Chapter 3: The Drawer
Victor looked smaller than he had an hour earlier.
The machines made him seem trapped inside a web of plastic tubes, wires, and blinking lights. His once-broad shoulders disappeared beneath the hospital blanket. His lips were pale. His breathing came in shallow, uneven pulls.
But his eyes were still sharp.
Especially when he saw the brass key in Ethan's hand.
“Where did he get that?”” Victor asked.
His voice was barely audible.
I stepped toward the bed.
“Your office.””
Victor looked at Daniel.
Then at Ethan.
Then back at me.
“You took it.””
“No.””
His brow tightened.
“Then who?””
“I did.””
Ethan raised the key.
Victor's face hardened.
“Give it to me.””
Ethan didn't move.
“You can barely sit up,” he said.
“Why do you need a key?””
Victor coughed.
Melissa rushed forward.
“Lucas should be here.””
“No,” Victor said.
Everyone stopped.
He swallowed and stared at me.
“Not Lucas.””
Melissa's expression changed.
“But you asked for him earlier.””
“I changed my mind.””
Her fingers curled around the strap of her handbag.
Victor noticed.
“Leave.””
She blinked.
“Victor?””
“Leave the room.””
She didn't move.
Victor's voice suddenly sharpened.
“Melissa, get out.””
She stepped backward as though he'd struck her.
Lucas appeared in the doorway.
“Dad?””
Victor turned his head toward him.
For one brief second, something warm crossed his face.
Then it disappeared.
“Go with your mother.””
Lucas looked confused.
“Why?””
“Because I said so.””
Melissa took his hand.
“Come on.””
As they walked away, Ethan watched them through the glass.
Then he looked at his father.
“You didn't even hug him.””
Victor closed his eyes.
“You don't understand.””
Ethan gave a bitter laugh.
“No. I don't.””
I looked at Daniel.
“You wanted me alone with him.””
“Yes.””
“Then stay.””
Victor's eyes opened.
“No.””
Daniel froze.
I turned toward him.
“He wants you gone.””
Daniel looked at Victor.
“Are you sure?””
“Leave us.””
Daniel hesitated before stepping out.
The door clicked shut.
For a few seconds, the only sound was the monitor.
Beep.
Beep.
Beep.
Victor stared at me.
“I never thought you'd find it.””
I pulled a chair closer.
“Find what?””
His lips twitched.
“You've always done that.””
“Done what?””
“Pretended not to understand.””
I sat down.
“You taught me.””
His expression soured.
“Don't be clever.””
“I learned from the best.””
He tried to lift himself.
The effort exhausted him.
I stood and adjusted his pillow.
His fingers caught my wrist.
“You should have left.””
I looked down at his hand.
“You gave me thirteen years of reasons.””
“That wasn't the question.””
“No.””
“It was a warning.””
I pulled my wrist away.
“I stopped listening to your warnings a long time ago.””
He stared at me.
“Who told you?””
“Nobody.””
“Then how?””
“I watched.””
Victor gave a weak laugh.
“All those years.””
“Yes.””
“You knew about Melissa.””
“Yes.””
“You knew about Lucas.””
“Yes.””
“You knew about the money.””
“Yes.””
His face changed.
Not anger.
Fear.
“You knew everything?””
“Almost.””
He stared at the ceiling.
“You never asked.””
“I wanted you to keep talking.””
His breathing became heavier.
“What did you do?””
“About what?””
“You know exactly what.””
I leaned closer.
“Nothing.””
His eyes narrowed.
“That isn't true.””
I smiled.
“It's mostly true.””
Victor looked toward the door.
“Does Daniel know?””
“Not yet.””
“Then don't tell him.””
“Why?””
“Because you don't understand what you're holding.””
“I understand enough.””
“No.””
His voice cracked.
“You don't.””
I sat back.
“Then explain it.””
Victor stared at me for a long time.
Finally he said, “Open the drawer.””
I said nothing.
“The bottom right drawer.””
“The locked one?””
“Yes.””
“The brass key?””
He nodded.
I glanced at Ethan through the glass.
He was still holding it.
“Why are you so afraid of that drawer?””
Victor closed his eyes.
“Because I put something there fourteen years ago.””
“About Melissa?””
“No.””
“About Lucas?””
“No.””
“Then what?””
His eyes opened.
“About you.””
The words landed harder than I expected.
I felt something cold move through my chest.
“Me?””
Victor nodded.
“Fourteen years ago, I realized I had made a mistake.””
I almost laughed.
“Which one?””
“Marrying you.””
I let the silence sit.
Then I said, “You could have left.””
“I couldn't.””
“Why not?””
“Because of the company.””
That made me pause.
Victor continued.
“Your father left you shares.””
I stared at him.
“My father died when I was twenty-seven. You know that.””
“I know.””
“He left me nothing but a house.””
Victor shook his head.
“No. He left you controlling shares in the investment group.””
My mouth went dry.
“What?””
“You weren't told.””
“By who?””
“Your attorney.””
“My father didn't have an investment group.””
Victor gave me a tired smile.
“That's what you were supposed to believe.””
I stepped away from the bed.
My thoughts raced.
The Hale family business had always been described as modest. My father had owned several properties and a small construction company. When he died, everything had been settled within months.
Or so I had believed.
Victor watched my face.
“I met with your father's lawyer three days after the funeral.””
“Why?””
“Because he contacted me.””
“And?””
“He told me about the shares.””
I stared at him.
“What shares?””
“The company had been restructured. Your father transferred ownership through a trust.””
“Why would he do that?””
“He knew what you were like.””
I stiffened.
“What does that mean?””
“He knew you trusted people too easily.””
I almost slapped him.
Instead, I said, “And what did you do with them?””
Victor's eyes dropped.
“I used them.””
“For what?””
“To build everything.””
The monitor seemed suddenly louder.
“Everything?””
“The first business. The expansion. The properties.””
“You built our wealth with my inheritance?””
“You didn't know how to manage it.””
“So you lied.””
“I protected it.””
“You stole it.””
His jaw tightened.
“I multiplied it.””
“Without my permission.””
“I was your husband.””
“That isn't permission.””
Victor's breathing quickened.
“You think you are the victim.””
I laughed quietly.
“You brought your mistress into my hospital room to transfer eight properties to your secret son.””
“I was dying.””
“So you wanted me to watch.””
“Yes.””
The answer came instantly.
I stared at him.
He didn't apologize.
“I wanted you to understand what you had lost.””
“I lost nothing.””
His eyes sharpened.
“You lost me.””
“No.””
I shook my head.
“I lost the man I thought you were.””
Victor went silent.
Then he whispered, “Open the drawer.””
I looked at the clock.
“Not tonight.””
His expression changed.
“You don't have time.””
“Neither do you.””
He stared at me.
“You think you're in control.””
“I don't think.””
“You should be afraid.””
“I'm not.””
His hand trembled against the blanket.
“You should be.””
I leaned down.
“You've spent thirteen years thinking I stayed because I was weak.””
His eyes fixed on mine.
“I stayed because I wanted evidence.””
Victor's face went completely still.
“What evidence?””
“Enough to make sure nobody could call me a liar.””
His lips parted.
“What did you record?””
I straightened.
“Good night, Victor.””
I turned toward the door.
“No.””
His voice suddenly rose.
I stopped.
“Don't leave.””
It was the first time I'd heard genuine panic in his voice.
Not anger.
Not arrogance.
Panic.
I turned back.
“What happened to your strength?””
Victor stared at me.
“You don't know what that drawer contains.””
“Then you can tell me.””
“I can't.””
“Why?””
“Because if you open it, you become a target.””
The room felt colder.
“A target for whom?””
Victor looked toward the glass wall.
Daniel stood several yards away, speaking quietly with a nurse.
Victor lowered his voice.
“Not Melissa.””
That surprised me.
“Then who?””
He hesitated.
I watched him struggle for breath.
Finally he whispered a name.
A name I hadn't heard in fourteen years.
A name that belonged to the one person I had buried so deeply in my memory that I had almost forgotten he existed.
“Thomas.””
My father's former business partner.
The man everyone had told me disappeared after my father's death.
The man Victor claimed had fled the country.
The man whose signature appeared nowhere in the documents concerning my inheritance.
I stared at Victor.
“Thomas Bell?””
Victor closed his eyes.
“Yes.””
I felt the room tilt.
“You told me he was dead.””
“I said he was gone.””
“You told me he couldn't come back.””
“I was wrong.””
The monitor gave a sharp electronic chirp.
Victor opened his eyes.
“He never left.””
I stepped closer.
“Where is he?””
Victor's lips moved.
But no sound came out.
I bent toward him.
“Where is Thomas?””
Victor's eyes filled with something I had never seen there before.
Terror.
“He's been closer than you think.””
The ICU door suddenly flew open.
Daniel rushed inside.
“Mrs. Hale, you need to come with me.””
I turned.
“Why?””
He was breathing hard.
“Someone just entered the hospital using Victor's private security code.””
I looked at Victor.
His face had gone white.
Daniel continued.
“And the security desk says the visitor asked for one person.””
“Who?””
May you like
Daniel looked directly at me.
“You.””
