Chapter 3: The Family Fortune
I spent the entire night staring at the ceiling.
The hospital room was dark except for the soft glow of the monitor beside me.
Daniel sat next to my bed, holding my hand.
Neither of us slept.
“How could they do this?”” I whispered.
Daniel looked at me.
“I don’t know.””
“No, you do.””
He was quiet.
I squeezed his fingers.
“Say it.””
He looked toward the window.
“You spent years telling me your family loved you.””
My eyes filled with tears.
“They did.””
“Maybe they loved what you represented.””
The words hurt because they sounded possible.
The next morning, Detective Harris returned with more information.
He placed a stack of papers on the table.
“We found financial records.””
I looked at him.
“About my family?””
He nodded.
“Your grandfather created a trust decades ago.””
I frowned.
“My grandfather died before I was born.””
“Yes.””
He opened the file.
“The trust was designed to protect his descendants. But there was a condition.””
Daniel leaned forward.
“What condition?””
Detective Harris pointed to the document.
“The money becomes permanently assigned to the next living heir after birth.””
I looked confused.
“Meaning?””
“Meaning your daughter.””
Silence.
The room felt smaller.
“How much?””
The detective looked down.
“Approximately twelve million dollars.””
I stopped breathing for a second.
Twelve million.
For my baby.
“But why would my sister care?””
Detective Harris flipped another page.
“Because Rachel was named as a temporary beneficiary.””
I stared.
“What?””
“She receives access only if there is no direct heir born.””
My hands went cold.
“So if Lily is born…”
“Rachel loses everything.””
Daniel stood up.
“That’s motive.””
Detective Harris nodded.
“It is.””
I thought about Rachel standing over me.
Her words.
Her anger.
Her smile when she lied.
But then something bothered me.
“Wait.””
Everyone looked at me.
“If Rachel wanted the money, why would she attack me in front of everyone?””
Detective Harris paused.
“Good question.””
I looked at the folder.
“She wasn’t supposed to be the only person involved.””
The detective’s expression changed slightly.
“What makes you say that?””
I pointed at the documents.
“My mother had the papers. My father tried to destroy the video. Rachel knew exactly what to say.””
Daniel whispered.
“They planned this.””
Before the detective could answer, my hospital door opened.
My mother walked in.
Alone.
No father.
No Rachel.
Just her.
She looked exhausted.
“Emma.””
I stared at her.
“What are you doing here?””
Tears filled her eyes.
“I need to explain.””
Daniel stepped between us.
“You need to leave.””
My mother shook her head.
“No. You don’t understand.””
I laughed quietly.
“I think I understand more than I ever have.””
She looked at my stomach.
At Lily.
Then she whispered something that made my blood run cold.
“Rachel was never supposed to be the one who hurt you.””
The room went silent.
“What?””
My mother’s face crumpled.
“She was supposed to scare you. That was all.””
Daniel’s voice became sharp.
“Who was supposed to hurt her?””
My mother opened her mouth.
Then closed it.
A knock came from the hallway.
Detective Harris turned.
Two officers entered.
One of them held a phone.
“We need everyone to hear this.””
He looked at my mother.
“We found a deleted recording from the family security system.””
My mother went pale.
The officer pressed play.
A familiar voice filled the room.
Rachel’s voice.
But she was not crying.
She was calm.
“She doesn’t even know about the second dose.””
My heart stopped.
Daniel grabbed my hand.
The recording continued.
Another voice answered.
A voice I recognized immediately.
My father.
And then he said the words that shattered everything I thought I knew about my family.
“After tonight, there won’t be a baby to inherit anything.””
The recording stopped.
And Detective Harris looked at me.
“Emma, there’s something else.””
He held up another piece of evidence.
“A message was sent from your father’s phone after the attack.””
My hands trembled.
“What did it say?””
The detective looked at the screen.
“It was sent to someone inside this hospital.””
My mother covered her mouth.
Daniel stepped closer.
“Who?””
Detective Harris turned the phone around.
The name on the screen made my entire body go numb.
May you like
Because the person helping my family finish the plan…
was someone I trusted with my life.
