A mark that looked almost like it had been scratched there deliberately.
Then she remembered something.
The doctor had asked Sebastian an important question the previous day:
“Is there anything unusual in the baby's feeding routine?”
Vanessa had answered before Sebastian could.
“No.”
Elena slowly looked at Vanessa.
Vanessa was staring directly back at her.
And for the first time that morning, Elena noticed something terrifying.
Vanessa wasn't looking at the sick baby.
Elena’s hands trembled as she listened to the pediatrician.
“Keep the bottle exactly as it is,” Dr. Keller said. “Don’t wash it. Don’t throw it away.”
“What did you find?” Elena whispered.
“We’re not certain yet. But the sample you’ve described doesn’t match the feeding instructions we’ve given Sebastian.”
Elena looked toward the nursery.
Diego was sleeping.
For the first time since she arrived at the mansion, Elena felt genuinely afraid.
Not for herself.
For the baby.