Chapter 1 - THE MAN BEHIND THE NAME
Raymond Saint Claire did not raise his voice.
He did not need to.
The moment he stepped into the maternity hallway, everyone else seemed to become quieter.
Four security officers stood behind him.
The hospital’s general counsel was at his right.
The chief nursing officer waited near the elevators.
And Preston Whitmore, who had spent years introducing this building as his family’s hospital, suddenly looked like a visitor who had wandered onto the wrong floor.
Raymond walked directly to Emily.
“Are you hurt?”
Emily kept one hand beneath her stomach.
“I’m okay.”
Raymond’s eyes hardened.
“That isn’t what I asked.”
Emily swallowed.
“My side hurts.”
The softness disappeared from Raymond’s face.
He turned immediately.
“Get obstetrics here.”
The chief nursing officer nodded.
“Already called.”
Vanessa Cross folded her arms.
“This is ridiculous.”
Raymond looked at her.
Only once.
It was enough to make Vanessa uncross her arms.
Preston stepped forward.
“Raymond, Emily is upset.”
Emily stared at him.
Even now.
Even after everything.
He was still trying to make her the problem.
Raymond noticed too.
“Upset?”
Preston lowered his voice.
“There was an argument.”
The nurse behind the desk spoke before Emily could.
“No, sir.”
Everyone turned.
The nurse looked frightened, but she kept going.
“I saw what happened.”
Preston’s face tightened.
Raymond looked at her.
“Your name?”
“Rachel Morgan.”
“What did you see, Ms. Morgan?”
Rachel glanced at Emily.
Then Vanessa.
“Ms. Cross struck Mrs. Whitmore.”
Vanessa snapped around.
“That is not what happened.”
Rachel’s hands trembled around her clipboard.
But her voice did not.
“I was standing right there.”
Vanessa pointed toward Emily.
“She came at me first.”
“No,” Rachel said.
The hallway went silent.
Vanessa stared at her.
Rachel continued.
“Mrs. Whitmore was holding the rail.”
Preston stepped between them.
“That’s enough.”
Raymond’s eyes moved toward him.
“No.”
One word.
Cold.
Final.
“That is exactly what is not going to happen anymore.”
Preston froze.
Raymond turned toward the security supervisor.
“Preserve the footage.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Every camera on this floor.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Starting one hour before Emily arrived.”
The supervisor nodded.
Vanessa’s confidence flickered.
Emily saw it.
So did Raymond.
He turned back toward Vanessa.
“You look nervous.”
“I’m not.”
“Good.”
Raymond glanced toward the camera above the elevator.
“Then you won’t mind watching the recording with us.”
Vanessa’s lips parted.
Preston immediately stepped in.
“There’s no reason to turn this into some corporate investigation.”
Raymond stared at him.
“You’re right.”
Preston relaxed slightly.
Then Raymond finished.
“It may become a criminal one.”
Preston’s face drained of color.
A wheelchair appeared from the obstetrics wing.
Emily shook her head.
“I can walk.”
Raymond stepped beside her.
“You’ve spent enough time proving you can stand by yourself.”
His voice softened.
“Sit down, Em.”
For the first time since Vanessa had attacked her, Emily felt her composure crack.
Not enough to cry.
Just enough to realize how exhausted she was.
She sat.
Raymond placed his jacket over her shoulders.
Preston moved closer.
“I’m her husband.”
Raymond turned.
“Yes.”
His eyes became colder.
“That is what makes this worse.”
The obstetrician wheeled Emily toward an examination room.
As the doors began closing, Emily heard Vanessa whisper to Preston.
“You said he couldn’t touch your money.”
Emily looked back.
May you like
Raymond had heard it too.
And from the expression on his face, Vanessa had just asked the wrong question.
