Chapter 5 - The Money That Came With a Threat|
The hospital called at eleven that morning.
I was folding towels when my phone vibrated.
“Miss Reed? This is Mary Collins from St. Catherine's Hospital.”
My stomach tightened.
“Is Tyler okay?”
“Your brother is stable, but his surgical team needs to confirm the next steps in his treatment.”
I sat down.
“How much longer can we wait?”
“The doctors are concerned about further delays. We need to discuss the financial arrangements.”
I closed my eyes.
I already knew what was coming.
Another bill.
Another impossible number.
“I just started a new job,” I whispered.
“I understand.”
“Please don't remove him from the schedule.”
“We aren't making that decision today, Clara. But we do need to talk.”
When the call ended, I sat alone in the laundry room and cried.
Only for a minute.
Then I wiped my face and returned to work.
Unfortunately, Dominic Vale had seen me.
He stood near the doorway, holding a folder.
“Your brother?”
I froze.
“Sir?”
“I heard you mention a hospital.”
I straightened.
“It's personal.”
Dominic nodded.
“Then I apologize.”
He turned to leave.
But something made me speak.
“He needs heart surgery.”
Dominic stopped.
“He's nineteen,” I continued. “And I'm the only one earning enough to help.”
He looked at me for several seconds.
“What's his name?”
“Tyler.”
Dominic nodded once.
“Take the afternoon. Go see him.”
“Sir, I can't afford to lose the hours.”
“You won't.”
I stared.
“What?”
“You'll be paid.”
I opened my mouth.
Then closed it again.
“Thank you.”
Dominic looked toward the staircase.
“How is Noah?”
I thought about the silver button hidden in my apron pocket.
“He's trying to tell us something.”
His expression darkened.
“I know.”
That evening, I visited Tyler.
He was lying in bed watching basketball on his phone.
“Hey, troublemaker.”
He smiled.
“Hey, big sister.”
I sat beside him.
“How are you feeling?”
“Like a guy whose heart has terrible customer service.”
I laughed despite myself.
Then he handed me an envelope.
“This came for you.”
There was no return address.
Inside was a cashier's check for fifty thousand dollars.
And a short handwritten note.
Leave the Vale mansion tonight. The money is yours if you never speak to Noah again.
My blood went cold.
Tyler noticed my expression.
“Clara?”
I read the message again.
Then turned the envelope over.
A tiny symbol had been stamped into the corner.
Three black circles.
The same design on Noah's silver button.
“Who delivered this?”
Tyler shrugged.
“A man in a gray coat.”
“Did he give you a name?”
“No.”
My phone vibrated.
An unknown number.
Your brother needs surgery.
A second message appeared.
The little boy needs to stay silent.
I stood so quickly my chair fell backward.
May you like
Then a third message arrived.
Choose which one gets to live.
