Chapter 9 - THE MATERNITY WARDThe armored van sped through the underground tunnel.
Sarah sat between Daniel and Clara.
Arthur drove.
Nobody spoke for several minutes.
Then Daniel asked:
“How can there be a maternity ward under Vance Tower?”
Clara looked at him.
“Money.”
Arthur added:
“And secrets.”
The tunnel opened onto a service road.
They emerged miles away from the mansion.
Vance Tower rose above the city.
Forty-eight floors of glass and steel.
At street level, everything looked normal.
Employees worked late.
Cars passed.
No one knew the billionaire Vance family was fighting a war beneath them.
Arthur parked in an underground garage.
Clara led them to a private elevator.
They descended.
Thirty floors below ground.
Sarah stared at the floor number.
“It says B30.”
Clara nodded.
“That's because the real floor is hidden.”
The elevator doors opened.
A pristine medical facility stretched before them.
Operating rooms.
Recovery suites.
Neonatal equipment.
Doctors.
Nurses.
All wearing white.
Daniel stared.
“This place is operational.”
Clara nodded.
“It has been for years.”
A doctor approached.
“Clara?”
“Yes.”
The doctor looked at Sarah.
Then her belly.
“Eight months?”
Sarah nodded.
The doctor turned to Daniel.
“Then we don't have much time.”
“What do you mean?”
The doctor lowered his voice.
“Eleanor activated the transfer protocol.”
Sarah went pale.
“When?”
“Twenty minutes ago.”
Arthur looked at him.
“How do you know?”
The doctor smiled sadly.
“Because I work for her.”
Daniel stepped back.
The doctor raised his hands.
“I didn't mean willingly.”
“What are you saying?”
“I was threatened.”
Clara studied him.
“Can you help us?”
He nodded.
“There is a room she cannot access.”
“Why?”
“Because your father built it.”
He pressed a button.
A hidden door opened.
Inside was a secure chamber.
The walls were reinforced steel.
A camera system covered every angle.
The doctor spoke.
“This room was designed for emergency protection of the heir.”
Sarah looked at the bed.
“It has medical equipment.”
“Yes.”
“Then you expect me to give birth here.”
“Possibly.”
Sarah touched her stomach.
“No.”
Daniel looked at her.
“What?”
“I don't want my baby born in a place built to hide people.”
The doctor nodded.
“Then you have one other option.”
“What?”
“A public hospital under federal protection.”
Arthur looked at him.
“And how do we get there?”
The doctor stared at the ceiling.
“You won't.”
“Why?”
“Because Eleanor already owns the ambulance company.”
Daniel swore.
The doctor continued.
“She has doctors under contract. Security under contract. Drivers under contract.”
Clara folded her arms.
“She can't own the police.”
The doctor looked at her.
“She doesn't need to.”
He pointed to a television.
The news was broadcasting live.
BREAKING NEWS: VANCE HEIRESS SARAH VANCE HOSPITALIZED AFTER FALL
Daniel stared.
The report showed footage of Sarah being carried away by paramedics.
The anchor said:
“Sources close to the Vance family state that Mrs. Vance has suffered severe emotional instability during pregnancy.”
Sarah's face turned white.
Daniel stared at the screen.
“She is framing her.”
The anchor continued.
“There are also unconfirmed reports that the unborn child may not belong to Daniel Vance.”
Sarah felt sick.
“That report…”
Clara's expression hardened.
“She started the story.”
Arthur looked at the doctor.
“What are we missing?”
The doctor pointed to a second screen.
A hospital access list.
Someone had added Sarah as a psychiatric hold patient.
Daniel stared.
“She can't do that.”
The doctor shook his head.
“She can if enough people sign the papers.”
Sarah backed away.
“I have done nothing.”
Arthur stepped in.
“They want her declared unstable so nobody believes her.”
Clara nodded.
“Then we need proof.”
Daniel looked at Sarah.
“We have the trust.”
“But not enough,” Clara said.
“Why?”
“Because Eleanor will claim the documents are forged.”
Sarah suddenly remembered something.
“The ultrasound.”
Daniel frowned.
“What about it?”
“The original.”
Arthur looked at her.
“I thought Eleanor tore it.”
“She tore the photograph.”
Sarah's eyes widened.
“The digital record is still in the clinic.”
Clara smiled.
“Exactly.”
The doctor stared at them.
“What does that prove?”
Sarah answered:
“It proves Eleanor knew the baby's gender before I told anyone.”
Arthur understood.
“She knew the child was a girl.”
Sarah nodded.
“And she has already prepared legal documents.”
Daniel stared at the floor.
“Then that's what we use.”
Suddenly the entire facility lost power.
Emergency lights flashed.
The doctor looked toward the security screen.
“She's here.”
“Who?”
He whispered:
“Eleanor.”
A voice came over the speakers.
“Sarah.”
Eleanor.
“Come upstairs.”
Sarah froze.
“You have ten minutes before I shut down the oxygen.”
The doctor looked horrified.
“She wouldn't.”
Clara looked at him.
“You don't know my grandmother.”
May you like
Then Eleanor's voice returned.
“You have nine minutes.”
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