Chapter 3: The Secret Behind The Prescription
I spent the next night sitting beside Lily’s bed, watching rain slide down the ICU window.
I couldn’t sleep.
Every time I closed my eyes, I heard Daniel’s voice.
“She’s worth more to me than that little girl.””
But now there was another question.
What did he mean about Lily’s condition?
At 3:17 in the morning, I opened the drawer beside my chair.
Inside was Lily’s old medical file.
I had kept every document.
Every diagnosis.
Every test result.
Every note from every doctor.
Because when your child is sick, paperwork becomes your second language.
I flipped through the pages.
Nothing looked different.
Then I found something.
A letter.
A letter I had never seen before.
The hospital logo was at the top.
My hands trembled.
It was addressed to Daniel.
Not me.
Not both parents.
Daniel.
I read the first line.
*Regarding concerns about patient treatment management…*
My heart started racing.
Why would the hospital write to him?
I kept reading.
Then I heard footsteps.
I quickly closed the folder.
A nurse entered.
“Mrs. Carter?””
“Yes?””
“Someone is here to see you.””
I looked toward the door.
Daniel stood there.
For the first time in years, I barely recognized him.
His expensive suit was wrinkled.
His eyes were tired.
But I felt nothing.
Not love.
Not sympathy.
Nothing.
“You shouldn’t be here,” I said.
“I’m her father.””
“You stopped being a father when you chose Vanessa.””
His face tightened.
“That’s unfair.””
I almost laughed.
“Unfair?””
He stepped closer.
“Emily, you don’t understand what happened.””
“Then explain.””
He hesitated.
That hesitation told me everything.
“Explain.””
Daniel looked toward Lily.
“She was getting better.””
“Yes.””
“She didn’t need the same level of treatment anymore.””
I stared at him.
“According to who?””
“According to her records.””
“Your records?””
His jaw tightened.
“Emily.””
“No.””
My voice rose.
“You don’t get to use your job to manipulate me.””
“I was trying to help someone.””
“You killed our daughter to help someone.””
His expression flashed with anger.
“I didn’t kill anyone.””
The words were so cruel that I actually stepped back.
Daniel lowered his voice.
“You’re being emotional.””
That sentence.
That one sentence.
It reminded me why I had been blind for so long.
Every time I questioned him, I was emotional.
Every time I found evidence, I was paranoid.
Every time he hurt me, I was overreacting.
But this time?
This time my daughter almost died.
I picked up the folder.
“Get out.””
His eyes went to it.
“What is that?””
“You tell me.””
His face changed.
Only slightly.
But enough.
“What did you find?””
I smiled.
“You’re scared.””
“I’m not.””
“You are.””
Daniel moved toward me.
“Emily, listen carefully.””
“No.””
“Someone is trying to blame me.””
“Someone?””
“Yes.””
“Who?””
He looked away.
That was when I knew.
There was someone else.
Someone who knew.
Before he left, Daniel stopped at the door.
“You’re going to regret destroying this family.””
I looked at him.
“You destroyed it.””
He walked away.
Five minutes later, my phone rang.
It was Marcus.
“Emily, we found something.””
I stood immediately.
“What?””
“We checked Vanessa Cole’s medical records.””
“And?””
A pause.
“She doesn’t have the condition she claimed.””
My blood ran cold.
“What?””
“Her diagnosis was altered.””
I looked through the ICU glass.
At my daughter.
At the woman she had nearly died for.
“Who changed it?””
Marcus was silent.
May you like
Then he answered.
“Your husband.””
