Chapter 13 - THE PART THEY CUT OUT
Maya stared at the screen.
She remembered that morning.
Vivienne had placed the syringe in her hand while searching through the medical case.
“Hold this.”
Maya had held it for perhaps four seconds.
On television, the clip ended there.
No return of the syringe.
No Vivienne stepping back into frame.
Just Maya beside Luca’s chair, needle in hand.
“They cut it,” she said.
Adrian’s statement continued beneath the image.
“We are deeply concerned that a disgruntled employee has exploited my nephew’s condition.”
Luca reached for the remote and switched off the television.
“Where’s the full recording?” he asked.
“At the house.”
Harris requested the original footage.
The estate’s security provider reported that the local recording unit had been wiped.
But the system had also stored event clips in a separate account.
Nate knew the account existed.
He had installed the hallway sensors himself.
By evening, investigators had the complete sequence.
Vivienne handing Maya the syringe.
Maya giving it back.
Vivienne administering the injection.
No one celebrated.
Maya watched the full clip once, then looked away.
“I should have asked what it was.”
“You did later,” Luca said.
“Six weeks later.”
“You noticed.
You acted.
That’s more than the people who had letters after their names.”
The hearing on Vivienne’s petition was scheduled for the next morning.
Evelyn laid Luca’s clothes across a chair.
A dark suit.
A white shirt.
The tie he used to wear to board meetings.
He looked at the polished shoes.
“I can’t walk into court.”
“You don’t need to,” Evelyn said.
“I know.”
But his voice said he didn’t.
Maya crouched beside the wheelchair.
“You don’t have to stand up to tell the truth.”
He looked at her.
“You think I want a grand entrance?”
“I think you want them to see what they stole.”
His jaw tightened.
“Yes.”
“Then let them see you.
The way you are today.”
For a long moment, he said nothing.
Then he nodded.
At 10:43 that night, the hospital reported an attempted access to his room.
A woman in a nurse’s uniform had presented a temporary badge.
Security stopped her before she reached the ward.
She fled through the emergency exit.
In the discarded uniform, officers found a printed transfer order.
May you like
It directed staff to move Luca to a private neurological facility.
The authorizing signature belonged to Vivienne.
