Chapter 4 - The Secret Inside the Hospital
The man in scrubs lifted his hands.
"Don't shoot."
Daniel kept the gun trained on him.
The stranger removed his surgical mask.
Vanessa's brother.
Federal prosecutor Nathan Cole.
Roman had mentioned him once years earlier.
I had never met him.
Daniel cursed.
"What the hell are you doing?"
"Keeping Mrs. Vale alive."
"By hiding in her bathroom?"
"I needed to know whether you were compromised."
Daniel's weapon did not lower.
Nathan looked at me.
"Mrs. Vale, we need to move."
"Everyone keeps saying that."
"This time they're right."
"Who sent the roses?"
"We don't know."
"Then you're not doing very well."
He almost smiled.
"Roman said you'd say something like that."
The mention of my husband irritated me more than it should have.
Nathan handed Daniel identification.
Daniel examined it.
"Federal credentials can be copied."
"So can death certificates, apparently."
Daniel stared at him.
I interrupted.
"What does Augustus want?"
Nathan looked at my belly.
Then at me.
"Leverage."
"Against Roman?"
"Against all of us."
"Why me?"
"Because Roman has spent six years making sure nobody can use you against him."
I laughed bitterly.
"So everybody knew he loved me except me."
Nathan's face softened.
"Love isn't the same as honesty."
Finally, a man in this story understood that.
We moved to a secured hospital floor.
Two federal agents guarded the corridor.
Dr. Keller stayed.
Nathan explained what Roman had hidden.
Augustus had controlled a network extending through Chicago construction, unions, shipping, and municipal contracts.
When Roman inherited Vale Holdings, he discovered pieces of it.
At first he tried to distance the legitimate company.
Then people started dying.
A bookkeeper.
A retired detective.
A contractor willing to testify.
Roman realized his father might not be dead.
He began quietly collecting evidence.
Daniel had been part of that effort.
"So Roman saved Daniel," I said.
Nathan nodded.
"Yes."
"And then convinced me he died."
Daniel answered.
"We agreed together."
"You keep saying 'we' like it makes it better."
"It doesn't."
Nathan continued.
"Augustus believed Daniel had evidence stored somewhere. He never found it."
"What evidence?"
Daniel looked at me.
"The original ledger."
Nathan's expression hardened.
"You told me it was destroyed."
Daniel shook his head.
"I told Roman that."
"Where is it?"
Daniel looked at me.
My stomach dropped.
"No."
He said nothing.
"Daniel."
"You have it."
I stared at him.
"What?"
"I gave it to you six years ago."
"I never—"
"Your wedding gift."
The room went silent.
My wedding gift from Daniel had been a wooden music box.
Handmade.
I kept it in the nursery.
Roman's nursery.
The one standing open when I left.
"You hid evidence in my house?"
"I didn't know how deep Augustus's reach was."
"You used me."
"I trusted you."
"You didn't tell me!"
"I thought not knowing protected you."
I nearly threw the water cup at him.
Nathan said, "Where is the music box now?"
"At home."
Daniel swore.
Nathan immediately called Roman.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
My heartbeat accelerated.
"Where was Roman last?"
Nathan looked uneasy.
"Tracking Augustus."
"Call Vanessa."
Nathan did.
No answer.
The monitor beside me changed.
Dr. Keller entered quickly.
"Elena, your blood pressure is climbing."
"Not surprising."
"I need you calm."
"Find me a family without resurrected relatives and criminal conspiracies and I'll try."
He examined the fetal monitor.
"Baby looks good."
That sentence kept me anchored.
My daughter.
A girl.
Roman and I had chosen the name Sofia but told nobody.
One secret we'd kept together because it was joyful.
I wondered whether anything joyful remained between us.
Nathan's phone rang.
He answered.
Listened.
His face changed.
"What?"
He looked at me.
"They found Roman's car."
"Where?"
"Near the river."
"And Roman?"
"No sign."
I stood.
Dr. Keller immediately protested.
"No."
"I am leaving."
"Absolutely not."
"My husband is missing."
"Your daughter needs you here."
Those words stopped me.
My daughter.
Not Roman.
Not Daniel.
Not Augustus.
Mine.
I sat again.
Nathan headed for the door.
"Find him."
He nodded.
Daniel followed.
I grabbed his sleeve.
"Bring Roman back."
My brother looked at me.
"Even after everything?"
"I can be furious at him when he's alive."
For the first time that night, Daniel smiled.
"That's fair."
They left.
Two hours passed.
Then three.
Christmas morning arrived fully.
Snow fell over Chicago.
Nurses changed shifts.
Families carried balloons through hallways.
Somewhere nearby, a newborn cried.
I placed both hands over my belly.
"Stay in there a little longer," I whispered.
My phone vibrated.
Unknown number.
A video.
I almost didn't open it.
Then I did.
Roman sat tied to a chair.
Blood at his temple.
Still in his black suit.
Behind him stood Augustus Vale.
Older than his photographs.
But unmistakable.
He looked into the camera.
"Elena."
My entire body went cold.
Roman raised his head.
"Don't listen to him."
Augustus struck him.
I covered my mouth.
"Stop!"
Of course they couldn't hear me.
Augustus smiled.
"Your husband has lied to you for years."
Roman spat blood.
"My father is very concerned with hypocrisy."
Augustus hit him again.
"Roman!"
My contraction monitor spiked.
A nurse rushed in.
I held up a hand.
"Please."
Augustus continued.
"The music box, Elena. Bring it to the old Vale Conservatory at noon."
Roman struggled against the restraints.
"No!"
Augustus leaned closer to the camera.
"Come alone."
The video ended.
My phone rang immediately.
Daniel.
"We found Roman."
"I know."
"How?"
I told him.
Silence.
Then, "You're not going."
"I figured you'd say that."
"Elena."
"I won't go alone."
"Good."
"But I am going."
"Absolutely not."
"I have the one thing Augustus wants."
"And you're eight months pregnant."
"Eight and a half."
"Not helping."
I looked toward the two agents outside.
"I need the music box."
"We'll get it."
"Daniel."
"What?"
"What happens if Augustus realizes it isn't me?"
Silence.
"He could kill Roman."
"Yes."
I hated how easily the answer came.
Daniel lowered his voice.
"Ellie, Roman would rather die than let you go there."
"I know."
That was the problem.
Even now, Roman would make the decision for me.
I disconnected.
Then called Nathan.
We made a plan.
Not Roman's plan.
Not Daniel's.
Mine.
At 10:40 a.m., federal agents retrieved the music box from the nursery.
Daniel opened the hidden compartment.
Inside was a black ledger.
Old.
Handwritten.
Names.
Payments.
Dates.
Enough to destroy careers and send powerful men to prison.
Nathan stared at it.
"This is what people died for."
I looked at the tiny ballerina on top of the box.
A gift I once treasured.
Now it made me sick.
"We copy everything."
Nathan nodded.
"And the original?"
"I bring it."
"No."
"Augustus has seen enough counterfeits to know."
"Mrs. Vale—"
"My husband may be an arrogant, controlling liar. He's still my husband."
Nathan sighed.
"Roman said you'd be difficult."
"Roman says many stupid things."
At 11:52, I sat inside an armored SUV near the abandoned Vale Conservatory.
Daniel wore a wire.
Agents surrounded the property.
The plan was simple.
I would approach the entrance.
Show the ledger.
Augustus would release Roman.
Then agents would move.
Simple plans seemed to have a poor survival rate in my family.
I stepped from the vehicle.
Snow touched my face.
The conservatory doors stood open.
Inside, Christmas music played from an ancient radio.
I walked slowly.
The ledger beneath my coat.
"Sofia," I whispered to my belly, "your parents are idiots."
A contraction tightened.
I stopped.
Breathed.
Continued.
Roman sat in the center of the ruined hall.
Tied to the chair.
Augustus stood behind him.
"You came."
Roman's eyes found mine.
The horror on his face was worse than anger.
"No."
I almost smiled.
"Good morning to you too."
"Elena, leave."
Augustus laughed.
"She finally stopped obeying you."
Roman looked at his father.
"If you touch her—"
"You'll what?"
I removed the ledger.
Augustus's expression changed.
For the first time, I understood what obsession looked like.
"Release him."
Augustus smiled.
"Bring it here."
"No."
"Elena," Roman whispered.
I ignored him.
"Roman comes to me. Then you get the book."
Augustus tilted his head.
"You've learned negotiation."
"I married a control freak."
Even Roman almost laughed.
Augustus cut Roman's restraints.
Roman stood slowly.
He walked toward me.
Ten feet.
Eight.
Six.
Then Augustus spoke.
"Tell her, Roman."
Roman stopped.
My heart sank.
"Tell me what?"
Augustus smiled.
"The real reason you married her."
Roman closed his eyes.
I stared at him.
"What is he talking about?"
"Elena—"
Augustus's smile widened.
"Six years ago, Roman knew exactly whose sister you were before he ever introduced himself."
The ledger suddenly felt heavy in my hands.
I looked at my husband.
"Is that true?"
Roman didn't answer.
That was answer enough.
My hand dropped.
May you like
Augustus laughed.
And behind us, the conservatory doors slammed shut.
