Chapter 9 - The Signature
Nathan did not deny it.
“I signed something.”
Leah stared at him.
“Something?”
“Mom brought papers to the house.”
“When?”
“Three weeks ago.”
“Before Caleb was born.”
“Yes.”
The hallway seemed to narrow around Leah.
Nathan continued.
“She said they were trust documents.”
“You signed away rights to our child before he was even born?”
“I didn’t know that’s what they were.”
“Did you read them?”
Nathan said nothing.
Leah shook her head.
“That’s your excuse?”
Mae handed the petition to hospital security.
Simone was still recording.
Nathan noticed.
“Turn that off.”
Simone raised an eyebrow.
“No.”
Dr. Rusk was caught near the stairwell.
Her bag contained copies of Leah’s medical chart.
Several notes had never been entered into the official system.
One described Leah as delusional.
Another claimed she had told staff the baby was possessed.
A third claimed she had tried to climb out of bed while screaming that people wanted to steal Caleb.
None of it had happened.
Mae read them with disgust.
“They were preparing paper records to upload after the hold.”
Dr. Vale looked at Rusk.
“You invented symptoms.”
Dr. Rusk remained silent.
Kline finally spoke.
“Doreen told us the family was in danger.”
Leah laughed bitterly.
“You mean her money was in danger.”
Kline looked confused.
“What money?”
Nathan whispered.
“The trust.”
Kline turned toward him.
“You don’t understand.”
Leah snapped.
“Then somebody start explaining.”
Security separated everyone.
Police were called.
The hospital initiated an internal emergency review.
Doreen remained missing.
The backup power finally returned.
Caleb’s tracking bracelet reconnected.
He was still beside Leah.
Still safe.
Leah cried from relief.
Mae placed one hand on her shoulder.
“You need to rest.”
“I need to leave.”
“You need a secure discharge.”
“I’m not staying in a hospital where the administrator helped my mother-in-law create an escape route.”
Mae could not argue with that.
Dr. Vale agreed to document Leah as competent, oriented, and medically appropriate for discharge once her surgical team cleared her.
But Dr. Rusk had been removed from Leah’s care.
A new obstetrician was assigned.
Nathan stood alone near the wall.
Leah looked at him.
“You’re not coming home with us.”
His eyes filled.
“Leah.”
“No.”
“Where are you going?”
“Somewhere your mother doesn’t control.”
He stepped closer.
“I can protect you.”
She looked at him for a long moment.
“From the woman you helped?”
Nathan flinched.
Police arrived.
While officers began taking statements, Simone sat beside Leah.
“There’s something else.”
Leah looked at her.
Simone unlocked her phone.
“I didn’t tell you why I’m really here.”
“You’re not at a wellness retreat.”
“No.”
Simone smiled without humor.
“My husband thinks I’m visiting my sister.”
“Why lie?”
“Because my husband works for Doreen.”
Leah stopped breathing.
Simone turned the phone toward her.
May you like
On the screen was a photograph of Nathan standing beside Simone’s husband.
And between them stood Doreen.
