Chapter 4 - THE SECOND ENEMY
The footsteps downstairs were slow.
Heavy.
Deliberate.
Someone wasn't trying to hide.
Natalie grabbed my sleeve.
"Don't go down."
"I need to know who it is."
"No."
Her voice cracked.
"You don't understand."
"What don't I understand?"
She stared at me.
"Diane wasn't the worst person in this house."
The words hit harder than any confession.
Then we heard a door slam.
A man's voice echoed through the darkness.
"Where is he?"
Diane answered.
"He came home yesterday."
Silence.
Then:
"Then why is he still alive?"
I felt Natalie's hand tremble.
I pulled her behind me.
"Stay here."
"No."
She grabbed my arm.
"We stay together."
We moved toward the staircase.
Then the lights came back.
At the bottom stood Mr. Mercer.
Behind him were two men.
Diane was pressed against the wall.
Chloe stood beside her, crying.
Mercer looked upstairs.
His eyes found mine.
"There you are."
I stepped down.
"What do you want?"
"The documents."
"I haven't signed them."
He smiled.
"You're going to."
Diane suddenly shouted:
"Don't hurt him!"
Mercer turned.
"You had one job."
Diane lowered her head.
"I know."
"You were supposed to have everything finished before he returned."
"I tried."
Mercer looked at Chloe.
"And you?"
Chloe began crying.
"I didn't know."
Mercer slapped the table.
"Don't lie to me."
She flinched.
I watched them.
Then I realized something.
Diane wasn't controlling this operation.
Neither was Chloe.
They were both terrified.
Mercer turned toward me.
"Where are the documents?"
"In my room."
"Bring them."
"No."
He smiled.
"You don't understand your position."
"I understand perfectly."
I looked at Natalie.
Then back at him.
"You need my signature."
His expression changed.
That was my advantage.
"You can't kill me."
Nobody spoke.
"You can't force me either. Not easily. Because if anything happens to me, every account freezes."
Mercer stared.
I continued.
"And I've already sent copies of my financial records to someone."
That was a lie.
But it worked.
Mercer stepped closer.
"Who?"
"My attorney."
He laughed.
"You don't have an attorney."
"I do now."
Diane's face went white.
Mercer looked at her.
"You told me he had no idea."
"I didn't know."
Mercer turned back.
"Where are the copies?"
I smiled.
"Safe."
He stared at me.
Then walked toward the stairs.
I didn't move.
He stopped inches away.
"You have forty-eight hours."
"For what?"
"To sign everything."
"And if I don't?"
He leaned closer.
"Your wife won't see another sunrise."
I felt something inside me snap.
But I kept my face calm.
Mercer walked away.
The men followed him.
Diane closed the door behind them.
The second it shut, she collapsed into a chair.
Chloe began sobbing.
I looked at Diane.
"You knew."
She shook her head.
"I didn't know he'd come tonight."
"But you knew about him."
She covered her face.
"He owns us."
"Who?"
She looked up.
"Victor."
The name hung in the room.
"Victor who?"
Diane's lips trembled.
"Victor Hale."
I had never heard the name.
But apparently, Natalie had.
She whispered:
"No."
Diane looked at her.
"You know him?"
Natalie backed away.
"I've heard that name."
"Where?"
"In the hospital."
My blood ran cold.
"What hospital?"
Natalie looked at me.
"The one where I tried to get treatment."
She swallowed.
"Victor Hale's foundation owns the cancer clinic."
Silence.
Then I understood.
The medical payments.
The fake billing company.
The insurance.
The diagnosis.
The forged documents.
It wasn't random.
Someone had built a system around my wife's illness.
Someone had made money from it.
Someone had planned for me to come home desperate and sign away everything.
I turned toward Diane.
"How much?"
She didn't answer.
"How much did Victor pay you?"
She cried.
"Two hundred thousand."
My chest tightened.
"That's all?"
She looked at me.
"No."
"What else?"
"Your property."
"How much?"
She whispered:
"Nearly six million."
I stared at her.
Then Chloe spoke.
"Mom..."
Diane turned.
Chloe's face was pale.
"What about the second account?"
Diane froze.
I looked at her.
"What second account?"
Chloe immediately covered her mouth.
Diane whispered:
"Go upstairs."
"Mom—"
"NOW."
Chloe ran.
I stepped closer.
"Second account?"
Diane wouldn't look at me.
I reached for my phone.
"You're going to tell me."
She shook her head.
"You'll never understand."
"Try me."
She finally looked up.
And whispered:
"The money wasn't for us."
"For who?"
Her eyes filled with tears.
"For your son."
I froze.
"What son?"
Diane stared at me.
"You really don't know."
Natalie gasped.
And from upstairs came Chloe's scream.
May you like
Then a crash.
I ran.
