I froze, my breath catching in my chest.
It was Dr. Foster. She stood in the doorway, her sharp eyes scanning the room before landing on me.
“What are you doing in here?” she asked, her tone calm but questioning.
My mind scrambled for an explanation. I couldn’t tell her the truth—not all of it—but I couldn’t outright lie, either.
“I... I was looking for a file,” I said hesitantly.
She raised an eyebrow, stepping further into the room. “A file for what? I didn’t assign you anything in here today.”
“I know,” I admitted, my voice trembling. “But I thought... I thought I might help organize some of the older records. They’re a little out of order.”
Dr. Foster’s expression softened slightly, though there was still a hint of suspicion in her eyes. “That’s thoughtful of you, Emma, but you know you’re not supposed to access files without my permission.”
“I’m sorry,” I said quickly. “I wasn’t trying to do anything wrong. I just thought I could help.”
She sighed, running a hand through her hair. “Look, I know you’re eager to learn, but you need to follow protocol. These records are private for a reason.”
“I understand,” I said, nodding quickly.
She gestured for me to follow her out of the room. “Come on. Let’s get back to work.”
As I followed her down the hallway, my mind was spinning. The file was gone. Someone had taken it, and I needed to figure out who.
Vanessa. It had to be her. She must have found out that I’d seen her file and taken steps to cover her tracks.
But how?
I clenched my fists, anger and frustration bubbling up inside me. I couldn’t let this stop me. I would find another way.