Chapter 2 - THE MAN BEHIND THE PRESCRIPTION
Arianne survived the night.
Barely.
By morning, she was unconscious but stable.
Baldric hadn't left her bedside.
At 6:14 a.m., his attorney, Marcus Hale, arrived.
He placed a thick folder on the table.
“You were right.”
Baldric didn't look up.
“About what?”
“Derek has been moving assets.”
“How much?”
“Thirty-seven million dollars so far.”
Baldric's face hardened.
“From where?”
“Several accounts connected to Arianne.”
Baldric finally looked at him.
“My daughter doesn't have thirty-seven million dollars.”
Marcus smiled grimly.
“She does.”
Baldric said nothing.
Marcus continued.
“Remember the trust you established when she was born?”
“Yes.”
“The one nobody knows about?”
“Yes.”
“Derek discovered it.”
Baldric's eyes narrowed.
“How?”
“We don't know.”
Baldric stood.
“Find out.”
Marcus nodded.
“I already started.”
A nurse entered.
“She woke up.”
Baldric rushed into the room.
Arianne's eyes slowly opened.
“Dad?”
He took her hand.
“I'm here.”
Her lips trembled.
“Gideon?”
“He's safe.”
She began crying.
“Don't let Derek take him.”
Baldric froze.
“He won't.”
Arianne looked terrified.
“He said if I told you, he'd make sure Gideon disappeared.”
Baldric's blood turned cold.
“What else did he say?”
“He said…”
She struggled to breathe.
“He said my father would never find out.”
Baldric stared at her.
“Your father?”
Arianne nodded.
“He said you were too poor to fight him.”
Baldric closed his eyes.
For six years, Derek had believed he was dealing with a retired mechanic.
That mistake would destroy him.
Arianne suddenly grabbed his hand.
“Dad.”
“Yes?”
“There was another person.”
“Who?”
“Derek's mother.”
Baldric froze.
“Bertha?”
Arianne nodded.
“She knew.”
An hour later, Baldric sat across from Bertha in a private consultation room.
She looked perfectly composed.
“You have no proof.”
Baldric placed the prescription bottle on the table.
“Then explain this.”
Her face changed.
He placed another document beside it.
“Forged medical records.”
Another.
“Unauthorized bank transfers.”
Another.
“Life insurance changes.”
Bertha's hands began trembling.
Baldric leaned forward.
“You changed my daughter's life insurance beneficiary.”
“I didn't.”
“Derek did.”
She said nothing.
“Who ordered him?”
Still nothing.
Baldric lowered his voice.
“Your son is going to prison.”
Bertha's eyes filled with tears.
“He didn't mean to kill her.”
Baldric's expression became ice.
“Then he meant to do what?”
She whispered:
“Control her.”
“Why?”
“Because of the trust.”
Baldric already knew.
“What else?”
Bertha looked toward the door.
Then whispered:
“Your daughter was never supposed to survive long enough to expose us.”
Baldric went completely still.
“Us?”
Bertha began crying.
Then she said the words that changed everything.
“Derek didn't start this.”
“Who did?”
May you like
Bertha looked directly into his eyes.
“Your brother.”
