Chapter 9 - Doreen’s Reason
The next morning, Doreen arrived carrying coffee and confidence.
She stopped when she saw Elena Price standing beside Leah’s bed.
“What is this?”
Elena introduced herself.
Doreen’s smile tightened.
“I’m familiar with patient services.”
“I’m sure you are.”
Elena’s voice was polite.
“Mrs. Carver has requested restrictions on access to her records.”
Doreen looked at Leah.
“You did what?”
Leah kept her voice soft.
“I need some privacy.”
Doreen’s eyes shifted toward Nathan.
He stood near the door.
For the first time, Leah saw panic pass between them.
It lasted less than a second.
Still, she saw it.
Doreen turned back.
“This is unnecessary.”
Elena replied,
“That is Mrs. Carver’s decision.”
Doreen’s jaw tightened.
“I’d like to speak to my daughter-in-law alone.”
Leah answered before Elena could.
“No.”
Nathan stepped forward.
“Leah.”
“No.”
Doreen looked genuinely offended.
After Elena left, Doreen closed the door.
“You are creating a very damaging impression.”
Leah stared at her.
“For whom?”
“For yourself.”
Doreen sat.
“You have been distressed for months.”
“According to you.”
“According to Nathan.”
Leah looked at her husband.
He looked away.
Doreen continued.
“Your behavior affects more than you now.”
“You are responsible for an heir.”
Leah went still.
There it was.
Not grandson.
Heir.
“To what?”
Doreen’s face remained calm.
“You know your father’s trust structure.”
“I know enough.”
“Then you know Owen’s birth changes things.”
Nathan interrupted.
“Mom.”
Doreen ignored him.
“When your father died, the Marston assets passed into a protected structure.”
“Your child becomes the next beneficiary.”
“And I control it.”
“Provided you remain capable of doing so.”
Leah stared at her.
Doreen finally stopped pretending.
“If you were temporarily unable to manage the trust, a guardian could petition the court.”
“Nathan.”
“Correct.”
Leah looked at him.
“How much do you owe?”
Nathan’s face tightened.
Doreen answered.
“Enough.”
“How much?”
Nathan whispered,
“Four hundred eighty thousand.”
Leah almost stopped breathing.
“How?”
“Investments.”
Doreen gave a disgusted laugh.
“Gambling disguised as investing.”
Nathan’s face burned.
Leah felt something inside her collapse.
“You planned to use Owen’s trust to pay your debts.”
Nathan stepped toward her.
“No.”
Doreen looked at him.
“Stop lying badly.”
Nathan turned on his mother.
“You said we’d stabilize everything and repay it.”
“We would.”
Leah’s voice cut through them.
“You forged my signature.”
Nathan looked at her.
“I never signed anything.”
Doreen’s eyes flashed.
Nathan realized his mistake.
Leah said quietly,
“I never told you which document was forged.”
Silence.
Doreen stood.
“That’s enough.”
Leah looked at Nathan.
His face had gone pale.
“You knew.”
Nathan whispered,
“I knew paperwork was being prepared.”
“That is not the same thing.”
“It is to me.”
Doreen picked up her purse.
“You are tired.”
“You are emotional.”
“And you are proving exactly why intervention is necessary.”
Leah smiled for the first time.
Doreen stopped.
“What?”
Leah leaned back against the pillow.
“You keep saying that.”
Doreen narrowed her eyes.
Leah looked at Nathan.
Then at Doreen.
“I wonder how it will sound on the recording.”
May you like
Neither of them moved.
And Leah finally watched fear enter Doreen Carver’s eyes.
