Chapter 9 - THE NURSE WHO STOOD TO GAIN EVERYTHING
By morning, reporters knew my address.
My nursing license number.
My old employer.
My salary.
My divorce history.
Even a photograph from college I had forgotten existed.
The internet decided I was either Gabriel’s secret lover or a medical assassin.
Sometimes both in the same headline.
I looked at him from the ICU doorway.
“This is your fault.”
“Yes.”
He answered immediately.
That removed some of my anger.
Not enough.
“You put my name in documents without telling me.”
“Yes.”
“You ran a background check.”
“Yes.”
“You arranged my agency assignment.”
“Yes.”
“Do you understand how disturbing this sounds?”
“Yes.”
“Stop agreeing so efficiently.”
He almost smiled.
I did not.
My agency suspended me pending clarification.
Not fired.
Suspended.
Fair.
A nurse implicated in a billionaire criminal-family trust needed investigation.
But emotionally?
I wanted to throw something.
Gabriel said:
“I can issue a statement.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because ‘mafia boss says nurse innocent’ is not the credibility boost you imagine.”
Luca coughed to hide a laugh.
Gabriel glared.
I continued:
“We release documents through attorneys.”
“Original trust.”
“Yes.”
“Medical findings.”
“Only what your doctors approve.”
“Evidence of the forged version.”
“Yes.”
“And then?”
“I go somewhere private.”
Gabriel’s face changed.
“You’re leaving.”
“I am not your employee anymore.”
“You’re my medical advocate.”
“Temporarily, because you secretly appointed me.”
His jaw tightened.
I stepped closer.
“Do not turn gratitude into ownership.”
That landed.
Hard.
He looked away.
“Fine.”
Then:
“Security.”
“No.”
“Elena.”
“I will accept hospital security and police coordination if there’s a specific threat.”
“I have specific enemies.”
“That is not the same as a specific threat to me.”
He hated it.
But nodded.
Progress.
The original trust documents were released to investigators and corporate counsel.
They clearly showed I did not inherit Gabriel’s companies.
My role was limited.
Temporary.
Medical.
No financial benefit beyond standard fiduciary fees I had never accepted.
Digital analysis showed the leaked document had been altered.
Metadata pointed to Ethan’s firm.
The narrative began shifting.
Then something unexpected happened.
The fourth nurse came forward voluntarily.
Her name was Jasmine Reed.
She provided video from her own phone.
Gabriel feverish.
Disoriented.
Apologizing minutes after grabbing her.
She also showed medication records that did not match the official chart.
Another piece.
Then Jasmine said:
“There’s someone else you need to talk to.”
“Who?”
“The pharmacist.”
The private clinic used an outside compounding pharmacy.
A pharmacist there had questioned Gabriel’s prescriptions.
His name:
Noah Price.
He met investigators that afternoon.
He brought copies.
According to Noah, someone using Dr. Vale’s credentials ordered unusual medication changes after Gabriel’s procedure.
Not lethal doses.
Nothing obvious.
But enough sedating medication to worsen confusion in a severely infected patient.
Who submitted the orders?
Digital fax cover:
Ethan Ward’s office.
Not Vincent.
Ethan had not simply planned legal incapacity.
He had actively manipulated Gabriel’s post-operative care.
Still not proof he wanted death.
But proof he wanted impairment.
Then police called Sofia.
They had found Ethan’s Lake Geneva house.
Empty.
But there was blood in the kitchen.
Sofia went pale.
“Whose?”
Testing pending.
Then Luca received a message from an unknown number.
Photograph.
Vincent.
Tied to a chair.
Face bruised.
Alive.
Text:
HE WAS ALWAYS EXPENDABLE.
Another:
BRING SOFIA TO THE OLD MORETTI CLINIC IF YOU WANT HIM BACK.
Gabriel stared.
May you like
Ethan had taken Vincent.
The conspirator had become the hostage.
