In the hospital, the world seemed to tilt and spin, my reality splintering like a mirror struck by a careless hand. Mills and the social worker loomed over me, pronouncing verdicts with the casual cruelty of executioners. The words “The baby will be removed at birth” echoed in my mind, a haunting refrain that drowned out all reason.

Then came the pain—sharp, unrelenting, and all-consuming. It was as if my body were a fragile vessel, cracking under the weight of stress and sorrow. The warm rush of blood that followed sent a bolt of terror through me. But Mills, with the indifference of someone who had long ceased to see the humanity in others, dismissed my cries for help.