Chapter 13: The Woman Who Held My Mother's Hand
I called my aunt Elizabeth before I could change my mind.
She answered on the fourth ring.
“Maya?””
“Were you at the hospital the night Mom died?””
Silence.
I looked at the photograph Daniel had placed on the table.
“Answer me, Aunt Elizabeth.””
Her breathing became uneven.
“Yes.””
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“I was going to.””
“When? After two years? Five years? After I found out my mother had another daughter, my father wasn't my father, and everyone I trusted had been lying?””
“Maya, please.””
“Were you there when she died?””
“Yes.””
I closed my eyes.
“Did you kill her?””
The silence that followed was unbearable.
Then Elizabeth began crying.
“No, sweetheart. I swear I didn't.””
“Then tell me what happened.””
“I went to the hospital because Claire called me. She was terrified. She told me Robert had brought documents for you to sign, and she needed someone to help her stop him.””
I looked at Daniel.
He was listening carefully.
“What happened when you arrived?””
“Your mother was weak, but she was conscious. She asked me to take the documents away. Vanessa had left them on the bedside table.””
“Was Vanessa there?””
“Yes. She was arguing with Daniel when I entered.””
I turned toward the lawyer.
Daniel lowered his eyes.
Elizabeth continued.
“Claire told Vanessa that she knew about the fraudulent transfer. Vanessa laughed and said it was already too late. She said Robert had signed everything.””
I gripped my phone.
“What did Mom say?””
“She told Vanessa that she had made one mistake.””
“What mistake?””
“She trusted Robert to love you.””
My throat tightened.
Elizabeth paused.
“Then Claire asked me to get her medicine from the cabinet.””
I stared at the photograph.
“What medicine?””
“Her prescribed medication. She was having trouble breathing.””
“Did you give it to her?””
“Yes.””
I looked at Daniel.
He seemed suddenly alarmed.
Elizabeth continued.
“After she took it, she became confused. Her breathing grew worse. I called the nurse, but Vanessa stopped me.””
“What?””
“She told me Claire was having another episode and that I shouldn't create a scene.””
I stood abruptly.
“You let her stop you?””
“I was frightened. Robert was threatening me, and Vanessa said the hospital would blame me if I interfered with Claire's treatment.””
I felt anger rising.
“What happened next?””
“The nurse finally came. Claire was still conscious. She asked me to lean closer.””
Elizabeth's voice broke.
“She whispered, 'Tell my girls I never abandoned either of them.''”
I pressed my hand against my mouth.
“She said that?””
“Yes.””
I began crying.
For two years, I had wondered whether my mother had known how much I missed her.
Now I knew she had been thinking about me until her final moments.
Elizabeth continued.
“Then she looked at Daniel and asked him to protect the original documents.””
I turned toward him.
“What original documents?””
Daniel opened his mouth.
Elizabeth answered before he could.
“The ownership agreement. The one proving that Jonathan had transferred the company to Claire and their children.””
I looked at Rebecca.
She was crying too.
“Did Mom say anything about who hurt her?””
Elizabeth hesitated.
“Yes.””
“What?””
“She said Vanessa had switched something.””
My stomach dropped.
“Switched what?””
“Claire's medication bottle.””
The room went silent.
I looked at Daniel.
He slowly stood.
“Elizabeth, are you certain?””
“I saw Vanessa take a bottle from her handbag and place it in the cabinet. Claire noticed it immediately. She told me it wasn't hers.””
My hands began trembling.
“Did you tell the police?””
“No. Robert told me the hospital would accuse me of giving Claire the wrong medication. He said he had connections and could make sure I lost everything.””
I felt sick.
My aunt had been threatened into silence.
But there was still something I didn't understand.
“If Vanessa switched the medicine, why did the hospital record say Mom died from natural complications?””
Daniel answered quietly.
“Because the original toxicology report was never included in the final medical file.””
I turned toward him.
“You knew?””
“I suspected something was wrong. I never had the original report.””
Elizabeth suddenly spoke again.
“There was one more person in the room.””
“Who?””
“Thomas.””
I froze.
“Thomas was there?””
“Yes. He arrived shortly after I did. He and Claire argued. She accused him of keeping something from her.””
“What?””
Elizabeth swallowed.
“She said he had known about the medication switch before it happened.””
I felt my heart pounding.
“That's impossible.””
“I heard them arguing. Thomas said he had tried to stop Vanessa, but Claire didn't believe him.””
I looked at Daniel.
“Was Thomas involved?””
Daniel shook his head.
“I don't know.””
I called the hospital and requested the original records through Daniel's legal contacts.
Two hours later, we received confirmation that the hospital still possessed archived medication logs and an unprocessed laboratory report.
The report had been sealed following a request from an attorney representing the family.
Daniel's name appeared on the authorization.
I stared at him.
“Why did you seal it?””
He looked devastated.
“Robert told me the report contained private medical information. He said Claire's final wishes were to keep it confidential.””
“You believed him?””
“I was grieving. I made a terrible decision.””
“You're a lawyer, Daniel. Your job was to protect the truth.””
He nodded.
“I know.””
Rebecca stood.
“We need the original report.””
Daniel arranged for the hospital's legal department to release the archived records to the investigators.
By late afternoon, a forensic toxicologist had reviewed the document.
He called us personally.
“There is evidence of a substance in the sample that does not match the medication prescribed to Mrs. Carter.””
My heart stopped.
“Was it enough to kill her?””
“The concentration was potentially dangerous, especially given her medical condition. However, we need additional testing before reaching a definitive conclusion.””
“Can you identify who administered it?””
“No. But the medication log indicates a bottle was replaced shortly before the patient's condition deteriorated.””
I closed my eyes.
Vanessa.
It had been Vanessa.
But we still needed proof.
Then Daniel's phone rang.
The caller was a detective investigating the estate fraud.
He listened without speaking.
Finally, he looked at me.
“They found Vanessa.””
“Where?””
“At a private airfield outside the city.””
“Is she leaving?””
“Yes.””
The detective continued speaking.
Daniel's expression changed.
“What do you mean she's with Robert?””
He listened again.
Then he hung up.
“Your father is there too.””
I stood.
“Are they together?””
“No.””
Daniel looked at the photograph of my mother.
“They're trying to board separate aircraft.””
I frowned.
“Why separate?””
“Because they've both turned against each other.””
The detective called again.
This time, he put the call on speaker.
A recording played.
Vanessa's voice was unmistakable.
“You promised me the original footage was destroyed!””
Robert answered.
“I told you I destroyed the copy. I never said anything about the hospital archive.””
“You knew?””
“I knew enough to stay out of prison.””
Vanessa laughed.
“You're the one who told me to change the medication.””
There was a pause.
Then Robert replied:
“And you're the one who administered it.””
I covered my mouth.
The recording continued.
Vanessa's voice became frantic.
“You said she would simply become unconscious!””
Robert answered coldly.
“I said I didn't want another scandal.””
The recording ended.
Nobody spoke.
Daniel finally said, “That's enough to justify immediate intervention.””
I looked at him.
“Where are they?””
“Still at the airfield.””
I grabbed my coat.
“Then let's go.””
For the first time in two years, I wasn't afraid of confronting Vanessa.
I wanted her to look me in the eyes and explain why my mother had died believing her daughters would never know the truth.
But as we reached the parking lot, my phone vibrated.
A message from an unknown number.
It contained a photograph of Rebecca.
She was standing outside her apartment.
A red circle had been drawn around her face.
Below it were seven words.
*YOUR SISTER WILL PAY FOR YOUR MOTHER'S SECRETS.*
I turned toward Daniel.
“Someone knows where Rebecca lives.””
Before he could answer, Rebecca's phone rang.
She listened for three seconds.
Then her face went white.
“It's the police.””
May you like
She looked at me.
“Vanessa escaped.””
