Chapter 5: The Woman Beside His Bed
“GET HER AWAY FROM ME!””
Nathan's voice cracked through the hospital room.
Claire stepped between the bed and the nurse.
“Stop!””
Vanessa Cole froze beside the medication trolley.
She was wearing pale blue scrubs, a surgical mask, and a hospital identification badge.
Her dark hair was tied into a neat bun.
She looked nothing like the woman in the photographs.
“Mrs. Bennett,” she said calmly.
“Your husband is confused. That's expected after what he's been through.””
Nathan gripped Claire's hand.
“She's not a nurse.””
Vanessa sighed.
“Mr. Bennett, please. You're frightening your wife.””
Claire stared at the badge.
“Why is your name on that photograph?””
Vanessa's eyes flickered.
“What photograph?””
“The one from the storage unit. You were standing with Daniel.””
Vanessa placed the medication tray down.
“I don't know what you're talking about.””
Nathan tried to sit up.
“Claire, don't listen to her.””
Vanessa reached for the IV line.
Claire slapped her hand away.
“DON'T TOUCH HIM!””
The door opened.
Dr. Hayes rushed inside, followed by a security officer.
“What is happening?””
Claire pointed at Vanessa.
“She came in here, and Nathan recognized her. He says she's not a nurse.””
Vanessa looked offended.
“This is ridiculous. I'm assigned to this patient's care.””
Dr. Hayes examined her badge.
Then he looked toward the computer terminal.
“Your name isn't on today's nursing schedule.””
Vanessa went still.
The security officer stepped forward.
“Ma'am, I need you to come with me.””
She lifted her hands.
“There's been a mistake.””
Nathan stared at her.
“You killed my brother.””
Everyone stopped.
Claire turned toward him.
“Your brother?””
Nathan's breathing became uneven.
Vanessa's face had lost all color.
The security officer grabbed her arm.
“Let's go.””
But Vanessa suddenly pulled away.
She shoved the medication trolley toward the doorway and ran.
The officer chased her into the corridor.
A second security guard intercepted her near the elevators.
Within seconds, she was on the floor, shouting that she was being assaulted.
Claire barely heard her.
She was staring at Nathan.
“Your brother?””
Nathan closed his eyes.
“I need to tell you everything.””
Claire sat beside him.
“Then tell me.””
He looked toward the doorway to make sure Vanessa was gone.
Then he whispered:
“Daniel didn't start this. My brother did.””
Claire felt the room tilt.
“Nathan, you don't have a brother.””
He turned toward her.
“Yes, I do.””
A tear slid down his temple.
“His name is Michael.””
Twenty minutes later, Detective Rebecca Lawson arrived.
She entered the room carrying a folder.
“I heard we had an attempted medication incident.””
Nathan nodded weakly.
“Detective, I need to tell you something.””
Rebecca pulled a chair closer.
“I'm listening.””
Nathan looked at Claire.
“Michael Bennett died when I was seventeen.””
Claire remembered Nathan mentioning a brother once, years ago.
But he had never spoken about him in detail.
“What happened?”” she asked.
Nathan swallowed.
“Our parents owned a construction company. Michael was three years older than me. He was supposed to inherit it.””
“What went wrong?””
Nathan looked down.
“He stole money. A lot of it. When our father discovered what he'd done, Michael disappeared.””
Margaret, who had entered quietly with Ellie, stopped at the doorway.
“Nathan?””
He looked up.
“Mom.””
Margaret rushed to his bedside.
“My baby.””
He squeezed her hand.
“I'm sorry.””
She began crying.
“Don't you ever scare me like that again.””
Nathan gave a weak smile.
Then his expression darkened.
“Mom, Michael is alive.””
Margaret pulled back.
“No.””
“I saw him.””
Margaret shook her head.
“That's impossible. We buried him.””
Nathan stared at her.
“No. We buried someone else.””
Rebecca leaned forward.
“Mr. Bennett, are you saying your brother faked his death?””
Nathan nodded.
“Years ago, he arranged an accident. My father believed he was dead. The company was eventually dissolved. I started a new one under my own name.””
“Why didn't you report him?””
“Because I had no proof.””
Claire felt her heart beating faster.
“And Daniel?””
Nathan exhaled.
“Daniel is Michael's son.””
Silence filled the room.
Margaret sank into a chair.
“No…”
Nathan continued.
“He changed his surname when he was young. Michael raised him under a different identity. I didn't know who he was when I hired him.””
Rebecca wrote something down.
“Then how did you find out?””
“Six months ago, I found an old photograph in my father's files. Daniel was standing beside Michael. Same face. Same scar.””
Claire remembered the photograph.
The man in the background.
The man Daniel had been standing beside.
Nathan closed his eyes.
“I confronted Daniel. He denied everything.””
“And then?”” Rebecca asked.
“He began moving money out of the company. I discovered he'd been using fake suppliers and shell accounts. When I threatened to report him, he told me I was going to regret it.””
Claire gripped Nathan's hand.
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Because he knew where you and Ellie lived.””
Nathan's eyes filled.
“I thought if I kept you out of it, you'd be safe.””
Claire's voice broke.
“You left me alone to plan your funeral.””
“I know.””
“I told our daughter you were never coming home.””
“I know, Claire.””
“You have no idea what that did to her.””
Nathan looked toward Ellie.
She was sitting beside Margaret, holding Mr. Buttons.
“Can she come closer?””
Claire nodded.
Ellie approached the bed.
“Daddy?””
Nathan opened his arms as far as the medical equipment allowed.
“Come here, princess.””
Ellie climbed carefully onto the edge of the bed.
Nathan kissed her forehead.
“I missed you.””
Ellie touched his cheek.
“Why did you sleep for so long?””
Nathan looked at Claire.
He struggled to find an answer.
“Daddy got hurt.””
“Did you dream?””
He nodded.
“I dreamed about you.””
Ellie smiled.
“Did I bring you home?””
Nathan's eyes filled.
“Yes, baby.””
He kissed her tiny hand.
“You brought me home.””
Later that afternoon, Detective Lawson questioned Nathan privately.
Claire waited outside with Margaret and Ellie.
When Rebecca emerged, her expression was serious.
“Mrs. Bennett, we have a problem.””
Claire stood.
“What now?””
“Daniel has disappeared.””
“Disappeared?””
“He hasn't been at his home or office. His phone is switched off.””
“What about Vanessa?””
“She's been detained for questioning. She had no authorization to access your husband's medical records.””
“Can she be charged?””
“We're investigating.””
Rebecca opened her folder.
“There's also something concerning about the death certificate.””
Claire's stomach tightened.
“What?””
“The doctor who signed it, Dr. Evan Morris, no longer works at the hospital listed in the records.””
“Where is he?””
“His last known address is vacant.””
Margaret looked horrified.
“Are you saying he helped them?””
“We're not making that conclusion yet.””
Rebecca continued.
“However, the medical examiner's original report contains inconsistencies. The identification photographs don't match the description of Nathan's injuries.””
Claire stared.
“Then whose body was in that casket?””
Rebecca didn't answer immediately.
“We're working on that.””
Claire felt sick.
For six days, she had mourned a man who might not even have been her husband.
“Detective, I need the truth.””
“So do I.””
Rebecca handed her a card.
“Keep this number. If anyone approaches you or Ellie, call me immediately.””
Claire nodded.
Then Rebecca lowered her voice.
“One more thing. We found a recording on your husband's company laptop.””
“What recording?””
“A conversation between Daniel and someone named Michael.””
Nathan's brother.
“Can I hear it?””
“Not yet. We need to verify its authenticity.””
Rebecca paused.
“But there's something you should know.””
“What?””
“Michael appears to be the person who arranged the false death certification.””
Claire looked toward Nathan's room.
“Why would he want Nathan dead?””
Rebecca met her eyes.
“Because your husband was about to transfer control of the company.””
“To whom?””
“Your daughter.””
Claire went still.
Rebecca nodded.
“Apparently, Nathan had arranged for Ellie to become the majority beneficiary of the company's controlling shares when she turned eighteen.””
Claire understood.
Daniel couldn't steal the company while Nathan remained alive and in control.
But if Nathan died, the trust would become vulnerable.
And if Claire lost custody of Ellie, the entire arrangement could be manipulated.
It was a plan that reached far beyond a stolen bank account.
It was a plan to control a child's future.
That evening, Claire returned to the hospital room.
Nathan was awake.
The lights were dim.
He looked exhausted.
She sat beside him.
“Rebecca told me about the recording.””
Nathan nodded.
“Did she tell you about Michael?””
“Yes.””
He stared at the ceiling.
“I should have told you years ago.””
“Why didn't you?””
“Because I was ashamed.””
“Of what?””
Nathan turned toward her.
“When Michael disappeared, I knew he had stolen from our family. But I also knew my father had been cruel to him. He treated him like a disappointment. I kept thinking maybe if I'd helped him, things would have been different.””
Claire softened slightly.
“Nathan…”
“I thought Daniel was different. When he came to work for me, he was brilliant. Ambitious. He reminded me of Michael when we were young.””
He swallowed.
“I wanted to believe he'd chosen a better life.””
Claire took his hand.
“What happened the night of the accident?””
Nathan's face changed.
“I was supposed to meet Vanessa.””
Claire sat straighter.
“Why?””
“She called me. She said she had documents proving Michael was alive and that Daniel was planning something involving Ellie.””
“What did you do?””
“I went to the meeting.””
“Where?””
“An underground parking garage near Midtown.””
Claire felt a chill.
“What happened?””
“I saw Vanessa standing beside a car. She handed me an envelope.””
Nathan closed his eyes.
“I opened it. Inside were photographs of Michael. Old bank accounts. Medical records.””
“And then?””
“I heard footsteps.””
He began breathing faster.
“Daniel came out from behind a pillar.””
Claire squeezed his hand.
“What did he say?””
Nathan's voice dropped.
“He said I should have listened to our father.””
Claire leaned closer.
“Then what?””
“He hit me.””
Nathan paused.
“I fell. I remember smelling something sweet. Like chemicals.””
He swallowed.
“Then everything went black.””
Claire covered her mouth.
“Did you see Michael?””
Nathan nodded.
“He was standing behind Daniel.””
Claire's blood ran cold.
“What did he look like?””
Nathan stared at her.
“Exactly like the man in the old family photographs.””
“Did he say anything?””
Nathan's eyes filled.
“He said, 'You took everything from me, little brother.''”
Claire's phone vibrated.
She glanced at the screen.
A message from an unknown number.
This time, there was no text.
Only a photograph.
It showed Nathan lying in his hospital bed.
Taken from outside the room.
Claire jumped up.
“Nathan!””
He looked at her.
“What?””
She showed him the photograph.
His face went pale.
“That's impossible.””
“Someone is watching us.””
Nathan grabbed her hand.
“Claire, listen to me.””
“What?””
“Michael doesn't want the company anymore.””
Claire frowned.
“Then what does he want?””
Nathan's eyes shifted toward Ellie, who was asleep in Margaret's arms.
“He wants Ellie.””
At 9:18 p.m., Detective Lawson received a call from hospital security.
A man had been caught trying to enter the pediatric ward using a false identification badge.
When officers arrived, the man was gone.
But he had left something behind.
A small envelope.
Inside was a photograph of Ellie.
May you like
On the back were four handwritten words.
The real heir belongs to me.
