Chapter 2: The Conservatorship Trap
I woke up in a sterile hospital room with a blinding white ceiling and a rhythmic beeping in my ear. The lower half of my body felt like it belonged to a ghost—heavy, absent, and entirely unresponsive.
"She’s awake."
I turned my head slowly. My father was standing near the door, speaking in hushed tones to a man in a sharp gray suit. It wasn't a doctor. It was my parents' corporate attorney, Vance.
"What are you doing here?" I rasped, my throat raw from the intubation tube they must have used during surgery.
My mother stepped into my line of sight, clutching her designer handbag like a shield. "Oh, Bridget. The doctors say your spine was severely fractured. You're paralyzed, honey. But don't worry, we're taking care of everything."
" Taking care of what?" I demanded, my heart rate spiking on the monitor.
Vance stepped forward, refusing to make eye contact. "Given your... severe physical trauma and the obvious mental breakdown that led to your tragic accident, your parents are filing for an emergency medical and financial conservatorship. You aren't in a state to run Grandmother Rose's empire, Bridget."
The trap snapped shut. They hadn't just tried to kill me; they were using my survival to steal the company. With me declared incompetent, Harold and Diane would control the board, the properties, and the accounts. Tyler would get exactly what he wanted.
May you like
"Get out," I whispered, hot tears of absolute fury stinging my eyes. "Get out before I call the police."
"The police closed the case, sweetheart," my father said smoothly. "Marcus checked the security cameras. The file was completely corrupted. No footage. It’s your word against fifty guests who saw a hysterical woman fall. Rest now."
