Chapter 4: This Is Still Family
Daniel set the phone on the tray table between us.
He didn't respond to my father's message.
He just left it there, face up, so I could read it as many times as I needed to.
I read it twice.
"He sent that while I'm lying in a hospital bed," I said.
"Yes."
"While they're still running tests on what was in my drink."
"Yes."
I picked up my own phone and called my mother.
She answered on the second ring, which told me she had been waiting.
"Sweetheart—" she started.
"Don't," I said.
"I need you to listen."
A pause.
"All right."
"The hospital has my toxicology results coming back within the hour.
The police have Reese's first video.
And there is a second video that shows you taking a document from my bag while I was lying on the ground."
Silence.
"I want you to think very carefully about your next move," I said.
"Because that is the same thing Dad just told Daniel to tell me, and I want you to understand that it works in both directions."
"You don't know what you're talking about." Her voice had shifted.
Harder now.
The warmth gone.
"That document was not legally filed.
It was nothing."
"It was my grandfather's amendment to his trust.
And you knew that."
"Your grandfather was not well when he wrote that.
He was confused.
Your sister has been part of this family her entire life and he was going to cut her out because of a baby that isn't even born yet—"
"Her name is going to be Clara," I said.
"And she is your granddaughter."
My mother went quiet.
"Where is the document now?" I asked.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Mom." I kept my voice flat.
"It's on video."
Another silence.
Longer this time.
"You would really do this to your own family," she said finally.
"Over money."
"You dr*gged me.
You let my sister kick me.
You stole a legal document while I was lying on the ground.
And Dad just sent my husband a threat." I paused.
"Which one of us is doing this over money?"
She hung up.
Daniel had been watching me the whole time.
When I lowered the phone, he reached over and took my hand without saying anything.
Twenty minutes later, Reese's mother called.
Reese was out of the house.
She was safe.
She had both videos saved in three places.
I exhaled for what felt like the first time since the yard.
Then the doctor came in.
She was calm and direct, which I had already decided I appreciated.
"The substance in your bloodstream is a compound sometimes used to induce uterine contractions," she said.
"It's not something that ends up in a drink by accident.
The concentration wasn't lethal, but in a pregnancy at your stage, it was enough to trigger early labor."
Daniel's hand tightened around mine.
"We're going to keep you overnight for monitoring.
Your daughter's vitals are strong.
But I want to be clear with you about what we found, because the police will need this report."
"I understand," I said.
"Thank you for telling me directly."
She nodded and left.
The room was quiet for a moment.
"They tried to make her come early," Daniel said.
"Before the trust clause activated."
"The clause activates at birth," I said.
"If Clara had been born too soon and hadn't survived—"
I stopped.
"My sister gets everything," Daniel finished.
I looked at the monitor.
Clara's heartbeat.
Steady.
Stubborn.
Already fighting.
My phone lit up on the tray table.
A number I didn't recognize.
I let it ring.
Then a text came through from the same number.
*This is your sister.
I need to talk to you before you do something that destroys this whole family.
May you like
Please.
I'm outside the hospital.*
