The Prison Project (by Bethany Donaghy) novel Chapter 130

*Margot’s POV*

The doctor froze mid-reach, his gloved hands hovering over the drawer for a fraction too long before he spoke again.

“I can’t tell you much, I’m afraid.” he began carefully, his tone shifting from casual to cautious as Coban’s stare blazed through him. “Confidentiality applies to-”

Coban cut him off before he coutd finish. his tone firin. “Don’t-start with that shit. I’m the one who stepped in to save her life you know? Held the girl whilst she was bleeding out? I think the trauma

from that alone entitles me to know if she’s even still breathing, don’t you?”

The doctor’s mouth opened, then closed again in thought.

For a second, he looked like he might argue back. His gaze flicked toward the door – as if expecting

one of the guards to suddenly appear. to tell him off – before they landed back on Coban.

I could feel the shift in the air as I watched the encounter, breath held and palms beginning to sweat.

Coban wasn’t shouting, but his tone carried a pressure that filled the room. It wasn’t just a

question anymore; it was a demand.

The doctor hesitated, the silence stretching painfully long before he finally exhaled hard through his nose. His shoulders sagged, and he began to peel off his gloves one by one, the sound of latex snapping off his wrists out loud amongst the stillness.

“The girl…” he started, pausing again, his expression heavy. “She’s alive, yes.”

I didn’t realise I’d been holding my breath until it burst out of me, my chest collapsing forward as

my lungs caught up.

Alive.

She was still alive!

But before relief could fully bloom, his next words came like a cruel aftershock…

“But only barely,” he added softly. “They’re doing everything they can to keep her stable. That’s all

The walls seemed to tilt in around me. My fingers gripping the edge of the patient bed so tight that my knuckles went white and my skin pulsed in need of blood flow…

Alive but barely.

It echoed in my head like a bell tolling at a funeral that hadn’t happened yet.

Barely…

Meaning she wasn’t in the clear, not yet…

My vision blurred as my throat tightened painfully against the pressure building inside me. I clutched my chest. right over my heart, trying to ground myself.

But at least right now, she was still here.

Still fighting.

That was all that mattered…

“Oh my God…” I whispered, my voice trembling with something between relief and heartbreak.

Beside me, Coban’s expression stayed unreadable, but I caught the faintest flicker in his eyes – it was a flash of something softer, like pity or maybe guilt.

But It was gone before I could name it…

“When possible.” he said suddenly, his voice steady again but quieter this time. “can you arrange

for Margot and her friend Cara to have a visit with her?”

My head snapped toward him in surprise. He hadn’t even looked at me when he said it, but the

request itself hit me straight to the heart.

The doctors gloved hand found my neck, making me jump a little, as the cold cream went over the area like a cooling gel…

He placed it down on the bed, seeming to forget about the tube, as he turned his back to fetch a fresh bandage.

As quick as I could blink. Coban’s hand shot across my lap. snatching the cream from beside me without a single sound, slipping it in to his waistband with a cough as though nothing had happened..

Eyes wide and lips parted. I began to panic that the doctor would turn back and immediately notice… but he didn’t.

Instead, the bandage was stretched around my neck, his placement careful and precise, before he stood back and dusted off his hands.

“All done here! Same again, just come back fomorrow if you need more pills.” He announced, seeming bored with our presence now.

Oh I’m sure I won’t need anymore now… thanks to Coban!

“Thanks, doctor, come on, Bella,” Coban said, helping me down from the bed, his tone slightly urgent.

I nodded, my legs shaky as I couldn’t decide whether it was from the nerves of watching him steal

supplies or from the update on my friend’s critical condition…

But I didn’t look back at the doctor as we both left.

My head was too full.

“Thanks for doing that…” I whispered up at Coban as soon as we were away from the area.

“He has plenty of shit, he won’t miss what I took.” Coban shrugs, as I shake my head, a small smile pulling at my lips.

“No. not the stealing… I still can’t believe you managed to take all of that without getting caught though!” I laugh a little before going on, “But thanks for asking how Sarah is, and if we can visit.” 1 explain, as he nods slowly now in understanding.

“Anything to make you feel better, Bella.”