I felt my whole body go numb. “Someone… did this?”
He nodded. “We suspect he was exposed to a chemical substance—perhaps corrosive or irritating—applied directly to his skin. This caused a delayed reaction. You brought him in just in time.”
Tears were streaming down my face. “But who would hurt him? And why?”
The police immediately opened an investigation. They questioned him about his recent colleagues, his habits, and anyone who might have seen him at work. Then it suddenly dawned on me: lately, David had been coming home later than usual. He told me he was staying to “clean up the construction site.” One day, I noticed a strong chemical smell on his clothes, but he brushed it off.
As I mentioned this detail, one of the officers exchanged a serious look with the doctor.
“That’s it,” the inspector said softly. “It wasn’t an accident. Someone probably applied a corrosive substance to his skin, either directly or through his clothing. It’s an assault.”
My legs gave way. I clung to the chair, trembling.
