Chapter 10 - THE PRICE THEY PUT ON HER FATHER'S LIFE
Maeve Carter had spent eight months believing the hospital conspiracy destroyed her career because she knew too much.
Now she understood something worse.
They hadn't finished with her.
Her father had become part of the scheme.
She stared at the insurance document.
Daniel Carter.
Sixty-three years old.
Recovering from a devastating stroke.
A man who had spent thirty years repairing city buses so his daughter could attend nursing school.
Now his name appeared on a suspicious policy linked to Dr. Vance.
Maeve's hands trembled.
"Why would anyone insure my father?"
The investigator answered carefully.
"We're examining whether the policy was obtained through fraud."
She looked down.
The beneficiary was an unfamiliar company.
One linked to Vance's financial network.
Roman stood beside her.
His expression was cold.
But his voice remained gentle.
"Maeve, your father is safe right now."
She nodded.
But tears filled her eyes.
"I thought they were only threatening him to silence me."
Roman said nothing.
She looked toward him.
"What if they intended something worse?"
He didn't offer false reassurance.
Instead, he said:
"Then we make sure the investigators have everything they need."
Maeve closed her eyes.
For years, she'd been the one helping frightened families understand medical emergencies.
Now she was the frightened family member.
And she hated how helpless it felt.
That afternoon, her father's care team reviewed his treatment and security arrangements.
No immediate evidence of tampering was found.
But the hospital took the threats seriously.
Maeve remained beside his bed.
Daniel opened his eyes.
"Maeve?"
She smiled through tears.
"Hi, Dad."
He studied her face.
"You're upset."
She shook her head.
"I'm okay."
He smiled faintly.
"You were never good at lying."
She laughed.
"Neither were you."
Daniel reached for her hand.
"Did they fix the problem at your old hospital?"
Maeve swallowed.
"Not yet."
He squeezed her fingers.
"They will."
She looked away.
"I don't know."
Her father studied her.
"Maeve, you did nothing wrong."
Tears streamed down her cheeks.
"I know, Dad."
"Then don't let them convince you otherwise."
She leaned forward and hugged him carefully.
Outside the room, Roman waited.
He didn't interrupt.
He simply stood near the hallway window, watching the city lights.
When Maeve returned, he looked at her.
"How is he?"
"Better."
Roman nodded.
"Good."
She studied him.
"Why are you helping us?"
He hesitated.
Then answered honestly.
"At first, because of Julian."
"And now?"
Roman looked toward her father's room.
"Because I should have paid attention to what was happening around me."
Maeve said nothing.
Roman continued.
"I spent years believing loyalty meant people obeyed me."
He smiled bitterly.
"Julian kept telling me I was wrong."
Maeve looked at him.
"Maybe he was right."
Roman nodded.
"He was."
For a moment, the distance between them seemed smaller.
Then Vincent arrived.
His expression was tense.
"Roman, we found something in Julian's files."
Roman turned.
"What?"
"A private letter."
"To whom?"
Vincent looked toward Maeve.
"To her."
Maeve stopped breathing.
"Me?"
Vincent nodded.
"The envelope is addressed to Maeve Carter."
She stared.
Julian Hayes had written her a letter?
Before he died?
Vincent handed her a scanned copy recovered from the archive.
Maeve opened it.
The first sentence made her knees weaken.
Dear Nurse Carter,
If you're reading this, then I didn't survive.
She covered her mouth.
The letter continued.
I know who you are.
And I know why Dr. Vance has been watching your family.
Maeve's heart pounded.
Then she read the final paragraph.
May you like
And her entire world changed.
"Your father once saved my life. And the truth about that night is the reason Victor Bellamy wants your family destroyed."
