Chapter 6 - The Husband Arrives
The digital clock on the hospital wall flashed 5:15 AM. Outside, the storm had broken, leaving the streets slick and gray in the pre-dawn light. I was sitting outside Claire’s room, reviewing state property records on my laptop, when the heavy double doors of the ward swung open.
Daniel arrived.
He was wearing an expensive, tailored wool coat, his hair perfectly coiffed despite the early hour. He carried a massive bouquet of expensive lilies in one hand, playing the role of the frantic, loving husband to absolute perfection. But beneath the polished veneer, his eyes burned with barely contained fury.
He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw me standing between the hallway and Claire’s door.
"Where is my wife?" he demanded, stepping forward to peer around me.
"She gets confused," he said smoothly, addressing a passing nurse before turning his attention back to me. "She had a terrible fall down the stairs. I need to see her."
I stepped directly into his path, blocking the doorway entirely.
"She isn't seeing anyone," I said flatly. "Especially not the man who put her in this bed."
Daniel sighed, a condescending sound meant to make me feel small. "Don't be dramatic. It was an accident. Move aside."
"If it was an accident," I replied, crossing my arms, "then you won’t mind a thorough police investigation. They’re already filing the preliminary report."
His polite mask slipped, revealing the predator beneath. His smile sharpened into a sneer, and he leaned in close, towering over me.
"You think you can stop me?" he whispered. "You think your little spreadsheets and your boring desk job make you dangerous?"
May you like
I thought about the encrypted file I had just saved, containing high-resolution photos of Claire’s injuries.
"No," I said, looking him dead in the eye without blinking. "Men like you make spreadsheets dangerous."
