Chapter 2 - The Woman Outside —
“Get out.” My voice sounded steadier than I felt.
“Alina, let me explain.”
“You can explain from the hallway.”
Dorian looked at Dr. Mercer. She didn’t rescue him.
“My patient asked for privacy.”
When the door closed, I put both feet on the floor. “Does that record mean somebody gave me something?”
“No,” she said. “A chart entry isn’t proof that medication was dispensed or taken. We need to establish what actually happened.”
She arranged an ultrasound, reviewed what I had taken, and asked whom I wanted involved in my care. “Being your husband doesn’t give him control of this room.”
“Then don’t share anything else without asking me.”
“Understood.”
The ultrasound dated the pregnancy close to nine weeks. There was a heartbeat. I stared at the small, flickering image until the room blurred. Seven weeks earlier, Dorian and I had spent one desperate night together after agreeing our marriage was over. I had called it a mistake because calling it hope would have hurt worse.
Now hope had a heartbeat.
I texted the unknown number. How do you know?
The answer came quickly. I DON’T KNOW YOUR RESULT. ADRIAN ASKED ME TO WATCH FOR A PREGNANCY. I WARNED YOU AS SOON AS I SAW WHERE HIS DRIVER WENT.
Then: ASK DORIAN WHAT HE SIGNED ABOUT ME.
When I let him back in, he stayed by the door.
“Mara Ellis was a nurse at Adrian’s clinic,” he said. “She reported irregular records last year. Adrian said she’d accessed patient files to extort him. Victor handled the settlement.”
“Your finance director.”
“Yes.”
“And you signed it.”
“I approved the payment.”
“Did you speak to her?”
His silence answered.
I called Mara. “Meet me at the hospital. Public lobby. You can bring someone.”
“Not the lobby,” she said. Her voice was rough, tired. “Ask for a room with security outside. I won’t ask you to come anywhere alone.”
Twenty minutes later, she arrived in a rain-dark coat, carrying an envelope. She stopped when she saw Dorian.
“You look surprised,” she told him. “That must be nice.”
She handed me a printed email. Adrian had sent it the previous evening.
IF CROSS’S WIFE IS PREGNANT, THE EXISTING FILE GIVES US LEVERAGE.
May you like
Underneath was a reply from Victor Hale.
MAKE SURE SHE SIGNS BEFORE HE FINDS OUT.
