Chapter 6 - The Boston FacilityThree weeks later, the private medical facility in Boston overlooking the harbor felt worlds away from Wellington Street.
Clara sat propped up in a plush hospital bed, wearing a soft cashmere cardigan provided by Samuel. Her breathing was steady, her color returning slowly to her cheeks. Emma and Lily sat at the foot of the bed, excitedly coloring in brand-new sketchbooks while eating organic strawberries supplied by the hospital’s private chef.
Samuel stood by the window, watching the harbor sailboats glide across the blue water.
A soft knock sounded at the door.
Marcus entered quietly, stepping over to Samuel and handing him an encrypted tablet. "Boss, you need to see this. Richard Sterling executed his move on the board this morning."
Samuel looked at the screen. The video feed showed Richard standing at the head of the boardroom table in New York, proudly announcing a vote of no confidence against Samuel Andrews.
A thin, cold smile touched Samuel’s lips. "Did Marcus play the recording?"
"Played it right before the final vote," Marcus grinned. "Richard’s face turned the color of paste when the federal prosecutor's voice came over the boardroom speakers announcing his indictment for corporate espionage and stock manipulation."
"Good," Samuel murmured, locking the tablet screen. "Let him rot."
He turned back toward the room, where Clara was watching him with a complex expression of awe and hesitation.
"You're fighting a war on two fronts, Samuel," Clara said softly, sending Emma and Lily out to the adjacent playroom with a nurse. "Your empire in New York is falling apart because of me."
"My empire is fine, Clara," Samuel walked over, pulling a chair up beside her bed. "And even if it weren't, none of it matters compared to you and the girls."
Clara looked down at her hands, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Why didn't you write, Samuel? Even once?"
Samuel closed his eyes, a wave of bitter memory washing over him. "Because... I was ashamed. When I left here, I had nothing. I slept on subway floors for six months trying to fund my first startup. I swore I wouldn't call Maria or you until I was a millionaire. By the time I made my first million, I was so addicted to building walls that I forgot how to open a door. And then... Maria stopped calling."
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Clara looked up, her eyes wide. "Maria didn't stop calling you willingly, Samuel."
Samuel frowned. "What do you mean?"
