Chapter 7: The Medicine That Was Never Prescribed
For several seconds, I couldn't hear anything except the pounding of my own heart.
My mother had switched my father's medication.
The woman who had held my hand at his funeral.
The woman who had slept beside me when I couldn't stop crying.
The woman who had told me that grief would eventually become easier.
She might have been responsible for his death.
I looked at Lauren.
"How do you know?""
She wiped her cheeks with both hands.
"Because I saw her.""
"When?""
"That night. Before I went into Dad's study.""
"Start from the beginning.""
Lauren glanced toward the security officers.
Daniel was still standing near the door, his face unreadable.
"Not here," she whispered.
I shook my head.
"No more private conversations. No more secrets. You tell me everything.""
She looked at Daniel.
He gave her a warning stare.
And that was when I realized he was still trying to control the situation.
Even after everything.
Even after the recordings.
Even after my father's final warning.
"Lauren," I said, "look at me.""
She did.
"Did you see Mom switch Dad's medication?""
She nodded.
"Yes.""
"When?""
"About an hour before I arrived.""
I felt sick.
"Why didn't you tell the police?""
"Because Mom told me Dad had already taken his medication. She said she was just moving the bottles because the kitchen cabinets were being cleaned.""
"That's ridiculous.""
"I know that now.""
"What did you do?""
Lauren sat down heavily.
"I went into Dad's study. He was furious. He told me he'd discovered that Mom had been moving money through several accounts. He said he was going to call the authorities in the morning.""
I swallowed.
"And then?""
"He asked me whether Daniel was involved.""
I looked toward Daniel.
His eyes narrowed.
"What did you tell him?""
Lauren shook her head.
"I told him I didn't know.""
"Was that true?""
She hesitated.
"No.""
My stomach tightened.
"What did you know?""
"Daniel had been asking me to help him access certain company accounts. He said it was for an investigation, but I knew some of the transfers weren't legitimate.""
I stared at her.
"You knew he was stealing?""
"I suspected.""
"How much?""
"Enough.""
I stepped backward.
For years, I had thought Lauren was the irresponsible daughter.
The one who needed rescuing.
The one who couldn't hold a job or maintain a relationship.
But now I was discovering that my husband and sister had been playing different roles in a financial scheme that had begun before I even met him.
"Why did Dad call you that night?"" I asked.
Lauren looked down.
"He wanted to give me a chance to confess. He said if I cooperated, he would help me avoid prison.""
"Did you?""
"No.""
"Why?""
She looked at me.
"Because Daniel told me not to.""
I turned toward my husband.
He immediately shook his head.
"That's a lie.""
Lauren stood.
"You told me Dad was bluffing. You said he couldn't prove anything.""
"Because he couldn't.""
"You told me to leave the country if he contacted the authorities.""
Daniel stepped forward.
"You're confused.""
"No, Daniel. I'm finally remembering everything.""
One of the security officers approached.
"Sir, we're going to need you to come with us.""
Daniel ignored him.
He was looking at me.
"Claire, you need to understand that Lauren is trying to save herself. She'll say anything.""
I looked at him.
"Then why did you marry me?""
His expression changed.
"What?""
"Why me? Why not Lauren? Why did you choose me?""
He laughed nervously.
"Your father wanted it.""
"No. My father explicitly said he didn't choose you to marry me.""
Daniel's jaw tightened.
I continued.
"You knew about the trust. You knew about the money. You knew my father was investigating you. So why marry me?""
He looked at the floor.
For the first time, I saw something resembling fear in his eyes.
Then he said:
"Because your father was going to give you everything.""
I stared at him.
"And?""
"And I couldn't let that happen.""
The admission was so quiet that I almost missed it.
Lauren stopped crying.
Mr. Collins slowly stood.
I felt the blood drain from my face.
"What does that mean?""
Daniel looked up.
"Your father had spent years building that company. He was going to hand it to you, someone who knew nothing about running a business.""
I stared at him.
"So you thought you deserved it?""
"I thought I could run it better.""
"And you thought marrying me would give you control?""
He didn't answer.
I laughed, but there was no humor in it.
"You married me to steal my father's company.""
Daniel's expression hardened.
"I built that company into what it is today.""
"You stole eighteen million dollars.""
"I invested it.""
"Without permission.""
"Your father was going to destroy everything.""
I shook my head.
"By exposing you?""
He stepped toward me.
"Claire, you have no idea how much money was involved. Your father was going to report everyone. Your mother.
Lauren. Me. The entire family.""
I stared at him.
"And that justified everything?""
He looked at me for a long moment.
Then he said:
"Your father wasn't supposed to die.""
The room went completely silent.
I felt my knees weaken.
"What?""
Daniel closed his eyes.
"I didn't know your mother had changed the medication.""
Lauren gasped.
I turned toward him.
"You knew she changed something?""
He shook his head.
"I knew she had access to his medication. I knew she was planning to confront him. But I didn't know what she intended to do.""
I stared at him.
"Why didn't you call an ambulance?""
His face changed.
I repeated the question.
"Why didn't you call an ambulance if you knew something was wrong?""
Daniel looked away.
Then he whispered:
"Because by the time I arrived, he was already dead.""
My entire body went cold.
"You were there?""
Lauren covered her mouth.
Daniel looked at the security officers.
"That's not what I meant.""
I stepped toward him.
"You were there the night my father died?""
He said nothing.
"Daniel!""
He finally nodded.
"Yes.""
Lauren began sobbing.
"You told me you never went back!""
"I had to make sure the documents were secure.""
I felt like I was going to be sick.
"You went into my father's study after he died?""
Daniel didn't answer.
Mr. Collins pressed a button on his desk.
"I think we've heard enough.""
The security officers moved toward Daniel.
This time, he didn't resist.
As they escorted him out, he turned toward me.
"Claire, listen to me. Your mother knows where the original recording is.""
I frowned.
"What recording?""
"The recording your father made the night he died.""
I stared at him.
"You just told me you were there.""
"I was.""
"Then you know what happened.""
He shook his head.
"Not everything.""
The officers took him into the corridor.
Before the door closed, he looked at me one final time.
"Ask your mother why she called me before she called the ambulance.""
Then he disappeared.
I turned toward Lauren.
She was crying so hard she could barely breathe.
I sat beside her.
For the first time that day, I didn't feel angry.
I felt terrified.
Because if Daniel was telling the truth, my mother hadn't simply hidden my inheritance.
She had hidden the circumstances surrounding my father's death.
And she had apparently called my husband before calling emergency services.
Mr. Collins placed a glass of water in front of me.
"Mrs. Mercer, there's something else you should know.""
I looked up.
"What?""
He opened a drawer and removed a sealed envelope.
"This was delivered to the bank by your father three days before he died. He instructed us to release it only if there was a dispute involving the trust.""
I took it.
My father's handwriting was on the front.
For Claire. Only Claire.
Inside was a small photograph and a handwritten note.
The photograph showed my father sitting in his study with my mother.
But something was strange.
On the desk between them was a medication bottle.
The label had been scratched off.
I turned the photograph over.
There was a date.
The same date as his death.
And beneath it, my father had written:
Margaret has been giving me something different. I don't know what it is. I am afraid to ask her.
I stared at the photograph.
Then I noticed a second sentence.
If Claire asks, tell her about the first daughter.
I read it again.
The first daughter.
I looked at Lauren.
"What does this mean?""
She shook her head.
"I don't know.""
I turned toward Mr. Collins.
"Was my father ever married before my mother?""
He hesitated.
"Not that I know of.""
"Then who was the first daughter?""
Mr. Collins slowly removed his glasses.
And before he could answer, my phone began ringing.
Mom.
I answered.
"Claire.""
My mother's voice sounded different.
No crying.
No excuses.
Just a cold, controlled tone.
"I know you've been to the bank.""
I looked at Lauren.
"Yes.""
"Did you see the documents?""
"Yes.""
A pause.
"Then you know what your father did.""
I frowned.
"What did he do?""
My mother exhaled.
"He lied to both of you.""
"About what?""
"About the inheritance. About Daniel. About the company.""
I tightened my grip on the phone.
"Mom, who was the first daughter?""
Silence.
Then my mother whispered:
"Your sister.""
I looked at Lauren.
My mother continued.
"Lauren was never supposed to be your father's only daughter.""
May you like
And before I could ask another question, she said:
"Come home, Claire. There's something I should have told you before you were born.""
