Chapter 13 - The Desperate Blackmail
Within ten minutes, hospital security and Dr. Vance breached the operating room. Under intense questioning in the Chief's office, Nurse Amanda broke down crying, pulling out her phone to reveal text messages from Gemma’s mother, who had been instructed by Brenda to bribe hospital staff.
They wanted a patient to die under my scalpel. They wanted to pin a fatal malpractice suit on me so disastrous that no court would take my testimony seriously in the upcoming laundering trial.
"They're getting desperate," Dr. Vance said, shaking his head in absolute disbelief. "Attempting to murder a child just to ruin your credibility... these people are monsters."
As I stepped out into the hospital parking garage that evening, exhausted and shaken to my core, a shadowed figure stepped out from behind a concrete pillar.
"Sam."
I whirled around. It was Andrew.
He looked unkempt, his eyes bloodshot, his designer suit wrinkled and stained. He was out on temporary bond, looking like a ghost of the man I once intended to marry.
"Stay back, Andrew," I warned, reaching into my coat pocket for my phone. "I have a restraining order against you."
"Just listen to me!" Andrew yelled, his voice cracking with madness. He pulled a thick manila envelope from under his coat. "I have documents here, Sam! Forged clinical notes from your early residency! If you don't go to the prosecutor tomorrow and drop all financial fraud charges against my mother and me, I will leak these to the medical board! I will destroy your license permanently!"
I stared at him, feeling no fear—only an overwhelming sense of embarrassment that I had ever shared a bed with this coward.
"You really think forged paper will save you, Andrew?" I asked softly.
May you like
"It's all I have!" he screamed, stepping closer, brandishing the envelope. "You ruined my life! Gemma is facing ten years! My mother is facing twenty! You owe me!"
"She doesn't owe you a single breath," a cold voice echoed behind him.
