Chapter 5: My Husband's Confession
I read Adrian's message so many times that the words began to blur.
I knew about the forged documents.
But I didn't know they were planning to hurt you.
I wanted to throw my phone across the room.
Instead, I looked at my father.
"He knew.""
Arthur stood beside the window, his phone pressed against his ear.
"Get someone to Victoria's office immediately. I don't care what time it is. Secure the building and preserve everything inside.""
He ended the call.
Then he turned toward me.
"Serena, I need you to stay calm.""
"How can you ask me that?""
"I know.""
"He knew about the documents, Daddy!""
"I heard.""
"He watched his mother slap me!""
My voice broke.
"And now he wants me to believe he didn't know they were planning to hurt me?""
My father sat beside me.
"You don't have to believe anything he says.""
I looked at the message again.
Six years.
Six years of marriage.
Six years of believing Adrian and I were building something together.
I remembered our first apartment.
The tiny kitchen where we danced while making dinner.
The weekend trips.
The night he cried when we found out I was pregnant.
Had any of it been real?
My phone rang again.
Adrian.
This time, my father nodded.
"Put it on speaker.""
I answered.
"What do you want?""
"Serena, please. I need to explain.""
"Start with the documents.""
He exhaled.
"I knew Mother was trying to gain control of your trust.""
I closed my eyes.
"Why?""
"She told me it was necessary to protect the family.""
"What family?""
"Mine. Ours.""
I laughed bitterly.
"You mean the family that thinks I'm an unfit mother?""
"That's not what I wanted.""
"Then why did you sign the application?""
Silence.
I looked at my father.
He was listening carefully.
Finally, Adrian spoke.
"Mother said you were going to leave me.""
I stared at the phone.
"What?""
"She said you were planning to take the baby and disappear with your father. She said the trust would make you financially independent, and that once you had the money, you wouldn't need me.""
I felt my throat tighten.
"So you decided to take my money first?""
"No.""
"You forged my signature.""
"I didn't physically forge it.""
"Your email instructed the attorney to change the agreement!""
"I was trying to protect myself.""
"From your pregnant wife?""
He said nothing.
I wiped my eyes.
"Adrian, did you know your mother was changing my hospital appointments?""
"No.""
"Did you know she was making me look unstable?""
"I knew about the legal application.""
"That's not what I asked.""
He sighed.
"Mother said it was temporary.""
I felt something inside me go cold.
"Temporary?""
"She wanted the baby to stay with her for a few weeks after delivery. She thought you would need time to recover.""
I stared at the ceiling.
"And you agreed?""
"I thought it was better than fighting with her.""
My father slowly stood.
I could see his anger building.
I spoke before he could interrupt.
"Did you ever consider asking me what I wanted?""
Adrian's voice softened.
"Serena, I love you.""
"No, you don't.""
"Please don't say that.""
"You loved having a wife who didn't question you. You loved having someone who made excuses for your mother. You loved thinking I would never discover what you were doing.""
He began breathing heavily.
"That's not fair.""
I looked at the phone.
"Did you know about the account in my name?""
Silence.
That silence told me everything.
"Adrian?""
"Mother handled the banking.""
"Did you know?""
"Yes.""
I closed my eyes.
"How much?""
"Serena—"
"How much money did she take?""
"I don't know the exact amount.""
"Try.""
"About four hundred thousand from the trust. The other account was supposed to be temporary.""
My father moved closer.
"What other account?"" he asked.
Adrian recognized his voice.
"Arthur, this is between Serena and me.""
My father leaned toward the phone.
"You've had six years to treat her like your wife. You don't get to use that excuse now.""
Adrian swallowed.
"There were transfers from the trust. Mother said the money was being invested.""
"Where?""
"Through Walker Holdings.""
My father looked at me.
"Who authorized the transfers?""
Adrian hesitated.
"Mother.""
"And who signed the instructions?""
Another pause.
"Both of us.""
I felt my chest tighten.
"You signed them too?""
"I thought the money would be returned.""
"With what authority did you touch my inheritance?""
He raised his voice.
"Because I was your husband!""
I flinched.
My father immediately stepped forward.
Adrian continued.
"Everything I did was for our future!""
I looked at the hospital monitor.
Our daughter's heartbeat continued.
Steady.
Unaware.
I spoke quietly.
"Then why did you try to take her away from me?""
"I didn't!""
"You signed the documents.""
"I was scared.""
"Of what?""
"Of losing everything!""
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then Adrian said something I hadn't expected.
"Mother told me your grandmother had left another letter. She said it could destroy the Walker family.""
My father stopped moving.
"What letter?"" I asked.
Adrian's voice dropped.
"The one explaining why your grandmother removed Victoria from the will.""
I gripped the phone.
"Where is it?""
"I don't know.""
"Adrian.""
"Mother said it was hidden in Victoria's office. That's why I called.""
My father took the phone.
"Why didn't you tell the police this earlier?""
"I didn't want to implicate myself.""
My father gave a humorless laugh.
"At least you're finally being honest about something.""
Then Adrian said:
"There's something else. Mother has been telling Victoria that Serena's baby could be used to force a settlement.""
I felt sick.
"What does that mean?""
"She thinks if the Walker family establishes custody, your father will pay to get the child back.""
My father went completely still.
I looked at him.
They hadn't just wanted my inheritance.
They believed my daughter could become leverage.
Adrian's voice trembled.
"Serena, please. You have to believe me. I didn't know she would hit you.""
I stared at the phone.
"Would you have stopped her?""
He didn't answer.
"Adrian, if your mother hadn't slapped me, would you have continued with the plan?""
Silence.
That was his answer.
I ended the call.
My father gently took the phone from my hand.
"That's enough.""
I looked down at my stomach.
Our daughter kicked.
I pressed my palm against the movement.
"I don't want her anywhere near those people.""
"She won't be.""
I looked at him.
"Promise me.""
He covered my hand with his.
"I promise we'll do everything lawfully possible to protect you both.""
A nurse entered.
"Mrs. Walker, Dr. Patel wants to see you.""
My father stood.
"Is something wrong?""
The nurse looked concerned.
"Your latest blood pressure reading is higher. The doctor is preparing for possible delivery tonight.""
I felt my breath catch.
"Tonight?""
"We're monitoring you closely. The obstetric team is ready.""
My father squeezed my hand.
"Focus on the baby, sweetheart.""
I nodded.
But before the nurse could leave, my phone vibrated.
A message from Margaret.
Mrs. Walker, I need to warn you.
Diane has been calling the hospital administration.
She's claiming you authorized her to make decisions about the baby.
I showed my father.
He immediately called the hospital administrator.
Within minutes, Dr. Patel returned.
She looked at the message and shook her head.
"That's not how medical authorization works. We will not accept any instruction from a person who hasn't been legally authorized by you.""
"Thank you," I whispered.
Dr. Patel pulled a chair closer.
"Serena, I also want you to understand that if we need to deliver your baby early, we are prepared. The neonatal team has already been informed.""
I nodded.
She examined me again.
Then she spoke to the nurse.
"Prepare the operating team. I don't want to delay if her readings worsen.""
My father took my hand.
"You're going to be okay.""
I wanted to believe him.
Then the hospital phone rang.
The nurse answered.
Her expression changed.
She listened for several seconds.
Then she looked toward Dr. Patel.
"Doctor, hospital security is requesting you.""
"Why?""
The nurse hesitated.
"They've identified the person who accessed Mrs. Walker's medical records.""
My heart began pounding.
"Who is it?""
The nurse looked at me.
"Victoria Mitchell.""
I closed my eyes.
Of course.
My aunt had been involved from the beginning.
But then the nurse added something.
"There's another issue. She has just arrived at the hospital.""
My father moved toward the door.
"Keep her away from this room.""
The nurse nodded.
But before she could leave, a man's voice echoed from the corridor.
"Arthur! I need to speak to my daughter!""
I recognized it immediately.
My father's younger brother.
Uncle Daniel.
He had barely spoken to us since Grandma's funeral.
My father froze.
"Why is he here?"" I whispered.
He turned toward me.
"I don't know.""
The door opened.
Daniel Mitchell entered, holding a leather briefcase.
His eyes moved from me to my father.
Then he placed the briefcase on the table.
"Arthur," he said, "Victoria has made a terrible mistake.""
My father stared at him.
"What mistake?""
Daniel opened the briefcase.
He removed a photograph.
It showed my mother sitting in a hospital room.
She looked pale.
Exhausted.
And beside her stood Victoria.
But what caught my attention was the person standing behind them.
A much younger Diane Walker.
Daniel placed the photograph in front of me.
"Your mother wasn't receiving those medications by accident.""
I felt my blood run cold.
"What are you saying?""
He looked at my father.
Then back at me.
"Your mother discovered that Victoria and Diane were working together. She planned to expose them.""
He paused.
"And the night she died, someone changed her treatment instructions.""
My father grabbed the edge of the table.
"Who?""
Daniel reached into the briefcase again.
This time, he removed a handwritten note.
"That's what I've spent fifteen years trying to prove.""
He placed it in front of us.
May you like
At the bottom was a signature.
Diane Walker.
