Chapter 8 - WHITE ROSES
Margaret entered the room as if she owned the hospital.
She probably owned part of it.
Vivian stepped away.
Margaret placed the white roses on the table.
“I heard there was an accident.”
Emily watched her closely.
“An accident?”
“So I was told.”
“Noah saw Vivian push me.”
Margaret looked toward Vivian.
“How unpleasant.”
Vivian laughed.
“That’s your reaction?”
“I prefer facts before emotion.”
“You prefer control before facts.”
Margaret removed her gloves.
“Emily, I think Vivian should leave.”
Emily stared at her mother-in-law.
“She says you paid Marcus two million dollars.”
For the first time, Margaret’s expression cracked.
Only slightly.
“That is company business.”
“She says Dad left me voting shares.”
Margaret’s eyes sharpened.
“Who told you that?”
There it was.
Not What are you talking about?
Who told you?
Emily felt her stomach tighten.
“So it’s true.”
Margaret looked at Vivian with pure contempt.
“You’ve done enough damage.”
Vivian stepped forward.
“Tell her why Richard gave her the shares.”
Margaret said nothing.
“Tell her.”
“Get out.”
Vivian smiled.
“You’re scared.”
Margaret’s voice remained calm.
“I don’t scare easily.”
“You should.”
Vivian turned to Emily.
“Ask her about June 14, five years ago.”
Margaret’s face changed.
Daniel’s father had died June 14.
Emily whispered, “What happened June 14?”
Margaret looked at Vivian.
“Leave.”
Vivian backed toward the door.
“I’ll leave.”
She pointed at Margaret.
“But don’t drink anything she brings you.”
Margaret’s face hardened.
Vivian disappeared into the hall.
Noah crawled onto Emily’s bed.
Margaret sighed.
“What a vulgar woman.”
Emily almost laughed.
“She pushed me into a pool and somehow ‘vulgar’ is what bothers you?”
“I’m trying to protect this family.”
“From what?”
“Scandal.”
“My husband slept with her.”
“Yes.”
Emily stared.
“You knew?”
Margaret did not answer quickly enough.
“You knew.”
“I suspected.”
“For eight months?”
“Daniel is a grown man.”
“And I’m your daughter-in-law.”
“You are also an adult.”
Emily’s eyes burned.
Margaret lowered her voice.
“This is why Richard left you those shares.”
Emily froze.
“Why?”
“Because he believed Daniel was weak.”
Noah looked confused.
Margaret continued.
“Richard loved his son. But he knew Daniel’s greatest weakness was needing to be loved.”
Emily felt that truth land hard.
“So he trusted me?”
“He trusted your judgment.”
“Why didn’t anyone tell me?”
“Richard asked that the trust remain sealed unless specific conditions occurred.”
“What conditions?”
“His death, a corporate takeover attempt, or your request.”
“I requested nothing.”
“Exactly.”
Emily stared at her.
“Who opened it?”
Margaret said nothing.
“Marcus?”
Silence.
“Why did you pay him?”
Margaret walked to the window.
“To buy back documents.”
“What documents?”
“Evidence that could destroy the company.”
“Evidence of what Richard did to Vivian’s father?”
Margaret closed her eyes.
Emily knew.
“He did it.”
“Yes.”
“How bad?”
“Bad.”
“Did Richard kill Vivian’s father?”
“No.”
“Did you?”
Margaret turned.
For the first time, anger showed.
“Be very careful.”
Emily sat straighter.
“No. I’m done being careful.”
A sudden pain tightened across her abdomen.
Emily gasped.
The fetal monitor began beeping.
Noah shouted for a nurse.
Margaret stepped toward the bed.
Emily clutched her stomach.
Another contraction hit.
Harder.
Then Emily felt warmth beneath her.
Her eyes widened.
“My water…”
A nurse rushed inside.
Margaret was pushed into the hallway.
As doctors surrounded Emily, Noah began crying.
Emily reached for him.
Then she heard one nurse say:
May you like
“The baby’s heart rate is dropping.”
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