Chapter 6 - THE DOCTOR WANTED TO EXAMINE MY DAUGHTER TOO
I called Nolan Pierce from the hotel.
Not my attorney.
Not Serena.
Me.
His receptionist answered.
“Pierce Behavioral Health.”
“This is Amelia Vance.”
Silence.
Then:
“One moment.”
Nolan came onto the line.
“Amelia.”
He sounded far too calm.
“Where is my daughter?”
“With her father.”
“Is she in your office?”
Another pause.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Julian is concerned about her emotional well-being.”
I nearly crushed the phone.
“You helped him take her from Thailand while I was drugged.”
“I did no such thing.”
“You wrote a medical report claiming you examined me.”
“I signed a professional assessment based on collateral information.”
“You wrote that you saw me.”
He stopped.
Good.
“Did Julian ask you to evaluate Maya?”
“He asked me to speak with her.”
“Do not.”
“Amelia—”
“No.”
My voice surprised even me.
“You have never treated my child. You have no consent from me. My attorney will contact you.”
Then I hung up.
Rebecca already had.
Within the hour, Nolan’s office confirmed in writing that no examination of Maya would occur.
Julian left furious.
But the attempt mattered.
Why did he need a doctor to speak to Maya?
Then Maya answered the question herself.
A child-welfare officer contacted Rebecca after speaking briefly with her.
Maya was safe.
Confused.
Tired.
She asked for me.
I nearly collapsed when I heard her voice over a supervised call.
“Mommy?”
“I’m here.”
“Where are you?”
“Still at the hotel.”
“Daddy said you wanted to stay.”
My eyes closed.
“No, sweetheart.”
“Grandma said you needed rest.”
“I’m okay.”
Then Maya whispered:
“They told me not to make you upset.”
I swallowed my anger.
“What else did they tell you?”
A pause.
“That you signed the papers.”
My heart stopped.
“What papers?”
“I don’t know.”
“Did Daddy show you something?”
“Yes.”
“What?”
“A house.”
I frowned.
“What house?”
“The one we’re moving to.”
I looked at Rebecca.
She was already typing.
“Maya, where?”
“Grandma’s.”
Of course.
Then my daughter said something that froze everyone on the call.
“Daddy said after your birthday, the house would be ours because Grandpa left me the money.”
Julian had told our eight-year-old daughter about the trust.
May you like
And according to Maya, he believed her grandfather’s money would soon belong to her.
Not me.
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