Chapter 2 - THE SON WHO COULDN'T EXPLAIN HIMSELF|
Julian reached Elena's bedside just as the nurses began wheeling her toward the maternal intensive care unit.
"Elena!"
She turned her face away.
The movement was small, but it stopped him more effectively than a slap.
"Baby, what happened?"
Marcus stepped between them.
"That is what I intend to find out."
Julian looked past his father toward Saraphina, who was now being escorted down the corridor. Panic flashed across his face before he forced it away.
"She shouldn't have been here."
Elena closed her eyes.
Dr. Reed spoke sharply.
"Mr. Thorne, your wife needs quiet. If you want to help her, stop asking questions and let us work."
Julian backed away, but he followed the bed until the elevator doors closed.
Marcus stayed behind.
"Come with me," he told his son.
"Father, Elena is—"
"Your wife is receiving medical care. You and I are going to discuss why another woman was able to enter a restricted hospital suite and attack her."
Julian's jaw tightened.
"It wasn't supposed to happen."
Marcus stared at him.
"What wasn't supposed to happen?"
Julian said nothing.
They entered a private consultation room. Marcus shut the door and placed his phone on the table.
"Start talking."
Julian paced once, then stopped.
"Saraphina and I were involved before Elena and I married. It ended months ago."
"Did it?"
"Yes."
"Then why did she enter your wife's hospital room?"
"She has been threatening me."
Marcus's expression hardened.
"With what?"
Julian rubbed his face.
"Documents. Emails. Financial records. She claims she can ruin the company if I don't help her."
"Did you give her money?"
"Some."
"How much?"
Julian hesitated.
Marcus did not raise his voice.
"How much?"
"Four hundred thousand dollars."
Marcus stared at him in disbelief.
"You paid your former mistress nearly half a million dollars while your pregnant wife lay in a hospital bed?"
"It was to make her go away."
"People like Saraphina don't go away because you pay them. They return when they believe you are afraid."
Julian looked down.
Marcus continued.
"Did you know she planned to approach Elena?"
"No."
"Did you know she had bribed security?"
"No."
"Did you know she was going to hurt her?"
Julian's silence lasted a second too long.
Marcus leaned forward.
"Julian."
"I knew she wanted to frighten Elena," he admitted. "I thought she'd send a message or make a scene. I never believed she'd actually touch her."
Marcus stood.
"You gambled with your wife's safety because you thought you could control a woman you had already lied to."
"I was trying to protect the family."
"No. You were protecting yourself."
The words landed harder than Julian expected.
His father had spent years defending him, smoothing over his business mistakes, and explaining away his arrogance as the pressure of being an heir. Now, for the first time, Julian seemed unable to find a convincing excuse.
Marcus opened the door.
"You're going to tell the police everything. You will hand over every message between you and Saraphina. And until the doctors clear Elena, you will not enter her room unless she asks to see you."
"You can't keep me away from my own wife."
"Watch me."
Marcus walked out.
Julian remained in the room, staring at the table.
His phone vibrated.
A message from Saraphina appeared.
YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD YOUR FATHER ABOUT THE TRUST. NOW I MAY HAVE TO TELL HIM MYSELF.
Julian's blood turned cold.
The trust had been created before his marriage. It held shares in Thorn Global, a private investment account, and a life-insurance policy linked to Elena's pregnancy. Only three people knew the complete arrangement: Julian, the family attorney, and the woman who had drafted the documents.
Saraphina was not supposed to know any of it.
He typed a reply.
What have you done?
Her answer came immediately.
Nothing yet. But if Elena survives, she might ask why you changed the beneficiary six weeks ago.
Julian stared at the screen.
He had changed the beneficiary to protect his wife.
But he had not told her.
May you like
And now he understood that Saraphina possessed more than evidence of an affair.
She possessed the secret that could destroy his marriage even if Elena and their child survived.
