Chapter 4 - THE BLOODLINE OF SNAKES|
The words hung in the sterile air like a nightmare I couldn't wake up from.
"My family?" I echoed, my throat tight. "That's impossible. My parents died years ago. I only have my sister, Clara, and my uncle, Richard."
Marcus pulled up a digital chart on his tablet and handed it to me. "Uncle Richard’s firm, Prescott & Vance Logistics, was facing bankruptcy six months ago. But three weeks ago, a massive influx of capital saved them from liquidation. The source? Erebus Holdings."
My blood ran cold.
Uncle Richard had been the one who introduced me to Adrian at a charity gala two years ago. He had practically orchestrated our romance, praising Adrian as a rising star in real estate finance.
“He’s a good man, Hannah,” Richard had told me on my wedding day, wiping away a fake tear. “He’ll take care of you forever.”
He wasn't trying to set me up with a husband. He was putting a hitman in my bed.
The ICU door squeaked open again.
Nurse Sarah walked in with a tray of medication, but her eyes avoided mine. She seemed strangely fidgety, her hands trembling as she prepared a syringe from a clear glass vial.
"Time for your pain medication, Hannah," she said smoothly, her voice a fraction too high.
I watched her fingers. My years as an auditor had taught me to catch tiny irregularities in human behavior. Sarah had worked the night shift for three days, and she always double-checked my patient bracelet before administering any IV line.
This time, she didn't check my bracelet.
"What is that?" I asked, keeping my tone neutral.
May you like
"Just your standard morphine drip," Sarah replied, taking a step toward my IV port.
"Detective Marcus," I called out sharply, without taking my eyes off the syringe. "Hold her."
