Chapter 6: The Betrayal Behind the Hospital Door
Nobody moved.
Thomas held the visitor records in one hand.
Rebecca stood beside the hospital bed, her handbag slipping from her shoulder.
My mother held me tightly against her chest.
“Rebecca,” Thomas said slowly, “tell me she's lying.””
Rebecca's lips trembled.
“Thomas...””
“Tell me.””
She looked at Elizabeth.
Then at me.
Finally, she lowered her head.
“I didn't know what Victoria was planning.””
Thomas laughed bitterly.
“You visited Elizabeth every week for four years.””
“I was trying to help her.””
“By giving Victoria information?””
Rebecca wiped her eyes.
“I was young, frightened, and stupid. I made a terrible decision.””
Thomas threw the visitor records onto the chair.
“My brother trusted you.””
“I know.””
“He trusted you with his daughter.””
“I know!””
“Then why?””
Rebecca covered her mouth.
My mother gently moved me away from her.
“Lily, sweetheart, come sit beside me.””
I climbed onto the hospital bed.
Thomas continued staring at Rebecca.
“Start from the beginning.””
Rebecca took a shaky breath.
“Four years ago, Victoria approached me. She told me Elizabeth was unstable and that Daniel was planning to take Lily away from the family.””
Thomas frowned.
“Why would you believe that?””
“Because Victoria showed me documents.””
“What documents?””
“Medical reports. Legal papers. Statements claiming Elizabeth had voluntarily given up her parental rights.””
Elizabeth shook her head.
“Those documents were forged.””
Rebecca nodded.
“I understand that now.””
Thomas's voice became cold.
“Continue.””
“Victoria said she wanted to protect Lily. She told me Daniel was struggling financially and that Elizabeth's condition was making everything worse.””
My mother interrupted.
“That's a lie.””
Rebecca looked at her.
“I know.””
“No, you don't. You weren't there.””
Elizabeth's voice trembled with anger.
“Victoria came to this hospital and told me Daniel had abandoned us. She said he had signed papers giving her control of Lily's future.””
Thomas looked stunned.
“She told you that?””
Elizabeth nodded.
“She showed me a photograph of Daniel with another woman. She said he had started a new life.””
I felt my stomach tighten.
“Daddy wouldn't do that.””
My mother immediately held my hand.
“I know, baby.””
Rebecca began crying.
“Victoria told me the same things. She said Daniel was becoming dangerous. She said if I helped her, Lily would be safe.””
Thomas stepped closer.
“So you helped her.””
Rebecca nodded.
“I gave her Daniel's schedule. I told her when he was meeting lawyers. I told her when he planned to visit Elizabeth.””
“And the night of the accident?””
Rebecca closed her eyes.
“I told Victoria that Daniel was driving to the hospital.””
Thomas went completely still.
My mother began sobbing.
“That's why she knew.””
Rebecca shook her head desperately.
“I didn't know anyone would hurt him!””
Thomas grabbed the back of a chair.
“Did you see Victoria that night?””
Rebecca nodded.
“Yes.””
“Where?””
“At the hospital parking garage.””
Thomas stared at her.
“What was she doing there?””
“She was waiting for someone.””
“Who?””
Rebecca hesitated.
“I don't know.””
Thomas stepped forward.
“Rebecca!””
“She was arguing with a man. I heard her say that Daniel had the documents and that they needed to get them back before he reached the police.””
My mother covered her mouth.
Thomas looked at me, then back at Rebecca.
“Did you tell the police?””
Rebecca shook her head.
“No.””
“Why?””
“Victoria threatened me. She said she would make sure I lost everything. She said she had enough information to destroy my career.””
Thomas's expression became disgusted.
“So you stayed quiet.””
Rebecca nodded.
“I was afraid.””
He turned away.
For several seconds, the room was filled only with the soft beeping of the hospital monitor.
Then my mother spoke.
“There's something else.””
Thomas turned.
“What?””
Elizabeth looked toward the brass key.
“Daniel told me that the key opens a locked room beneath the old family property. He said everything Victoria had taken from us was connected to that room.””
Thomas nodded.
“We're going there.””
Elizabeth grabbed his sleeve.
“No.””
“Why?””
“Because Victoria knows you found me.””
Thomas frowned.
“How could she know?””
Elizabeth looked toward Margaret.
The administrator shifted uncomfortably.
“Mrs. Hayes has been contacting the hospital for several days.””
Thomas stared at her.
“What?””
Margaret nodded.
“She requested an update on Elizabeth's condition and asked whether any family members had visited.””
My mother closed her eyes.
“She knows.””
I looked at the door.
“Is Aunt Victoria coming here?””
Nobody answered.
Then the hospital room phone rang.
Margaret picked it up.
“Yes?””
She listened.
Her face changed.
“What do you mean she's downstairs?””
Thomas stepped forward.
“Who?””
Margaret slowly lowered the receiver.
“Victoria Hayes.””
My mother grabbed my hand.
“No.””
Thomas moved toward the door.
“I'll handle her.””
Elizabeth shook her head.
“Thomas, don't let her take Lily.””
He turned.
“She won't.””
A moment later, the door opened.
Victoria entered.
She was wearing the same fitted black mourning dress from the funeral. Her pearl earrings were perfectly positioned, and her dark waves fell neatly over her shoulders.
She looked at me first.
Then my mother.
Then the brass key.
“Well,” she said, forcing a smile.
“What a touching family reunion.””
Thomas stepped in front of the bed.
“Get out.””
Victoria ignored him.
She walked toward Elizabeth.
“You look well.””
My mother pulled me closer.
“Stay away from my daughter.””
Victoria tilted her head.
“Your daughter?””
Elizabeth's eyes flashed.
“Yes. My daughter.””
Victoria laughed softly.
“After all these years, you suddenly remember how to be a mother?””
Thomas stepped forward.
“Don't.””
Victoria turned toward him.
“You have no idea what you're dealing with.””
“I know exactly what I'm dealing with.””
“Then you should understand why I'm here.””
She extended her hand toward me.
“Lily, sweetheart, come with Aunt Victoria.””
I shook my head.
“I'm staying with Mommy.””
Victoria's smile disappeared.
“Your mother is confused.””
“She knows me.””
“She's been sick for years.””
“Stop lying!””
The words came out before I could stop them.
Everyone turned toward me.
Victoria stared.
“What did you say?””
I held the key tightly.
“Daddy loved Mommy. He didn't leave us.””
For a moment, Victoria looked almost frightened.
Then she leaned toward me.
“Your father made many mistakes, Lily.””
Thomas stepped between us.
“That's enough.””
Victoria straightened.
She opened her handbag and removed a thick legal envelope.
“I have temporary guardianship papers. Lily is coming with me.””
Thomas stared at the documents.
“Those papers are meaningless.””
“They were approved by the family court.””
“On what grounds?””
Victoria smiled.
“Her father is dead. Her mother is medically incapable of caring for her. And you, Thomas, have no legal authority over her.””
My mother tried to sit up.
“That's not true.””
Victoria turned.
“Elizabeth, please. You have caused enough trouble.””
Margaret stepped forward.
“Mrs. Hayes, I must ask you to leave.””
Victoria ignored her.
She pulled out another document.
“This is a court order.””
Thomas took it.
He examined the pages.
Then he looked up.
“Who signed this?””
Victoria smiled.
“Someone who understands what's best for Lily.””
Thomas read the final page.
His expression changed.
I watched him carefully.
“What is it?”” I asked.
He didn't answer.
Victoria reached for my hand.
“Come on, sweetheart.””
I pulled away.
“No!””
Thomas suddenly raised his voice.
“STOP.””
Victoria froze.
He held up the document.
“This order was issued three weeks ago.””
Victoria nodded.
“Exactly.””
Thomas looked toward Elizabeth.
“Three weeks ago, Lily's mother was officially declared deceased.””
My mother began shaking.
Thomas continued.
“And this document uses that declaration as the basis for giving Victoria temporary guardianship.””
Rebecca gasped.
“But Elizabeth is alive.””
Thomas nodded.
“Which means somebody knowingly submitted false information to the court.””
Victoria's face hardened.
“You don't understand the law.””
Thomas stepped closer.
“I understand fraud.””
She grabbed her handbag.
“Give me the key.””
“No.””
“Thomas, don't make me do this.””
He looked at her coldly.
“You've already done enough.””
Victoria reached toward my hand.
My mother pulled me backward.
“Don't touch her!””
For the first time, Victoria lost her composure.
“YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT DANIEL LEFT BEHIND!””
Thomas stared at her.
“Then tell us.””
Victoria's eyes moved toward the brass key.
Her voice dropped.
“Because if that room gets opened, everyone in this family will discover something they were never supposed to know.””
Thomas stepped closer.
“What is inside?””
Victoria said nothing.
Then she turned toward the door.
Before leaving, she looked at me.
“You think your father loved you enough to protect you?””
I nodded.
“He did.””
Victoria's expression twisted.
“Then ask your mother why she let him leave that night.””
My mother went completely still.
Thomas turned sharply.
“What?””
Victoria smiled.
“Ask her what she told Daniel before he drove away.””
Elizabeth's eyes filled with tears.
“Victoria, don't.””
But Victoria was already walking out.
Thomas watched her disappear.
Then he turned toward my mother.
“Elizabeth?””
She looked down at her hands.
“Thomas, I didn't want Lily to know.””
He stepped closer.
“Know what?””
Elizabeth began crying.
“The night Daniel died, he called me from the hospital parking lot.””
Thomas froze.
“What did he say?””
My mother wiped her cheeks.
“He told me he had found the evidence. He said he was coming to take us home.””
Thomas nodded slowly.
“Then what happened?””
Elizabeth looked at me.
“I told him not to come.””
My chest tightened.
“Mommy, why?””
She closed her eyes.
“Because someone had threatened Lily.””
Thomas stared at her.
“Who?””
Elizabeth reached beneath her pillow.
She pulled out a small folded piece of paper.
“I kept this because I knew one day someone would come looking for the truth.””
Thomas unfolded it.
His eyes widened.
It was a handwritten message.
*IF DANIEL COMES BACK, LILY WILL BE THE ONE WHO PAYS.*
Beneath the message was a signature.
Thomas recognized it immediately.
He looked toward the door Victoria had just walked through.
Then he whispered:
“She didn't just steal the money.””
He looked at my mother.
“She threatened Daniel's daughter to keep him quiet.””
Elizabeth shook her head.
“No, Thomas. There's something worse.””
She pointed toward the signature.
“Look at who actually sent the message.””
Thomas lowered his eyes.
And his face turned completely white.
The signature wasn't Victoria Hayes.
May you like
It belonged to someone Thomas had trusted his entire life.
*His own name was written at the bottom.*
