Chapter 4 - The Medical File
The pediatric clinic was nearly empty at midnight.
Victor sat beside Ethan while Dr. Hale reviewed the imaging.
Nothing was broken.
That should have comforted him.
It did not.
Dr. Hale placed several medical reports on the desk.
“I went through Ethan’s records.”
Victor looked at him.
“There have been four appointments for unusual bruising or falls during the last five months.”
Victor frowned.
“I only remember one.”
“That’s because three were canceled.”
“By whom?”
Dr. Hale turned the tablet toward him.
Each cancellation had been made through the family portal.
Authorized contact.
Serena Vale.
Victor felt the room become colder.
“She canceled medical appointments?”
“Yes.”
Dr. Hale continued.
“One appointment was requested by Lily.”
Lily nodded.
“That was after Ethan suddenly stopped using his right hand for several hours.”
Victor looked stunned.
“You never told me.”
“I tried.”
“When?”
“I called your office twice.”
Victor remembered nothing.
Lily looked ashamed.
“Mr. Cross said you were in meetings.”
Daniel Cross had worked for Victor for eleven years.
He had attended Victor’s wedding to Ethan’s mother.
He had stood beside Victor at her funeral.
Victor took out his phone.
“Marcus.”
His security chief answered immediately.
“Find Daniel.”
There was a pause.
“Sir.”
“What?”
“He left the foundation dinner thirty minutes ago.”
“Where is he?”
“We don’t know.”
Victor stood.
“Find him.”
Dr. Hale interrupted.
“There’s something else.”
He pulled up the earliest report.
“This occurred before Lily started working for you.”
Victor stared at the date.
Lily had joined the household in March.
The incident happened in February.
Serena had been alone with Ethan that afternoon.
Victor remembered returning home to find his son unusually quiet.
Serena had said Ethan had fallen near his toy chest.
Victor had believed her.
He had kissed his son goodnight.
Then he had gone back downstairs and opened a bottle of wine for Serena.
The memory made him sick.
Lily quietly placed something on the desk.
A photograph.
Ethan was sleeping in his crib.
A faint mark could be seen near his wrist.
“I took this my third day working for you.”
Victor turned it over.
There was handwriting on the back.
Not Lily’s.
Maria’s.
May you like
It contained only six words.
Ask what happened before Lily came.
