Chapter 7 - Simone’s Secret
Leah looked at Simone’s silk robe.
Then at her bare feet.
Then back at her face.
“You’re a lawyer?”
“Corporate litigation.”
“You told the nurse you worked in marketing.”
“I lied.”
“Why?”
Simone folded her arms.
“Because nobody here needs to know who I am.”
Mae glanced toward the door.
“We don’t have much time.”
Simone nodded.
Then she looked at Leah.
“My pregnancy is complicated.”
“So is mine.”
“That’s not what I mean.”
Simone sat carefully on a box of unopened medical supplies.
“The man I was talking to earlier is my fiancé.”
“He thinks you’re at a wellness retreat.”
“Yes.”
“He doesn’t know you’re pregnant.”
“No.”
Leah stared at her stomach.
“That seems difficult to hide.”
“We haven’t seen each other in seven months.”
Simone’s expression tightened.
“He works overseas.”
“Why hide it?”
Simone looked down.
“Because the baby isn’t his.”
Leah said nothing.
Simone swallowed.
“I was assaulted at a conference last winter.”
Her voice remained controlled.
“I reported it.”
“The company buried it.”
“The man responsible had connections.”
“I discovered I was pregnant six weeks later.”
Leah felt her anger soften.
Simone continued.
“My fiancé knows something happened.”
“He doesn’t know about the pregnancy.”
“I kept telling myself I would explain when I figured out what I wanted.”
“And now?”
“Now I’m eight months pregnant in a hospital using my middle name because I don’t trust anyone with my information.”
Mae looked at her gently.
Simone took a breath.
“I know what it feels like when powerful people rewrite what happened to you.”
She looked directly at Leah.
“That’s why I photographed Doreen’s documents.”
Leah held out her phone.
“I recorded them.”
Simone listened.
The longer the recording played, the more her expression changed.
When it ended, she immediately stood.
“Send that file somewhere Nathan cannot access.”
Leah’s pulse quickened.
“Where?”
“My secure email.”
She dictated the address.
Leah sent it.
Simone then forwarded copies of the photographed documents.
“This gives us leverage.”
Mae shook her head.
“Not enough to guarantee they won’t move first.”
“What about hospital administration?”
“I reported the forged signature.”
“And?”
“The compliance supervisor told me there may be an internal investigation.”
Simone laughed once.
“That means nothing tonight.”
Leah looked at Owen.
“What do I do?”
Simone’s tone became decisive.
“You stop letting them define you.”
“You request an independent patient advocate.”
“You demand a psychiatrist with no relationship to Dr. Rusk.”
“You document every interaction.”
“And you do not sign anything without reading every line.”
Mae nodded.
“I know someone on night administration who might help.”
She turned toward Leah.
“I’ll bring her.”
After Mae left, Simone stepped closer.
“One more thing.”
“What?”
“Do not accuse Nathan publicly yet.”
Leah recoiled.
“Why not?”
“Because right now he thinks you’re frightened and isolated.”
“He thinks he controls the story.”
“Let him.”
Leah stared at her.
Simone’s eyes hardened.
“People make their biggest mistakes when they think the person they betrayed still doesn’t understand the game.”
From the hallway came Nathan’s voice.
“Leah?”
Simone looked toward the door.
May you like
Then back at Leah.
“Time to let your husband underestimate you.”
