Chapter 9 - THE LAST DEBT
Adrian called Marcus before Mia had finished explaining.
“Get Dr. Bennett.”
“Alive, sir?”
Adrian stared at the medical authorization.
“Alive.”
Within two hours, the doctor was sitting in a private room at the Vale estate.
Eleanor had already arrived.
She stood near the fireplace, dressed in a cream suit, her expression perfectly composed.
“Adrian, this is getting out of hand.”
He placed the medical report on the table.
“Explain this.”
Eleanor glanced at it.
“Your wife's rehabilitation records?”
“Why did you authorize a procedure without her consent?”
“Because I was trying to help her.”
“By keeping her injured?”
Eleanor's face hardened.
“Don't be absurd.”
Dr. Bennett lowered his eyes.
Adrian turned toward him.
“Tell me the truth.”
The doctor swallowed.
“Mrs. Vale's original spinal injury was serious, but there were treatment options.”
“Why wasn't she offered them?”
“Mrs. Vale's recovery was considered... inconvenient.”
Mia, sitting beside Daniel, felt the room tilt.
“Inconvenient?”
The doctor looked at her.
“I was instructed to continue a particular rehabilitation plan. I was told that restoring significant mobility would interfere with the private arrangements made by the family.”
Mia stared at Eleanor.
“You did this to me?”
Eleanor remained silent.
Adrian's voice became dangerous.
“Why?”
His mother sighed.
“Because you were supposed to marry Celeste.”
Silence.
Adrian looked at her.
“What?”
“You were supposed to marry Celeste before the shooting. She was the appropriate choice. Her family had the resources, connections, and political influence we needed.”
“And Mia?”
“Mia was supposed to be grateful.”
Mia's fingers tightened around the arms of her wheelchair.
Eleanor continued.
“She saved your life. You insisted on marrying her. I knew she would never leave you, especially after everything you believed you owed her.”
Adrian looked sick.
“So you made sure she needed us.”
“I made sure she remained safe.”
“You made sure she remained dependent.”
Eleanor's expression sharpened.
“You have no idea what I sacrificed for this family.”
Mia spoke for the first time.
“I sacrificed my body for your son.”
Eleanor turned toward her.
“And you were rewarded with a beautiful home, medical care, financial security, and the Vale name.”
Mia stared at her.
“I wanted a husband.”
The words were quiet.
But they silenced the room.
Adrian stepped between them.
“Leave my house.”
Eleanor laughed softly.
“Your house? Everything you own came from your father.”
“Then I'll give it all away.”
“You wouldn't dare.”
“Try me.”
Eleanor looked toward the doctor.
“You should tell them about the other document.”
The doctor's face went pale.
Adrian turned.
“What document?”
Dr. Bennett hesitated.
“A consent form. It was submitted under Mrs. Vale's name.”
Mia frowned.
“I never signed anything.”
The doctor placed a copy on the table.
The signature looked almost identical to hers.
But Mia immediately noticed the difference.
The final letter in her name was wrong.
Someone had forged it.
The procedure was not intended to improve her mobility.
It was an invasive diagnostic procedure that could have endangered her pregnancy.
Adrian looked at Eleanor.
“You were going to hurt her child.”
Eleanor's composure finally cracked.
“I was protecting the trust!”
“By risking my wife?”
“Your wife was never supposed to become a mother.”
Mia felt the words like ice.
Adrian reached for his phone.
“Marcus. Call the authorities. Secure every document in this house.”
Eleanor stepped backward.
“You cannot arrest me.”
“Watch me.”
But before Marcus could move, the lights went out.
A gunshot shattered the silence.
Someone screamed.
When the emergency lights flickered on, Eleanor was gone.
So was the silver key from the table.
Mia looked toward the open doorway.
Then she noticed something else.
Her father's photograph had disappeared.
Daniel rushed toward the entrance.
Adrian grabbed his arm.
“Don't.”
Daniel turned.
“She's getting away!”
Adrian looked at the empty table.
“No.”
His face went pale.
“She already has what she wanted.”
His phone vibrated.
A message from Eleanor.
You have one hour to bring me the ledger. Otherwise, you'll learn what happened to your father.
A second message appeared.
It contained a live photograph.
Thomas Harper was sitting in a chair, his hands tied.
May you like
And standing behind him was a man Adrian had believed dead for twenty years.
His father.
