Chapter 9: The Night Someone Came Looking for Me
By nine o'clock, the hospital had placed additional security measures on my medical file.
The transportation company had suspended the booking, and Richard had forwarded the invoice to the attorney handling the financial investigation.
But Eleanor wasn't satisfied.
She wanted to know whether Marcus had made any other arrangements.
At 9:35 p.m., she received a call from the hospital security director.
"Mrs. Hale, we have reviewed the access logs.""
"What did you find?""
"An individual attempted to obtain a visitor badge using a temporary identification document.""
"Who?""
"Vivian Cross.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
Eleanor looked at me.
"Did she enter the hospital?""
"No. Security stopped her before she reached the maternity floor.""
"Was she alone?""
There was a pause.
"No, ma'am. She was accompanied by a man.""
"Who?""
The director checked his records.
"Daniel Mercer.""
Eleanor closed her eyes.
"Of course.""
The security director continued.
"They claimed they were visiting Natalie. When staff explained that access had been restricted, Ms. Cross became argumentative.""
I remembered Vivian's smile in the hotel lobby.
I could almost hear her saying I should learn when to leave.
"What did she say?"" I asked.
The director answered carefully.
"She said the hospital was interfering with her family's legal rights.""
I looked at Eleanor.
"Her family?""
Eleanor's expression hardened.
"She has no family rights over your daughter.""
The director assured us that neither visitor had gained access to the maternity floor.
After the call, Richard recommended that we avoid returning to the hospital unnecessarily unless my doctor advised it.
I was exhausted.
But sleep seemed impossible.
At 10:18 p.m., Claire went downstairs to make tea.
Eleanor was speaking with Richard in her study.
I was alone in the guest bedroom.
My phone vibrated.
Marcus.
I stared at his name for several seconds before answering.
"What do you want?""
His voice sounded tired.
"Natalie, I need you to listen.""
"I'm listening.""
"Things have gotten out of control.""
I almost laughed.
"You think?""
"I never wanted this to happen.""
"Which part? The affair? The stolen money?
The fake psychological report? Or the plan to take our daughter?""
He exhaled sharply.
"Vivian has been making decisions without telling me.""
I sat up.
"Don't blame her for your actions.""
"I'm not blaming her. I'm trying to explain.""
"Then explain why your name is on the transportation booking.""
He went silent.
I continued.
"Why did you arrange for someone to collect my daughter from the hospital?""
"That was a misunderstanding.""
"How?""
"We were discussing possible arrangements in case you needed additional medical care.""
I felt my blood pressure rising.
"Why would Vivian be listed as a guardian?""
He didn't answer.
"Marcus?""
"She was supposed to help.""
"Help with what?""
"With the baby.""
I closed my eyes.
"You have lost your mind.""
His voice became defensive.
"You're making this sound like I don't care about my daughter.""
"Then act like a father.""
"I am trying to protect her.""
"From whom?""
He paused.
Then he said something I never expected.
"From you.""
My throat tightened.
I couldn't believe what I had heard.
"From me?""
"You're being manipulated by my mother. You're making accusations against everyone. You're refusing to cooperate.""
"Because you forged my signature!""
"You don't understand what was necessary.""
I stared at the wall.
There it was again.
That sentence.
The excuse he used whenever he wanted to make something unforgivable sound reasonable.
"What did you do with the money, Marcus?""
He sighed.
"I invested it.""
"Where?""
"Business opportunities.""
"Then why did you put it in Vivian's company?""
Silence.
I waited.
Finally, he said, "Because I trusted her.""
I laughed bitterly.
"You trusted her more than your wife?""
"Don't turn this into a competition.""
I looked down at my stomach.
"Our daughter isn't a competition.""
He lowered his voice.
"Natalie, come home. We'll work this out. I'll end things with Vivian if that's what you need.""
I felt nothing.
Not anger.
Not jealousy.
Just exhaustion.
"You think ending your affair fixes everything?""
"We can rebuild.""
"You hit me with your words long before Vivian hit me with her hand.""
He went quiet.
Then I said the one thing I needed him to hear.
"I will never sign anything for you again.""
His voice turned cold.
"Then don't expect me to make this easy.""
The call ended.
I put the phone down.
My daughter moved sharply.
I rubbed my stomach.
"It's okay, sweetheart. Mommy's here.""
Then I heard a noise.
A faint metallic click.
I turned toward the bedroom door.
Another sound followed.
The unmistakable movement of a door handle.
I froze.
The bedroom door was locked.
Someone knocked.
Three slow knocks.
I reached for my phone.
"Who's there?""
No answer.
Then a woman's voice came through the door.
"Natalie? It's me.""
I recognized it immediately.
Vivian.
My blood ran cold.
I moved away from the door.
"How did you get inside?""
"I just want to talk.""
"Leave.""
"Please. I need to explain something.""
I called Eleanor.
She answered on the first ring.
"Natalie?""
"Vivian is outside my bedroom.""
There was a brief silence.
Then Eleanor's voice became sharp.
"Stay inside. Do not open that door.""
I heard footsteps approaching from the hallway.
Vivian spoke again.
"You need to understand that Marcus didn't tell me everything.""
I backed toward the bathroom.
"Go away!""
She lowered her voice.
"I know what he did to the trust. I know about the signatures. But there's something you don't know about the baby.""
My stomach tightened.
"What?""
Before she could answer, the door handle moved again.
Then Eleanor's voice thundered from the hallway.
"Vivian Cross! Step away from that door!""
I heard a struggle.
A chair scraped across the floor.
Someone shouted.
Then the security alarm sounded.
I stood frozen, clutching my phone.
A minute later, Eleanor knocked.
"Natalie, it's me. Open the door.""
I unlocked it.
Eleanor entered with two security officers behind her.
Vivian was gone.
One officer rushed toward the staircase while the other checked the hallway.
Eleanor pulled me into her arms.
"Are you hurt?""
"No.""
"Did she touch you?""
"No.""
I began crying.
"How did she get inside?""
"We're finding out.""
Richard arrived moments later.
He had been downstairs with Eleanor when the alarm sounded.
"Security found the side entrance open," he explained.
"Someone apparently used an access card.""
Eleanor's expression hardened.
"Whose card?""
Richard looked at his phone.
"The access record identifies the registered cardholder.""
"Who?""
He turned the screen toward her.
I watched her face change.
It wasn't Vivian's name.
It wasn't Marcus's.
It was the name of someone Eleanor trusted.
Her longtime personal assistant.
Margaret Ellis.
Eleanor stared at the screen.
"Margaret has worked for me for twenty-three years.""
Richard nodded.
"There's more.""
He opened a second report.
"Her access card was used to download a copy of the original trust amendment last week.""
I looked at Eleanor.
"Why would she help Marcus?""
Eleanor didn't answer.
Instead, she called Margaret.
The phone rang.
Once.
Twice.
Then voicemail.
Richard checked another notification.
"Mrs. Hale, the security team has located her vehicle.""
"Where?""
"At the private residence registered to Vivian Cross.""
Eleanor slowly lowered her phone.
I looked at her.
"Was Margaret helping them take my daughter?""
Eleanor's face had gone completely still.
Then she said something that made the room feel colder.
"Margaret wasn't just helping Marcus.""
She looked at Richard.
"She had access to every document concerning William's final instructions.""
Richard nodded grimly.
"Which means she may know something about the trust that none of us has discovered yet.""
May you like
Eleanor turned toward me.
"And if she does, your grandfather-in-law may have left another secret behind.""
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