Chapter 10 - The Overconfident Smirk
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By nine o'clock the following morning, Mark returned to the hospital.
He was wearing a fresh custom suit, carrying a large bouquet of white lilies, and sporting a warm, concerned smile aimed entirely at the morning medical staff. He didn't know that Rachel had already secured a temporary emergency restraining order, but she had instructed security to let him walk up to the door to capture his final, arrogant moves on camera.
He knocked gently and stepped into my room, setting the flowers on the window sill.
"Good morning, darling," Mark said smoothly, keeping his distance from the bed but projecting his voice for the benefit of a nurse updating my IV drip. "How are your legs feeling today? The doctor told me the paralysis might be permanent if the swelling doesn't subside."
I looked at him, deliberately loosening my facial muscles to appear weak, drained, and defeated.
"The doctor says it's... uncertain," I murmured, letting my eyelids droop.
Mark turned to the nurse with an expression of deep, tragic empathy. "It breaks my heart to see her like this. I've taken full leave from my duties so I can manage her affairs and keep the stress off her mind."
The nurse gave a tight, polite nod and quickly exited the room, closing the door behind her.
The moment the latch clicked, Mark’s compassionate smile evaporated into a grotesque sneer.
He leaned against the footboard of my bed, crossing his arms. "By noon today, the board of directors will convene for an emergency meeting. I’ve already emailed them a copy of your signed proxy."
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"I never signed a proxy, Mark," I whispered.
"They don't know that," he smirked, reaching into his pocket to adjust his silk tie. "A digital signature is very easy to replicate from old contracts."
