Chapter 9 - The Gift Bag
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The next afternoon, before the police executed the arrest warrants, Julian showed up at the hospital one last time. He walked into my room holding a shiny silver gift bag decorated with pink ribbons.
With him was Denise, the hospital social worker, whom Sarah had arranged to stay by my side at all times.
Julian’s eyes flashed with annoyance when he saw Denise sitting in the corner, but he quickly forced a sweet, grieving smile onto his face.
“Elena, sweetheart,” Julian said smoothly, placing the gift bag on the foot of my bed. “I brought something for Clara. And I wanted to check on your recovery.”
“I told you not to come back here, Julian,” I said, my voice deadpan.
Julian let out a theatrical sigh, shaking his head with faux sorrow. “Elena, please. Don't let your anger ruin our family. I know you're stressed because of your scars, but we can work through this.”
He reached into the bag and pulled out a soft, cream-colored baby blanket embroidered with the words: Daddy’s Girl.
“I bought this for her,” Julian said, holding it up for Denise to see. “I just want to be involved in my daughter's life. Is that so wrong?”
I stared at the blanket, feeling a cold knot form in my stomach.
“You don't care about Clara,” I said coldly. “You care about control. And you care about the house.”
Julian’s smile faltered for a fraction of a second. He stepped closer to my bed, lowering his voice so Denise couldn't hear.
“Sign the papers, Elena,” he hissed under his breath, his eyes darkening. “Or I swear to God, I’ll make sure you never see that baby again.”
Before I could answer, Denise stood up from her chair, holding a tape recorder in her hand.
“Mr. Bennett,” Denise said firmly. “I suggest you leave immediately. And for your information, this entire interaction has been recorded for the court.”
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Julian froze. His face turned bright red, his jaw working silently as he realized he had walked straight into a trap.
He slammed the gift bag onto the floor, turned on his heel, and stormed out of the room.
