Chapter 7 - The Poisoned Tea
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Later that afternoon, Clara sat in a sterile, brightly lit examination room at the local hospital.
The police had insisted on a full toxicology screening to determine exactly what Gabriel had been slipping into her nightly chamomile tea. Clara sat on the edge of the examination table, holding Violet’s small hand while a team of nurses drew blood and ran endless diagnostic tests.
Dr. Aris, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist, walked into the room holding a thick medical file. His expression was incredibly grim.
“Mrs. Linwood,” Dr. Aris said softly, taking a seat on the rolling stool. “I’ve reviewed your bloodwork and the timeline of your symptoms over the last two months.”
“Is my baby okay?” Clara asked immediately, her free hand resting protectively over her stomach.
“The fetal heartbeat is strong,” the doctor assured her quickly, offering a comforting smile. “Your baby is remarkably resilient. However, the toxicology report confirms the presence of misoprostol in your system, along with traces of an unprescribed beta-blocker. It’s a dangerous combination meant to induce contractions and spike your blood pressure.”
Clara closed her eyes, a wave of profound nausea washing over her.
“If you hadn't moved out of the house when you discovered his affair,” Dr. Aris continued gently, “if you had continued drinking that tea for even one more week... you would have undoubtedly suffered a late-term miscarriage. And given your spiked blood pressure, you likely would have suffered a severe stroke in the process. Your husband’s actions were systematically lethal.”
Clara opened her eyes, looking down at Violet, who was quietly swinging her legs on the chair beside the table.
This tiny, brave six-year-old girl hadn't just exposed an affair. She had interrupted a murder plot.
“What do we do now?” Clara asked, her voice turning to pure steel. The fear was gone, replaced entirely by a cold, calculating determination to destroy the man who had tried to kill her child.
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“Now, we document everything,” the doctor said, handing her a copy of the reports. “The police have requested these files. Gabriel Linwood is not going to walk away from this.”
“No,” Clara agreed softly. “He isn’t.”
