Chapter 3 - THE FATHER WHO WASN'T SUPPOSED TO EXIST
I had spent my entire life believing my father abandoned us before Toby was born.
Mom never spoke about him.
Whenever I asked, she simply said some people weren't meant to stay.
But now I was holding a letter suggesting there was another explanation.
I continued reading.
My beautiful Elena,
There are things I couldn't tell you while you were little.
Your father didn't leave because he stopped loving us.
He left because someone threatened to destroy our family if he stayed.
My hands shook.
Dante sat across from me without speaking.
I swallowed.
"Did you know about this?"
"No."
I continued.
His name is Adrian Vance. He worked as a financial investigator and discovered that wealthy businessmen were stealing money from children who needed medical treatment.
My heart pounded.
Financial investigator?
Dad?
I had always imagined him as some irresponsible man who disappeared because raising children was too difficult.
Mom's letter continued.
When Adrian tried to expose the scheme, he became a target. We changed our address. He disappeared to protect us.
Tears blurred the page.
Then I reached the final paragraph.
If anything happens to me, find Samuel Mercer. He knows where Adrian went.
I looked up.
"Who's Samuel Mercer?"
Dante's expression changed.
"He's an attorney who worked for my father."
"Where is he?"
"I don't know. He vanished years ago."
My hope collapsed.
"Then this tells me nothing."
"It tells us your father was investigating the same financial scheme that stole Toby's treatment funds."
I stared at him.
"Why would someone still be stealing from us after all these years?"
Dante leaned forward.
"That's exactly what worries me."
My phone rang.
The hospital.
I answered immediately.
"Miss Vance?"
"Yes."
"This is Nurse Amanda from NYU Langone. Your brother is asking for you."
My stomach tightened.
"Is he okay?"
"He's stable, but he's anxious about next week's procedure."
I closed my eyes.
"Tell him I'm coming."
Dante stood.
"Let's go."
I shook my head.
"You don't need to."
"I know."
He picked up his coat.
"But I want to."
At the hospital, Toby sat upright in his bed, watching a cartoon on his tablet.
His face brightened when he saw me.
"Ellie!"
I hugged him carefully.
"Hey, troublemaker."
Then he noticed Dante.
His eyes widened.
"Whoa."
Dante stopped near the doorway.
Toby pointed.
"Are you the rich guy from the news?"
I nearly died of embarrassment.
"Toby!"
Dante smiled.
"Depends which news."
Toby considered that.
"The scary kind."
For the first time, I heard Dante laugh.
"That's fair."
Toby grinned.
Then he looked at Dante's expensive watch.
"Can you fix things?"
Dante raised an eyebrow.
"Sometimes."
"Good. My sister's exhausted all the time."
My throat tightened.
"Toby..."
He ignored me.
"She needs someone to help her."
Dante looked at me.
Something warm appeared in his eyes.
"I'll remember that."
As Toby fell asleep, Nurse Amanda approached us.
"Miss Vance, there's something strange in your brother's medical records."
My stomach dropped.
"What?"
She lowered her voice.
"Someone submitted a request to transfer Toby's surgical care to a private facility."
I stared at her.
"I never requested that."
Amanda nodded.
"That's why I wanted to ask."
She showed me the authorization.
My name appeared at the bottom.
Another forged signature.
But this time, the destination made Dante go completely still.
May you like
The transfer had been requested by Vancel Medical Holdings.
A company owned by his father.
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