Chapter 2 - THE SHADOW IN THE NURSERY
The words from the anonymous caller echoed in Ethan’s mind like a ticking bomb. You're raising a child that isn't even yours.
He clenched his fists so hard his knuckles turned white. His rational mind told him it was a sick ploy, a distraction generated by his business rivals or Vanessa’s desperate family to tear his marriage apart. But a seed of doubt, once planted, is a dangerous weed.
Ethan walked into the master bedroom. The room was warm, lit by a crackling fireplace. Grace was tucked beneath a heavy duvet, her face still pale but her breathing even. Dr. Harrison was packing up his equipment.
"How is she?" Ethan asked, his voice returning to its quiet, controlled baseline.
"She’s sleeping now. I gave her a mild, pregnancy-safe sedative to calm her nervous system," Dr. Harrison explained, stepping out onto the balcony with Ethan to speak privately. "Physically, she and the baby survived the shock. But Mr. Blackwood, stress can induce early labor. She needs absolute peace."
Ethan nodded, his eyes fixed on Grace’s sleeping form. "Harrison. Who else has access to Grace’s prenatal records at the clinic?"
Dr. Harrison blinked, surprised by the question. "Only myself and my head nurse, Clara. Why do you ask?"
"Run a DNA compatibility test using the blood samples you took from Grace today. Compare it to my file on record," Ethan ordered, his face expressionless. "Do it quietly. If anyone finds out, you lose your license."
Dr. Harrison gasped. "Sir, surely you don't think—"
"Just do it," Ethan snapped, turning his back on the doctor and walking back into the room.
He sat in the armchair beside Grace’s bed, watching her until the sun began to rise. When Grace finally stirred, opening her large, expressive brown eyes, she immediately reached out for him.
"Ethan..." she whispered, her voice raw.
He caught her hand, kissing her knuckles, forcing a warm smile onto his face. "I'm here, Grace. You're safe. Vanessa is gone."
Tears spilled from Grace's eyes. "She did it on purpose, Ethan. She whispered to me right before she pushed me. She said... she said I didn't belong in this family, and that she would make sure my baby never saw the light of day."
Ethan’s jaw tightened. "She will pay for what she did. I’ve already initiated a hostile takeover of Cole Industries. By noon, her father will be begging me on his knees for mercy."
Grace looked relieved, but then a sudden flash of panic crossed her face. She subconsciously pulled her hand back from Ethan's grip, tucking her arms close to her chest. It was a fleeting movement, but Ethan’s sharp eyes didn't miss it.
"Grace," Ethan said softly, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Is there something you aren't telling me?"
"No," she said quickly, a little too quickly. "I'm just tired, Ethan. I just want to forget last night."
Before Ethan could press further, his phone rang again. It was his head of security, Marcus.
"Sir, you need to come down to the security room immediately," Marcus said, his voice urgent. "We were reviewing the security footage from the pool area before Vanessa pushed Mrs. Blackwood."
"And?" Ethan demanded.
"Vanessa didn't act alone, sir. Minutes before the incident, someone slipped something into Mrs. Blackwood’s drink, which is why she was dizzy and couldn't fight back. And the person who did it... it wasn't one of Vanessa's people. It was someone from inside your inner circle."
Ethan felt a cold chill run down his spine. He looked at Grace, who had fallen back into a restless sleep. He walked out of the room and sprinted down to the security bunker in the basement.
Marcus played the footage on the massive monitors. The camera zoomed in on the bar area twenty minutes before the incident. Grace was seen reaching for a glass of sparkling water. A woman in a dark maid's uniform walked past, casually dropping a tiny white tablet into the glass.
"Trace her," Ethan growled.
"We already did, sir," Marcus said grimly. "Her name is Maria. She’s been with your family for five years. But we went to her quarters just now..."
"And?"
"She's dead, Mr. Blackwood. Poisoned in her own bed. And she left a note." Marcus handed Ethan a piece of paper sealed in a plastic evidence bag.
May you like
Ethan read the handwritten words, and his heart stopped.
I'm sorry, Mr. Blackwood. I had to do it. Grace threatened to kill my family if I didn't help her fake the miscarriage. She never wanted your baby.
