Chapter 8 - The Doctor Who Was Never On The List
Adrian Vale stared at the security monitor.
The person standing outside his office was not Marcus.
Not Gabriel.
Not anyone he expected.
It was Doctor Elias Ward.
The same man who had confessed that someone controlled Clara's medical records.
The same man who claimed he was afraid.
The same man who had supposedly disappeared after sending Adrian the warning.
But now he was standing calmly inside the Vale mansion.
Holding Elena's missing medical files.
Adrian walked toward the monitor.
"How did he get inside?"
Marcus immediately checked the security system.
His face changed.
"Mr. Vale..."
"What?"
"The system didn't record him entering."
Adrian looked at him.
"Impossible."
Marcus shook his head.
"The cameras were turned off for exactly thirty seconds."
Gabriel stepped closer.
"Someone helped him."
Nobody spoke.
Because everyone knew what that meant.
Someone inside the mansion had access.
Someone inside the mansion was still working against them.
Adrian looked at Clara.
Selene was already beside her.
Protecting her.
Good.
That was the only thing that mattered.
"Keep Clara upstairs."
Adrian looked at Marcus.
"Nobody enters this room."
Marcus nodded.
This time, Adrian saw something different in his eyes.
Not guilt.
Determination.
Maybe Marcus had been hiding secrets.
But he was still trying to protect Clara.
Adrian left the room.
Gabriel followed.
"You trust him again?"
Adrian didn't look back.
"No."
"Then why let him stay?"
"Because right now, I need every person who knows the truth."
Gabriel stopped.
"You still think you can control everything."
Adrian turned.
"No."
His voice was quiet.
"I think I can finally see everything."
They reached the office.
Doctor Ward stood near the desk.
He looked exhausted.
Terrified.
But different from before.
More desperate.
Adrian entered.
"Close the door."
Ward did.
The doctor placed the files down.
"You need to see these."
Adrian didn't touch them.
"You have five seconds to explain why you are alive."
Ward swallowed.
"Because someone wanted me to disappear."
"Who?"
"I don't know."
Adrian stared.
"Wrong answer."
"It's the truth."
The doctor opened the folder.
Inside were old medical records.
Not Clara's.
Elena's.
Adrian froze.
"Where did you get those?"
Ward looked down.
"From the person who controlled Clara's treatment."
Adrian opened the file.
The first page was dated six years ago.
The night of the accident.
His eyes moved across the document.
Then stopped.
Because there was a line he had never seen.
Patient condition changed before transportation.
Possible external interference.
Adrian looked up.
"What does this mean?"
Ward took a breath.
"It means Clara's injuries were altered after the accident."
The room became silent.
"Someone changed her condition."
Adrian's hand tightened around the paper.
"Who?"
Ward looked toward the door.
Then lowered his voice.
"Someone who knew exactly how to make a child appear permanently disabled."
Adrian stepped closer.
"Name."
Ward hesitated.
"Dr. Victor Hale."
Gabriel's expression changed.
Marcus, standing outside the door, heard the name.
And immediately walked inside.
"That's impossible."
Everyone looked at him.
Adrian noticed.
"Why?"
Marcus looked at the file.
"Because Victor Hale died eight years ago."
Ward shook his head.
"No."
He opened another document.
"That is what everyone was told."
Adrian looked between them.
"Explain."
Ward placed another paper on the desk.
A photograph.
An old hospital staff photo.
A group of doctors.
Nurses.
Administrators.
Adrian looked carefully.
Then stopped.
Because one person in the picture had been circled.
A younger man.
Standing beside Elena.
Marcus looked away.
Adrian noticed.
"You know him."
Marcus didn't answer.
"Marcus."
The security chief slowly nodded.
"Yes."
"Who is he?"
Marcus looked at the photo.
"Victor Hale."
Adrian stared.
"Why would everyone believe he was dead?"
Marcus remained silent.
Gabriel answered.
"Because Elena found out what he was doing."
Adrian turned.
"What was he doing?"
Gabriel looked at him.
"Creating fake medical histories."
The words hung in the air.
Ward nodded.
"He was building a system."
"A system for what?"
The doctor looked at Clara's file.
"Control."
Adrian felt anger rising.
"But why Clara?"
Nobody answered immediately.
Then Marcus spoke.
"Because Clara was the only person who saw what happened that night."
Adrian turned.
"What did she see?"
Marcus looked at him.
"Elena's attacker."
The room went quiet.
Adrian looked toward the ceiling.
Six years.
Six years his daughter carried a memory she couldn't explain.
Six years someone tried to silence her.
"Why didn't she tell me?"
Marcus's voice softened.
"Because she was afraid."
"Of Victor?"
Marcus shook his head.
"No."
A pause.
"Of what Victor would do to you."
Adrian froze.
The answer was unexpected.
Clara wasn't afraid for herself.
She was afraid for him.
A sound came from the hallway.
Everyone turned.
Selene appeared at the door.
Her face was pale.
"Mr. Vale."
Adrian immediately walked toward her.
"What happened?"
Selene looked behind her.
"Clara disappeared."
The room changed instantly.
Adrian moved.
"Where?"
"I was beside her."
Selene's eyes filled with panic.
"The lights flickered for a few seconds."
She looked down.
"When they came back..."
Her voice broke.
"She was gone."
Nobody spoke.
Adrian ran upstairs.
The bedroom door was open.
The wheelchair was still there.
The blanket was on the floor.
The window was open.
Cold air entered the room.
Adrian walked closer.
On the bed was a note.
His hands tightened before he even touched it.
Because he already knew the handwriting.
Elena.
He opened it.
Only one sentence was written.
Adrian,
If Clara is gone, it means he finally found her.
Adrian looked at the bottom of the page.
There was a name.
A name he had never expected.
A name that made Gabriel step back.
Because it belonged to the person everyone thought had been dead for years.
Victor Hale.
May you like
And beneath the name was another message.
"He took Clara to the place where Elena was never supposed to be found."
