Chapter 3 - THE HOSPITAL VISITOR
By the third afternoon, the hospital had become a fortress.
Two police officers stood outside my room.
Daniel had instructed the nurses not to release information about me.
My mother rarely left.
And I couldn't stop thinking about Lauren.
A woman who had once trusted Luke the way I had.
A woman who had disappeared.
A woman whose ring had been found beside her remains.
I couldn't sleep.
Every time I closed my eyes, I heard Luke's voice.
Tomorrow.
Then Celina's.
A wife who refuses to obey needs consequences.
At 2:17 p.m., someone knocked.
My mother looked toward the door.
A nurse entered.
“There's a visitor.”
“I don't want anyone.”
The nurse hesitated.
“He says he's your father-in-law.”
My heart stopped.
Barron.
“Let him in.”
My mother looked alarmed.
Daniel wasn't there.
But Detective Morgan was only a phone call away.
The door opened.
Barron stepped inside.
He looked ten years older than he had three days earlier.
His shoulders were hunched.
His face was pale.
He held a paper bag in one hand.
“I brought you something.”
I stared at him.
“What?”
He placed the bag on the table.
“Food.”
I almost laughed.
“I can't eat.”
“I know.”
He looked at the floor.
“I didn't know what else to do.”
I studied him.
“You knew.”
His eyes lifted.
“Yes.”
“You knew Luke was going to hurt me?”
“No.”
“You knew he hurt me.”
Barron's face collapsed.
“Yes.”
Silence.
I felt something inside me harden.
“You watched me lie on that floor.”
“I was afraid.”
“So was I.”
His eyes filled with tears.
“I should have stopped him.”
“Yes.”
“I should have called the police sooner.”
“Yes.”
He nodded.
“I know.”
I stared at him.
“Why did you?”
“What?”
“Why did you finally call?”
He sat down.
“Because Celina told Luke something after you stopped responding.”
My stomach tightened.
“What?”
“She said…”
He swallowed.
“She said that if you died, they'd say it was an accident.”
My skin crawled.
Barron continued.
“I realized then that my wife and my son weren't simply trying to control you.”
He looked at me.
“They were willing to let you die.”
I turned away.
Tears filled my eyes.
Barron reached into his coat.
“I brought this.”
He handed me a small key.
“What is it?”
“A safe deposit box.”
I stared at him.
“Why are you giving this to me?”
“Because everything in that box belongs to you.”
My heart pounded.
“What?”
He looked toward the door.
“Luke doesn't know about it.”
“What is inside?”
“Your grandmother's papers.”
I frowned.
“My grandmother died years ago.”
“Yes.”
“Why would her papers be in your possession?”
Barron hesitated.
“Because your grandmother left you something.”
“What?”
“A trust.”
I couldn't speak.
“A trust?”
He nodded.
“Your grandfather created it before he died.”
My mind raced.
Luke had always told me my grandparents left nothing significant.
Apparently, that was another lie.
“How much?”
“I don't know.”
“You don't know?”
“Your grandmother refused to tell me.”
“Then why do you have the key?”
“Because she asked me to keep it safe.”
I stared at him.
“Why you?”
“Because she didn't trust Luke.”
The words stunned me.
“She knew?”
“She suspected.”
I looked at the key.
A tiny silver object.
Suddenly, my entire past felt different.
Maybe Luke hadn't chosen me randomly.
Maybe my money had been part of the reason.
“Where is the box?”
Barron gave me the location.
Then he stood.
“I need to leave.”
“Why?”
“Because Luke's attorney called me.”
My heart tightened.
“What did he say?”
“That Luke intends to sue you.”
I stared at him.
“For what?”
“Domestic violence.”
I almost laughed.
“Against me?”
“Yes.”
I shook my head.
“He's going to claim I attacked him.”
Barron nodded.
“I know.”
“Why?”
“Because Celina has already started telling people that you are unstable.”
My stomach dropped.
The smear campaign had begun.
Barron reached the door.
Before leaving, he turned.
“Clover.”
I looked at him.
“I am sorry.”
I believed him.
But forgiveness was something I wasn't ready to give.
Not yet.
After he left, my mother took my hand.
“What are you thinking?”
I looked at the key.
“That Luke wasn't trying to break me.”
She frowned.
“He was trying to own me.”
And for the first time, I understood the full danger.
If Luke discovered the trust existed, he wouldn't stop.
May you like
He would come after me.
And he would come after anyone who stood between him and that money.
