Chapter 3 - THE DOCTOR SORREL NEVER MET
Sorrel was taken to St. Catherine's Children's Hospital shortly after midnight.
Hadrian rode beside her.
He never released her hand.
The chain remained behind with police.
The smartwatch went into an evidence bag only after investigators created a forensic copy of its recordings.
Celeste left the house in another police vehicle.
She was not immediately charged.
That infuriated Hadrian.
Owen explained why.
“They are building the case.”
Hadrian stared through the hospital corridor window.
“She chained a child to furniture.”
“And they photographed it.”
“She forged my signature.”
“They will investigate it.”
“She starved her.”
“They will document that too.”
Hadrian turned.
“Why is she not in a cell?”
Owen did not answer immediately.
“Because the law moves on evidence, not anger.”
Hadrian looked through the glass at Sorrel.
A pediatric nurse was helping her change into a hospital gown.
Hadrian saw how thin her shoulders looked.
His hands curled into fists.
Owen lowered his voice.
“You need to control yourself.”
Hadrian looked at him sharply.
“She knows you threw the tray.”
“I told them.”
“I know.”
“I would do it differently if I could.”
Owen nodded.
“Good.”
Hadrian stared.
“Do not tell me I should regret being angry.”
“I am not.”
Owen stepped closer.
“I am telling you Celeste wants you angry.”
Hadrian became still.
Owen continued.
“She needs you unstable.”
Hadrian looked toward the custody petition on Owen's tablet.
“She needs you reckless.”
Hadrian understood.
The tray.
Celeste would use it.
Perhaps she had wanted him to lose control.
Perhaps that was why she had been so calm afterward.
Hadrian looked at Owen.
“She knew I was coming home?”
“You said she seemed surprised.”
“She said I wasn't supposed to be back until Friday.”
“Then maybe she expected more time.”
“To do what?”
Owen looked grim.
“That is what we need to learn.”
The nurse opened the door.
“Mr. Mercer?”
Hadrian entered immediately.
Sorrel sat on the hospital bed.
A physician named Dr. Naomi Chen stood beside her.
Dr. Chen's voice was gentle.
“I would like to talk with you about what we found.”
Hadrian nodded.
Sorrel reached for him.
He sat beside her.
Dr. Chen explained the injuries carefully.
There was bruising around Sorrel's ankle consistent with repeated pressure.
There were older bruises on both knees.
Mild dehydration.
Weight loss.
No fractures.
No internal injuries.
Hadrian heard every word.
Each one felt like an accusation against him.
Dr. Chen noticed.
“Mr. Mercer.”
Hadrian looked at her.
“We are focusing on Sorrel now.”
Hadrian nodded.
Sorrel leaned against him.
Dr. Chen asked permission to speak with Sorrel alone later with a child advocate present.
Hadrian agreed.
Then a social worker entered.
Her name was Lenora Price.
She carried a folder.
Hadrian immediately tensed.
Lenora noticed.
“I am not here to take Sorrel away from you.”
Sorrel's fingers tightened around his hand.
Lenora looked at her.
“I'm here to make sure you are safe.”
Sorrel studied her.
Hadrian asked the question anyway.
“Is she staying with me?”
“For tonight, she stays here.”
“And afterward?”
“That depends on the investigation.”
Hadrian's jaw tightened.
Lenora remained calm.
“We need to understand the caregiving arrangement.”
“I am her father.”
“Yes.”
“I have sole legal custody.”
Lenora opened the folder.
“That is one of the things we are verifying.”
Hadrian looked at Owen.
Owen stepped forward.
“Mr. Mercer has a valid custody order following his wife's death.”
Lenora nodded.
“I have requested the court record.”
Sorrel looked at Hadrian.
“My mom?”
Hadrian kissed the top of her head.
“Nothing is changing about Mom.”
Sorrel became quiet.
Elara had been dead for four years.
A drunk driver had crossed the center line on a rainy highway.
Hadrian had survived the grief by pouring everything into raising Sorrel.
For three years, he had refused to date seriously.
Then he met Celeste.
She had seemed patient.
Gentle.
Understanding.
She had never tried to replace Elara.
At least not in the beginning.
Hadrian remembered the first time Celeste helped Sorrel with a school project.
He remembered the cookies.
The laughter.
The photograph of the three of them covered in glitter.
He wanted to tear the memory from his mind.
Lenora asked him several questions.
When did the overseas assignment begin?
Who arranged it?
How often did Hadrian speak to Sorrel?
Who attended school meetings?
Who handled medical appointments?
Hadrian answered.
Then Lenora asked another question.
“When did Sorrel stop attending Briarwood Academy?”
Hadrian stared at her.
“What?”
Lenora looked down.
“According to the information we received, Sorrel was withdrawn seven weeks ago.”
Hadrian felt his body go rigid.
“No.”
Sorrel looked down.
Hadrian turned toward her.
“Sorrel?”
She did not answer.
His voice softened.
“You haven't been going to school?”
Sorrel shook her head.
Hadrian looked at Lenora.
“Celeste told me school was closed for summer programming.”
Lenora's expression tightened.
“It is August.”
“They have a summer enrichment program.”
“Ours ended in June.”
Sorrel finally whispered.
“She said I was embarrassing her.”
Hadrian closed his eyes.
“Why?”
“I told Mrs. Greene I didn't want to go home.”
The words destroyed something inside him.
Hadrian opened his eyes.
“What happened after you told her?”
Sorrel pulled the hospital blanket higher.
“Mrs. Greene asked me questions.”
“And then?”
“Celeste came.”
Sorrel's breathing changed.
Hadrian immediately stopped.
“You do not have to keep talking.”
Sorrel looked at him.
“I tried to tell her.”
“Tell who?”
“My teacher.”
Hadrian felt sick.
Sorrel's voice became smaller.
“Celeste told her I lie for attention.”
Owen asked quietly.
“Did your teacher believe Celeste?”
Sorrel shrugged.
“I don't know.”
Hadrian stood.
“I want every record from that school.”
Owen nodded.
“We will get them.”
Lenora looked troubled.
“The withdrawal paperwork may matter.”
Hadrian turned toward her.
“Why?”
“Because it includes your signature.”
Silence.
Hadrian laughed once in disbelief.
“Of course it does.”
Owen rubbed his forehead.
“How many forged signatures are we talking about?”
Lenora closed the folder.
“I don't know.”
Hadrian looked at Sorrel.
His daughter was exhausted.
He refused to question her further.
Dr. Chen helped settle her for the night.
Hadrian remained beside the bed.
Around two in the morning, Sorrel finally slept.
She held his sleeve in one hand.
Hadrian did not move.
Owen sat near the window.
His phone vibrated.
He checked it.
Then his face changed.
Hadrian noticed.
“What now?”
Owen hesitated.
“Remember the psychological evaluation?”
Hadrian nodded.
“I found the psychologist.”
“And?”
“There is a problem.”
Hadrian looked at him.
“What kind of problem?”
“The evaluator is Dr. Anton Vale.”
Hadrian frowned.
“I don't know him.”
“You shouldn't.”
Owen turned the tablet around.
A professional biography appeared.
Dr. Anton Vale.
Clinical psychologist.
Expert witness.
Family-court consultant.
Hadrian scanned the page.
Then he saw the photograph.
His eyes narrowed.
The man's surname was not Vane.
But the face was unmistakably familiar.
Hadrian had seen him at Christmas dinner.
Celeste had introduced him as her mother's cousin.
Owen watched Hadrian recognize him.
“The evaluation claims Sorrel displayed manipulation, oppositional behavior, compulsive lying, and inappropriate attachment to an absent parent.”
Hadrian's face became white.
“She never met him.”
Sorrel stirred in the bed.
Hadrian lowered his voice immediately.
“She never met that man.”
Owen nodded.
“I know.”
“How?”
“The evaluation says it occurred in person on May eighteenth.”
Hadrian looked toward Sorrel.
On May eighteenth, Hadrian had video-called her for her school science presentation.
She had been home all day.
He remembered because he had watched her demonstrate a miniature volcano through the screen.
Owen continued.
“There is something else.”
Hadrian stared at him.
“Say it.”
“Dr. Vale recommended that Celeste receive expanded guardianship authority.”
Hadrian's hands clenched.
“Based on a meeting that never happened.”
“Yes.”
Hadrian looked back at Sorrel.
This was no longer one forged document.
It was a system.
Someone had been manufacturing a legal history around his daughter.
Then Owen's phone vibrated again.
A new email arrived.
He opened it.
His expression became worse.
Hadrian stood.
“What?”
Owen looked at the screen.
“Celeste's attorneys filed an emergency motion ten minutes ago.”
“While she is being investigated?”
“Yes.”
“For what?”
Owen swallowed.
“They are asking the court to prevent you from removing Sorrel from the state.”
Hadrian stared.
“On what grounds?”
Owen looked toward the sleeping child.
“They claim you intend to flee with her to avoid an investigation into your own conduct.”
Hadrian's voice dropped.
“My conduct?”
Owen scrolled.
Then he stopped.
“Hadrian.”
“What?”
“They attached photographs.”
“Of what?”
Owen turned the phone.
Hadrian felt his blood freeze.
The first photograph showed bruises on Sorrel's arm.
The second showed her crying.
The third showed Hadrian standing behind her.
He remembered the image.
It had been taken two years earlier after Sorrel fell from a bicycle.
But the caption beneath it said something entirely different.
PHOTOGRAPH PROVIDED BY CAREGIVER FOLLOWING INCIDENT WITH FATHER.
Hadrian stared at Celeste's lie.
Then he saw the date attached.
The date had been changed.
And according to the filing, the picture had been taken only three weeks ago.
May you like
While Hadrian was thousands of miles away.
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