Chapter 6: The Medical Report
For several seconds, the house was completely silent.
Marcus held the medical report in one hand and the envelope in the other.
He read the name again.
Vanessa Hayes.
The handwriting was unmistakable.
"Why was she listed as Elena's emergency contact?"" he asked.
Rachel shook her head.
"She wasn't supposed to be.""
Patricia took the report and examined it carefully.
"This document could be important, but we need the original medical records before drawing conclusions.""
Marcus looked at Rachel.
"Tell me exactly what happened that night.""
Rachel closed her eyes.
"It was around nine thirty. Elena called me and said she wasn't feeling well. She asked me to come to the hospital.""
"Why didn't she call me?""
"She said you were taking Maya home because Maya had a fever.""
Marcus remembered.
He had been driving Maya home when his phone battery died.
By the time he reached the house, he had found a message from the hospital.
But the message had simply said that Elena was resting comfortably.
He had called back the next morning.
And that was when he learned she had died.
"Who gave you the message?"" he asked.
Rachel looked miserable.
"Vanessa.""
Marcus felt something inside him break.
"Vanessa told me Elena was stable.""
Rachel nodded.
"She told me the doctors had everything under control. She said you shouldn't come back because Maya needed rest.""
"Why would I believe her?""
"Because she said the hospital had asked her to relay the message.""
Patricia placed the report on the table.
"Was Vanessa at the hospital that night?""
Rachel nodded.
"Yes.""
"Did you see her?""
"I saw her leaving Elena's room. She was carrying a black handbag.""
Marcus frowned.
"What did she say?""
Rachel swallowed.
"She told me Elena had asked her to look after you and Maya.""
Marcus stared at his sister.
"Did you believe her?""
"I didn't know what else to believe.""
He walked away from the table.
For three years, he had carried the memory of Elena's final hours as one of the most painful experiences of his life.
He had believed he wasn't there because he was taking care of their daughter.
Now he wondered whether someone had deliberately kept him away.
Patricia interrupted his thoughts.
"Marcus, we need to be careful. The report you received is a copy. Someone may be trying to manipulate you.""
"Then let's get the original.""
"I can request it through the proper legal channels.""
"Do it today.""
Patricia nodded.
"And don't confront Vanessa again until we know more.""
Marcus laughed without humor.
"She is living in my house with my daughter.""
"Then make sure Maya is never alone with her.""
Marcus looked toward the staircase.
"I already intend to do that.""
At lunchtime, Maya came downstairs.
She was holding a small notebook decorated with pink stars.
"Daddy?""
Marcus immediately softened.
"Come here, sweetheart.""
She climbed into his lap.
"Can I ask something?""
"Anything.""
"Did Mommy know she was going to die?""
Marcus glanced at Rachel.
The question caught him off guard.
"Why are you asking?""
Maya opened the notebook.
Inside were several drawings.
One showed Elena holding her hand. Another showed the pink bicycle beneath a yellow sun.
"I remember Mommy telling me she was going on a long trip.""
Marcus swallowed.
"Yes, sweetheart. She wanted you to know she loved you, even when she couldn't be with you.""
Maya looked at the drawing.
"Did she know Vanessa would be mean to me?""
Marcus had no answer.
He brushed Maya's hair away from her face.
"Your mother trusted people to be kind. Sometimes people disappoint us.""
Maya nodded.
Then she reached into the notebook and removed a folded piece of paper.
"I found this behind my bedroom drawer.""
Marcus unfolded it.
It was a small note.
My little sunshine,
If you ever feel that nobody understands you, remember that you are never responsible for someone else's anger.
You are allowed to be happy.
You are allowed to miss me.
And you are always worthy of love.
Mommy.
Marcus pressed the paper against his chest.
"Where did you find this?""
"Behind the drawer. Vanessa said she was cleaning my room and must have forgotten it.""
Rachel exchanged a look with Patricia.
Marcus noticed.
"What?""
Rachel spoke quietly.
"Vanessa cleaned Maya's room the day after Elena died. She removed almost everything that belonged to her.""
Maya looked up.
"She told me Mommy's things made the house look sad.""
Marcus closed his eyes.
He had allowed that woman to erase pieces of Elena's memory from their home.
And his daughter had been left to remember her mother in secret.
That evening, Patricia received a call from the hospital's legal department.
She put it on speaker.
A records administrator explained that the original emergency-contact form had been changed twelve days before Elena's death.
The request had been submitted electronically.
The account used to make the change belonged to Daniel Whitmore.
Marcus leaned forward.
"Can you tell us who approved it?""
The administrator hesitated.
"There was a second authorization.""
"Whose?""
A pause.
Then the answer came.
"Elena Hayes.""
Marcus frowned.
"That's impossible. She was in intensive care at that time.""
The administrator continued.
"The document was signed digitally, but the hospital has a scanned copy of the supporting authorization.""
Patricia asked them to send it immediately.
A few minutes later, an email arrived.
Patricia opened the attachment.
The document contained Elena's name.
Her signature.
And a handwritten statement:
I authorize Vanessa Hayes to receive medical information and make decisions on my behalf if my husband cannot be reached.
Marcus stared at it.
"Elena never told me this.""
Rachel examined the signature.
"It's hers.""
Marcus looked at Patricia.
"Could she have signed it?""
"Possibly. But we need to verify the date and circumstances.""
Patricia enlarged the document.
There was a small detail in the bottom corner.
A witness signature.
Daniel Whitmore.
Marcus pushed his chair back.
"He was there when she signed it?""
Patricia shook her head.
"We don't know that. But he certified that he witnessed it.""
Rachel suddenly covered her mouth.
"What?""
She pointed to the date.
"Marcus, look.""
The form had been signed on October 14.
But Elena had been unconscious in the intensive care unit since October 12.
Nobody spoke.
Then Marcus's phone rang.
It was an unknown number.
He answered.
"Hello?""
A man's voice came through.
"Mr. Hayes. I think it's time we stopped pretending we don't know each other.""
Marcus recognized the voice from the recording.
Daniel.
"What do you want?""
"Your wife left behind some things that don't belong to you.""
Marcus stood.
"They belong to my daughter.""
Daniel laughed softly.
"Your daughter has no idea what her mother did.""
"Then tell me.""
There was a pause.
Daniel's voice dropped.
"Elena wasn't trying to protect Maya from Vanessa, Marcus.""
Marcus gripped the phone.
"What are you talking about?""
"She was trying to protect Maya from you.""
Marcus felt the blood drain from his face.
"Explain yourself.""
Daniel gave a quiet laugh.
"Ask Patricia what happened to the first version of Elena's will.""
Marcus turned toward the attorney.
Patricia's expression had changed.
She looked as though she had just recognized a name she desperately wished she had never heard.
Daniel spoke one final sentence.
"And while you're asking questions, ask your lawyer why she signed the document that made Vanessa your daughter's legal guardian.""
The call ended.
Marcus slowly lowered the phone.
He looked at Patricia.
"Is it true?""
Patricia didn't answer.
Instead, she opened her briefcase, removed a sealed legal envelope, and placed it on the table.
"There's something Elena made me promise never to show you unless you found the original key.""
Marcus stared at the envelope.
"What is it?""
May you like
Patricia looked at him.
"The document that explains why Elena was afraid of what would happen if you ever learned the truth about Maya's birth.""
