Chapter 8 - The Doctor Waiting Upstairs
Cassidy’s delivery hospital changed that night.
Nobody argued.
Gabriel coordinated with a private medical center two counties away.
Cassidy’s obstetrician, Dr. Hannah Reed, agreed to transfer her records personally.
Before Cassidy left the Mercer estate, Detective Ortiz approached.
“We’ll need a formal statement.”
“You’ll have one.”
“I also think you need protection.”
Gabriel answered.
“She already has it.”
Ortiz looked at Cassidy.
“This appears bigger than a family fraud case.”
Cassidy knew.
She had spent years negotiating acquisitions worth billions without raising her voice.
She had faced hostile boards, government investigations, activist investors, and ruthless competitors.
None had frightened her like a spreadsheet containing her unborn child’s medical schedule.
As the SUV carried her away, Cassidy stared through the tinted window.
Brendan remained on the driveway speaking to detectives.
Evelyn stood beside an attorney.
Martin sat in the back of a patrol vehicle.
Vanessa was alone near the fountain.
For the first time, Cassidy wondered how long the conspiracy had been forming around her.
Her phone rang.
Dr. Hannah Reed.
Cassidy answered immediately.
“Cassidy, where are you?”
“In transit.”
“Good.”
Hannah sounded frightened.
“I received a message ten minutes ago saying your induction was moved to tomorrow morning.”
Cassidy sat upright.
“From whom?”
“It appeared to come from my office.”
“Did you send it?”
“No.”
Gabriel looked toward her.
Cassidy activated speakerphone.
Hannah continued.
“The message instructed the hospital to admit you through the executive wing at seven.”
Gabriel typed something into his tablet.
Cassidy asked the question.
“Was Dr. Voss scheduled?”
Silence.
Then Hannah said, “Yes.”
Gabriel swore quietly.
Cassidy closed her eyes.
They had not abandoned the plan.
Even after Protocol 7.
Someone still believed she might arrive at the original hospital.
Hannah lowered her voice.
“There’s something else.”
“What?”
“Your medical chart was altered.”
Cassidy’s pulse accelerated.
“How?”
“It says you have a history of severe postpartum psychosis.”
Cassidy stared at the phone.
She had never experienced postpartum psychosis.
She had never given birth before.
“That’s impossible.”
“I know.”
“It also says you previously attempted self-harm during a psychiatric hospitalization.”
Cassidy’s face went cold.
Gabriel looked at her.
Hannah continued.
“If something happened during delivery, this chart could be used to question your competence afterward.”
The pieces aligned.
Drug her.
Create a medical emergency.
Use the false psychiatric history to declare her incompetent.
Activate Evelyn’s guardianship.
Take control of the baby.
Then use the baby to control the trust.
Cassidy whispered.
“They built the entire story before anything happened.”
Gabriel’s tablet chimed.
He looked at the screen.
Then at Cassidy.
“We have another alert.”
“What?”
“Someone just accessed Alder Crown’s succession server.”
“From where?”
Gabriel hesitated.
“Your penthouse.”
Cassidy stared at him.
The penthouse was supposed to be empty.
Security cameras had been disabled twelve minutes earlier.
May you like
Someone was inside her home.
And according to the access log, that person was using Cassidy’s own master credentials.
