Chapter 10 - The Woman Who Refused to Disappear
Emily Carter had never believed she was brave.
She had spent most of her life surviving.
Working long hours. Paying medical bills. Caring for her mother until the final difficult months of her life.
But when two unfamiliar orderlies entered her hospital room without checking her chart, she noticed something wrong.
One wore expensive leather shoes.
The other had a tattoo on his wrist that matched a sketch in her mother's notebook.
Emily recognized it immediately.
Victor Grimaldi's private security emblem.
“Time for your transfer,” the taller man said.
“My doctor didn't mention a transfer.”
“Last-minute decision.”
Emily smiled weakly.
“Could I use the bathroom first?”
The men exchanged glances.
Then the taller one nodded.
Emily entered the bathroom and locked the door.
She pulled the emergency cord and slipped her phone from her robe pocket.
Nicholas had given her Luca's number.
She called.
No signal.
The men's voices grew louder outside.
Emily looked around desperately.
A small window sat above the sink.
It opened toward a service courtyard.
She climbed onto the counter and pushed.
Cold air rushed inside.
The window was barely large enough, but Emily squeezed through and dropped onto a narrow maintenance platform.
Her knees buckled.
Pain shot through her legs.
She gripped the railing and forced herself upright.
A maintenance worker spotted her moments later and helped her into a locked supply room.
Emily borrowed his phone.
This time, the call connected.
“Nicholas?”
His voice came instantly.
“Emily! Where are you?”
“Hospital maintenance wing. Someone tried to take me.”
“Stay hidden. I'm coming.”
Emily pressed her forehead against the wall.
“Nicholas, there's something I haven't told you.”
“What?”
“My mother didn't just leave me a notebook.”
She swallowed.
“She left me a bank deposit box.”
Nicholas was silent.
“Inside was a recording.”
“Of whom?”
“Your father.”
Emily closed her eyes.
“He knew Isabella was alive.”
May you like
Then she revealed the part that frightened her most.
“And he said the person who could prove everything was you.”
