Chapter 11: My Father's Unforgivable Secret
Nobody spoke after I read the letter.
Dad pulled out a chair and sat down.
Thomas reached for the page.
"May I?""
I handed it to him.
He read it carefully, then looked at Dad.
"Daniel, did Margaret ever tell you about the medication?""
Dad nodded.
"She told me the doctors had changed her prescription.""
"Did she say why?""
"No.""
Thomas placed the letter on the table.
"Your wife suspected someone had been interfering with her medication.""
I looked at him.
"What?""
Thomas continued.
"During her final weeks, Margaret experienced several unexpected episodes. Her medical team couldn't initially explain them.""
Dad covered his face.
"She told me she was afraid.""
"Afraid of what?"" I asked.
He looked at me.
"She thought someone was making her sick.""
The room seemed to tilt.
My mother had been fighting cancer and worrying that someone was deliberately hurting her.
I remembered visiting her in the hospital.
She had looked exhausted, but she always smiled when I entered.
One afternoon, I had brought her a drawing.
She had held it against her chest and told me I was her sunshine.
I had thought she was simply tired.
Now I wondered how much she had been hiding.
Thomas opened his briefcase.
"Margaret asked me to obtain copies of her medical records. I never received the complete file because she died before the request was finalized.""
Dad looked at him.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because I was waiting for the investigation to establish whether there was evidence of tampering.""
Dad stood abruptly.
"She was my wife!""
"And she asked me to protect her daughter.""
Dad went silent.
Thomas softened his voice.
"Margaret didn't want you confronting Victor without evidence. She believed he had enough influence to destroy the company records.""
I looked at Dad.
"Did you know someone might be hurting Mom?""
He hesitated.
Then he nodded.
"Yes.""
The answer felt like a door closing.
"How long?""
"Three weeks before she died.""
I stepped backward.
"You knew?""
Dad's eyes filled.
"Your mother told me about the medication. She said she thought someone was interfering with her treatment.""
"And you went to work?""
"I went to meet Victor because he told me he had found proof.""
"What proof?""
Dad swallowed.
"He said someone inside the company was using company funds to purchase medication under false medical records. He believed it was connected to your mother's hospital.""
I stared at him.
"Did you believe him?""
"I didn't know what to believe.""
"So you left her?""
His face crumpled.
"She asked me to go.""
I shook my head.
"What?""
"She said she needed me to find the truth. She told me not to come back until I knew who was responsible.""
He looked at the floor.
"I promised her I'd return before midnight.""
I felt tears running down my cheeks.
"Did you?""
Dad didn't answer.
Thomas did.
"Your father returned at 12:47 a.m.""
Dad closed his eyes.
"She had already been moved to intensive care.""
I couldn't speak.
Dad continued.
"She was unconscious. I sat beside her until morning.""
He reached into his pocket and removed his old black watch.
The one I had given him.
"I've never told you this, but your mother woke up once. Just for a few seconds.""
His voice broke.
"She looked at me and said, 'Did you find it?''"
I stared at him.
"What did you say?""
"I told her I was close.""
He wiped his eyes.
"She smiled. Then she asked me to take care of you.""
The room became painfully quiet.
I wanted to hug him.
I wanted to scream at him.
Instead, I sat down.
Thomas opened the envelope again.
"There is another page.""
He removed a folded sheet.
This one contained a list of medication names, dates, and handwritten observations.
At the bottom was a telephone number.
Thomas checked it.
"It's a medical investigator.""
Dad frowned.
"Why would Margaret have contacted one?""
"Because she wanted an independent review of her treatment records.""
He placed the paper down.
"We should speak with this person.""
Dad nodded.
But before he could reach for his phone, the front door opened.
Renee walked in.
She looked exhausted.
Her hair was loose, and her makeup had almost completely disappeared.
Behind her was Mia.
Renee stopped when she saw the documents.
"Have you read it?""
Dad stood.
"Where have you been?""
"With Victor.""
Thomas immediately moved toward the door.
"Why?""
Renee ignored him.
She looked at me.
"Did you read your mother's letter?""
I nodded.
Renee closed her eyes.
Then she said something I never expected.
"I knew about the medication.""
Dad went completely still.
"What?""
Renee began crying.
"I knew Victor was interfering with her treatment.""
The silence was absolute.
Dad took a step toward her.
"How?""
"He told me it was only to delay her recovery. He said she was making false accusations about the company.""
I stared at Renee.
"You're saying you knew someone was hurting my mother?""
She shook her head.
"I didn't know he intended to kill her.""
Dad's voice became frighteningly quiet.
"Did you give her anything?""
"No!""
"Did you change her medication?""
"No, Daniel!""
"Then what did you do?""
Renee covered her face.
"I gave Victor access to the hospital schedule.""
Dad gripped the back of a chair.
"Why?""
"Because he said he needed to speak with her.""
"And you believed him?""
"He told me he could make the financial investigation disappear.""
I felt sick.
My mother had been vulnerable in a hospital bed.
And Renee had helped the man investigating her reach her.
Mia began crying.
"Mom, you told me you had nothing to do with this.""
Renee turned toward her.
"I was trying to protect you.""
"From what?""
"From losing everything!""
Dad shook his head.
"You keep using that excuse.""
Renee stepped closer.
"Daniel, I was afraid. Victor said he could ruin us. He said if Margaret exposed him, he would make sure we all went down.""
Thomas spoke.
"Did you ever see Victor alter medication or medical documents?""
Renee hesitated.
Then she nodded.
"Once.""
Dad's face went pale.
"Where?""
"At the hospital.""
"When?""
"The evening Daniel went to the office.""
I looked at my father.
Renee continued.
"Victor came to Margaret's room carrying a folder. He said he had authorization to review her treatment records.""
Thomas immediately took out his phone.
"Did you see him touch anything?""
Renee shook her head.
"He spoke to a nurse. Then he left.""
"Did you tell anyone?""
"No.""
Dad stared at her.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
Renee began sobbing.
"Because I was afraid!""
Dad stepped away from her.
"You were afraid of Victor, so you let my wife suffer?""
She didn't answer.
Then Mia spoke.
"Mom, you told me Margaret died because her cancer got worse.""
Renee looked at her daughter.
"That's what the doctors said.""
Thomas picked up the medical notes.
"That may be what the initial report concluded. It doesn't establish what happened.""
He looked at Dad.
"We need those records immediately.""
Dad nodded.
But I was staring at another document on the table.
A handwritten note from my mother.
It contained a name I hadn't noticed earlier.
A nurse.
*Nurse Patricia Bell.*
Underneath it was a sentence.
She was the only person who believed me.
I pointed to it.
"Who is Patricia Bell?""
Thomas looked at the name.
Then he sat down slowly.
"She was your mother's private nurse.""
Dad looked confused.
"She disappeared after Margaret died.""
"Disappeared?""
Thomas nodded.
"She resigned from the hospital the following week and moved out of state.""
I looked at the note again.
My mother had trusted her.
And she had left behind her name for a reason.
Dad picked up his phone.
"We need to find her.""
Thomas agreed.
Then Renee suddenly spoke.
"You won't find her.""
Everyone turned.
May you like
She looked terrified.
"Victor already found her.""
