Chapter 3 - The next morning, the hospital was surrounded by reporters.News vans lined the street.
Cameras waited near the entrance.
By noon, my face was everywhere.
STERLING HEIRESS ATTACKED.
PREGNANT WOMAN FOUND UNCONSCIOUS AT FAMILY RETREAT.
HUSBAND ARRESTED.
But one headline stood out.
BILLIONAIRE FAMILY SCANDAL MAY REVEAL CORPORATE TAKEOVER.
I stared at it from my hospital bed.
“Who leaked the corporate documents?”
My father stood beside the window.
“I did not.”
“Did the police?”
“No.”
“Then who?”
He turned.
“That's what I'm trying to find out.”
He placed his phone on the table.
“There's more.”
I looked at him.
“The company stock has dropped twelve percent since this morning.”
My chest tightened.
“Because of Diego?”
“Because someone is shorting Sterling.”
“Someone knew.”
“Yes.”
“Before the attack?”
My father nodded.
“Someone knew your marriage was collapsing.”
My hands trembled.
“Dad, who?”
He didn't answer.
Instead, he gave me a second folder.
This one was thinner.
Inside was a list of financial transactions.
Small payments.
Several accounts.
Different names.
Same destination.
A private offshore fund.
I recognized one account.
“Brenna.”
My father nodded.
“Your mother-in-law has been receiving payments for fourteen months.”
“For what?”
“Access.”
“To what?”
He looked at me.
“To you.”
I felt sick.
The hospital door opened.
Detective Harris entered.
“Good morning.”
My father stood.
“What did you find?”
She placed several photographs on the table.
“We searched the retreat.”
The first showed my desk.
The second showed Diego's office.
The third showed a hidden compartment behind a bookshelf.
“What's that?”
Detective Harris looked at me.
“Your husband had a second phone.”
My stomach tightened.
“What was on it?”
“Messages.”
“From Vanessa?”
“No.”
“Then who?”
She slid one photograph toward me.
The screen displayed a message.
Phase Three begins after the pregnancy is resolved.
I stared.
“Pregnancy is resolved?”
My father went completely still.
Detective Harris continued.
“The message was sent from an encrypted number.”
“When?”
“Three weeks ago.”
My fingers curled around the blanket.
“Who sent it?”
“We're trying to identify the account.”
Another message appeared.
Her death must appear accidental.
I felt my stomach drop.
My father stepped forward.
“They planned to kill her.”
Detective Harris nodded.
“That is our current theory.”
“But Diego pushed me into freezing water.”
“That looks like a crime of passion.”
“No.”
I looked at her.
“It wasn't.”
Everyone turned toward me.
I pointed at the folder.
“They needed me to sign those documents first.”
The detective's expression changed.
“Why?”
“Because if I died before signing, the shares stayed protected.”
My father nodded slowly.
“That means the attack was Plan B.”
Detective Harris looked at him.
“What was Plan A?”
I answered.
“Make me sign.”
Silence.
Then my father's phone rang.
He answered.
“Alvin.”
A male voice spoke.
My father listened.
His face changed.
“What?”
He looked at me.
Then said quietly:
“She's gone.”
Detective Harris stood.
“Who?”
“Vanessa.”
“Missing?”
“No.”
He stared at the floor.
“Dead.”
The room froze.
“How?”
“Car crash.”
Detective Harris immediately reached for her phone.
“Where?”
“North Ridge.”
“That doesn't make sense.”
“Why?”
“The road was closed because of the storm.”
My father's eyes narrowed.
“So she wasn't supposed to be there.”
Detective Harris looked at me.
“Unless someone put her there.”
The room fell silent.
Then a nurse rushed in.
“Mrs. Calder?”
“Yes?”
“There is a man downstairs asking for you.”
“Who?”
“He says he's your husband's attorney.”
My father stepped forward.
“Send him away.”
The nurse hesitated.
“He already came upstairs.”
The door opened.
The same attorney from the video walked into my hospital room.
Mr. Holloway.
The man my father had banned from Sterling properties.
He smiled.
“Mrs. Calder.”
My father's face became unreadable.
“What are you doing here?”
Holloway adjusted his tie.
“I represent Diego.”
“You represent a murderer.”
“My client denies intent.”
“You drafted the documents he forced her to sign.”
“That is false.”
I laughed.
It hurt.
But I couldn't stop.
“You were on the camera.”
Holloway froze for half a second.
Then recovered.
“I was present at the retreat.”
“You knew what was going to happen.”
“You have no evidence of that.”
I looked at Detective Harris.
“We have the footage.”
He smiled.
“Footage can be interpreted many ways.”
Then he placed an envelope on my bed.
“My client has an offer.”
I stared at him.
“An offer?”
“Divorce.”
I said nothing.
“In exchange for full separation, he will agree to relinquish certain financial claims.”
I looked at my father.
Then back at Holloway.
“You came here to negotiate while I'm in a hospital bed?”
He leaned closer.
“He also wants you to know that if you refuse…”
He paused.
My stomach tightened.
“…someone else may not be as patient.”
My father stepped forward.
“Get out.”
Holloway stood.
“Think carefully.”
He turned toward the door.
Then stopped.
“Oh.”
He looked back.
“Vanessa wasn't the only person in that car.”
Detective Harris's face changed.
“What does that mean?”
Holloway smiled.
“I think you'll find out soon.”
He left.
The door closed.
Nobody spoke.
Then Detective Harris's phone rang.
She answered.
Listened.
And slowly lowered it.
“What?”
My father asked.
She looked at him.
“The crash site was inspected.”
“And?”
“There was another body.”
My blood ran cold.
“Who?”
Detective Harris looked directly at me.
“Your father’s head of security.”
My father didn't move.
May you like
Because the man who was supposed to protect me had just been found dead.
And the stolen security badge had been found in his pocket.
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