Chapter 12 - The Glass Fortress
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Within fifteen minutes, the flashing red and blue lights of emergency vehicles illuminated the rain-slicked driveway of the estate.
Paramedics rushed into the foyer with a neck brace and a hard backboard. They worked with urgent precision, stabilizing Rosa’s head, placing an oxygen mask over her face, and carefully lifting her onto a stretcher.
"She has a severe basal skull fracture, multiple broken ribs, and massive internal trauma," the lead paramedic informed Fernando. "She’s in critical condition. We need to transport her to the trauma center immediately."
"Take her to the St. Jude Memorial Hospital," Fernando ordered firmly, handing the medic his black credit card. "Call the chief of surgery. I want the best specialists in the country in her operating room. Spare no expense."
As the paramedics wheeled the stretcher out into the pouring rain, two police officers remained in the foyer to take a formal statement.
Valeria stood close to Fernando, leaning heavily against his arm, playing the role of the traumatized, fragile wife to perfection.
"Officer," Valeria said, dabbing at her dry eyes with a silk tissue. "It was all my fault for letting her work today. She was sixty-eight years old, you see. Her balance was terrible. She slipped on the top stair and tumbled all the way down. It was a complete accident."
The senior officer noted the details down in his notepad, looking around at the steep, slick marble staircase.
"It happens quite often with elderly domestic workers on polished stone," the officer remarked sympathetically. "We’ll file this as a tragic accidental workplace fall."
Valeria let out a soft, relieved sigh, pressing her face against Fernando’s shoulder. She had done it. The police were closing the case before it even opened.
"Thank you, officer," Valeria murmured. "We just want to pray for her recovery..."
"Wait," a voice cut through the room.
May you like
It was Fernando.
He slowly pulled his arm away from Valeria’s grip. His tears had stopped. His face, usually warm and expressive, had hardened into a mask of cold, unyielding stone.
