Chapter 1 - THE DOOR CLOSED BEHIND US -
The front doors of Blackwood Manor closed behind us with a sound that felt final.
Elena tightened her fingers around mine as I guided her toward the car.
She was trembling so badly that I had to open the passenger door twice before she could lower herself into the seat.
Behind the tall windows, I could see my mother standing in the foyer.
Vivian Blackwood did not run after us.
She did not apologize.
She simply watched, certain that I would eventually return and beg for forgiveness.
That certainty had ruled our family for nearly thirty years.
It ended that morning.
I placed the suitcases in the trunk and drove directly to St. Catherine’s Hospital.
Elena stared through the windshield without speaking.
Her wet hair clung to the side of her face.
The damp fabric of her maternity dress had left her shivering despite the warm air blowing from the vents.
I reached across the console and covered her hand with mine.
“You’re safe now.”
Her eyes remained fixed on the road.
“No, I’m not.”
The words were barely audible.
I tightened my grip on the steering wheel.
“What do you mean?”
She looked down at her wrists.
The red marks were deeper than I had realized.
“Your mother said she would take the baby away from me.”
A cold pressure spread through my chest.
“She can’t.”
“She said she owns the judges, the doctors, and half the people on the company board.”
“She was lying.”
Elena finally looked at me.
“She showed me documents, Daniel.”
The traffic light ahead turned red.
I stopped the car and turned toward her.
“What documents?”
“Medical reports saying I was emotionally unstable.”
My stomach dropped.
“I’ve never seen a psychiatrist.”
“She said that wouldn’t matter.”
The light turned green, but I did not move until the car behind us honked.
At the hospital, Elena’s obstetrician examined her immediately.
The baby’s heartbeat was strong, but Elena was dehydrated and showing signs of severe stress.
Dr. Ramirez ordered several hours of observation.
While a nurse adjusted Elena’s monitor, I stepped into the hallway and called the one person my mother could not intimidate.
Mara Quinn had served as my company’s chief financial officer for five years.
She answered on the second ring.
“I need you to pull every transaction connected to Lark Consulting, Northbridge Interiors, and Meridian Wellness.”
There was a pause.
“How far back?”
“Seven years.”
Another pause followed.
“Daniel, that level of audit will attract attention.”
“That is the point.”
I looked through the glass at Elena lying beneath a thin hospital blanket.
“And Mara?”
“Yes?”
“Do not tell the board.”
Her voice became cautious.
“Not even your mother?”
“Especially not my mother.”
Before I could end the call, a message appeared on my phone.
It was from Lucas.
The message contained a photograph of Elena kneeling beside the silver basin.
Underneath it were six words.
Come home before this gets worse.
I stared at the image until my hand began to shake.
Then another message arrived.
May you like
This one came from an unknown number.
Your father knew about the missing money.
