Queen Never Cry

The sterile white walls of the hospital room seemed to mock Nicole's frantic state. Her heart hammered against her ribs, a drumbeat of terror and confusion. "Grace! Where's my baby?" she choked out, pushing past a nurse who tried to block her.

Then she saw them: Ethan, his face a mask of cold fury, and Elaine, her "best friend," hovering protectively over Grace's hospital bed. A wave of nausea hit Nicole. Elaine, who had been with her last night, now looked at her with a sickening blend of pity and accusation.

"Nicole, how could you?" Ethan's voice was a low growl, laced with disgust. "Leaving Grace alone in the car, drunk... I don't even know you anymore."

Nicole stared, her mind reeling. Drunk? Abandoning Grace? It was a lie. A sickening, twisted lie. She remembered Elaine pressing a drink into her hand, a strange taste, then a dizzying blackness. "Ethan, no! It's not true! Elaine, tell him!" she pleaded, her voice cracking.

Elaine offered a sorrowful sigh, her gaze meeting Nicole's with a chillingly triumphant glint. "Oh, Nicole... I wish I could. But I found you passed out, and Grace... she was alone."

Ethan's eyes, once full of love, were now filled with contempt. He took a step forward, his hand raising as if to strike her. "You irresponsible, selfish—"

"Ethan!" Elaine interjected, placing a hand on his arm, her voice feigning concern. "Not now. Grace needs us."

Nicole stumbled back, the weight of their betrayal crashing down on her. The world spun. This wasn't her life. This wasn't her husband. This wasn't her friend. This was a nightmare. But she was awake.