cracking. "You and your sister-your crazy sister!" "Scott!" Travis barked, stepping forward, grabbing him before another punch landed. Van raised both palms, eyes wide. "Wait, wait-what do you mean Vanessa? Vanessa wouldn't-" "She would," Scott snapped, ripping himself free. "She did." Travis shook his head. "That's impossible. She's in treatment, she-she's not well, but-" "You think I'd accuse her if I wasn't sure?" Scott yelled. "The man who shot Taylor? We caught him. He confessed. Vanessa hired him. She planned this!" Troy looked pale, lips parting in disbelief. "No… she… she wouldn't…" 'She did," Scott said coldly. "And you-you brought her back into their lives. You helped her lie You let her stay close." Travis swallowed thickly. "Scott, we didn't know. We swear. We never wanted this. Not this." Van's voice trembled. "We only ever wanted to make things right. She said she was sorry, she said she just wanted to come home. We thought…" 'You thought wrong," Scott spat. "All of you did." Silence fell like a heavy curtain. Then footsteps echoed down the hall. The doctor emerged, removing his surgical cap slowly. Everyone stood. Scott's voice cracked. "Is she…?" 'She's stable," the doctor said gently. "The bullet missed any major organ, but it was close. We stopped the bleeding. She's sedated and resting now." Scott exhaled deeply, collapsing onto the nearest chair. His entire body sagged with exhaustion and overwhelming relief. "Thank God…" But then the doctor hesitated. Scott looked up. "What is it?" The doctor glanced at his clipboard, then met Scott's eyes. "I'm sorry. We couldn't save the baby.' The words sliced through the air like glass. Scott's breath caught. Troy froze. Van gasped. Travis let out a shaky, "No…" Scott bent forward, head in his hands. And then-he broke. The sob tore from his throat like something primal. Deep. Wounded. Irrevocably broken. He had planned the nursery. He had bought the tiny socks and books and made up songs he wanted to sing. And now, just like that, t was gone. Troy stepped forward, face ashen. "Scott… I… I'm so sorry…" Scott raised his head, eyes bloodshot. "Sorry doesn't bring my baby back." Travis's face twisted with guilt. "We… we didn't mean for this. Taylor didn't deserve any of this." "No, she didn't," Scott snapped. "But she got it anyway-because of you. Because of Vanessa." Van looked like she might cry. "We were wrong. All this time… we were so wrong." "Taylor begged for years," Scott said bitterly. "To be seen. To be heard. And none of you listened. You let her suffer. You stood by your golden sister while the one person who truly loved you… was destroyed." There was a long silence. Then Scott stood. "You want to make this right? Then do something." Travis looked at him. "Anything." "Find Vanessa," Scott said. "Make her pay. Because if you don't-I will. I will use every ounce of influence I have to bury her. You think she's suffered? I'll make sure she does." No one spoke again. Not even Troy. The hallway outside Taylor's room grew colder. And for the first time-Travis and Van truly understood. They had always believed Taylor would survive, bounce back, smile through the pain. But now, seeing Scott shattered… knowing they'd almost lost her and the life inside her-they finally saw it. They hadn't just failed their sister. They'd destroyed her.