Chapter 4 - THE HOSPITAL TRUTH
At St. Catherine’s Medical Center, Clara was taken into an examination room.
A nurse treated her hands while an obstetrician performed an ultrasound.
I stood near the bed, afraid to breathe.
The monitor filled with shifting gray shapes.
Then a fast, steady rhythm filled the room.
Our baby’s heartbeat.
Clara covered her mouth.
I took her bandaged hand carefully.
The doctor smiled.
“The pregnancy appears viable.”
I closed my eyes.
Relief moved through me so strongly that my knees almost weakened.
“However,” the doctor continued, “Mrs. Vale is dehydrated, exhausted, and showing signs of malnutrition.”
I opened my eyes.
“She was eating.”
Clara stared at the blanket.
“Not regularly.”
“Why?”
“Your mother said the staff dining room was for employees.”
“You own the estate.”
Her expression broke.
“I know.”
The doctor ordered blood tests.
The results showed traces of a sedative in Clara’s system.
She had not knowingly taken any medication.
Clara began remembering the herbal tea Helena insisted she drink before bed.
“It made me feel heavy,” she said.
“I thought I was tired.”
The police were contacted immediately.
Detective Rachel Monroe arrived at the hospital just after midnight.
She listened while Clara described the previous two months.
The abuse began after I left for an extended overseas negotiation.
Helena moved into the estate without permission.
She claimed I had asked her to supervise preparations for a major investor event.
Sienna took control of household communications.
Damian replaced several staff members with people loyal to him.
Clara’s driver was dismissed.
Her cards were deactivated.
Her phone calls were redirected.
When she attempted to reach me through the company office, she was told I had prohibited personal calls.
I had issued no such order.
“They said you were tired of me distracting you,” Clara whispered.
“I would never say that.”
“I know that now.”
The words hurt because part of her had believed them.
Detective Monroe asked why Clara did not leave.
“My car keys disappeared.”
She looked ashamed.
“Every time I tried to walk to the gate, security told me Julian had ordered them not to let anyone disturb the negotiations.”
Those guards did not work for Marcus.
They had been hired through a subcontractor connected to Damian.
“What about the household staff?” Monroe asked.
“Most of them were replaced.”
“Did anyone help you?”
Clara hesitated.
“A maid named Evelyn gave me food.”
“Where is she now?”
“I don’t know.”
“She disappeared four days ago.”
Marcus called while the detective was still taking notes.
He had found evidence that Damian accessed my corporate financial system using forged authorization codes.
More than eight million dollars had been transferred into shell companies.
The celebration was not merely a family party.
It was intended to convince investors that Damian had become the estate’s acting authority.
My relatives were not only abusing Clara.
They were preparing to take my company.
May you like
Then Marcus said something that changed the entire investigation.
“We found blood inside the old guesthouse.”
