Chương 4
He was building a trap.
A trap where Lillian would appear to own something valuable.
A trap where someone else could eventually control it.
At the hospital, Charles received another call.
This time, it was from Warren.
He stared at the screen for several seconds before answering.
“Hello.”
“Charles.”
Warren’s voice sounded tired.
“I heard Lillian woke up.”
“Yes.”
“That’s good.”
Charles said nothing.
“Why aren’t you saying anything?”
“Because I’m waiting.”
“For what?”
“The truth.”
Warren exhaled.
“I don’t know what you think you found.”
“You know exactly what I found.”
“Charles.”
“Vance Medical Solutions.”
The silence was immediate.
Charles heard Warren’s breathing change.
“How did you find that?”
Charles closed his eyes.
That was enough.
“You didn’t deny it.”
Warren’s voice became lower.
“Where are you?”
“Hospital.”
“Are you with her?”
“Yes.”
“Did she tell you things?”
Charles looked through the window.
“She told me enough.”
Warren was silent.
Then he said:
“You need to be careful.”
Charles frowned.
“Careful of what?”
“You think you know what happened.”
“I know Lillian almost died.”
“You don’t know everything.”
“Then tell me.”
Another pause.
“Not over the phone.”
Charles tightened his grip.
“You want me to meet you?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because if I tell you the truth, you’ll understand.”
Charles looked toward the security cameras above the hallway.
“You have thirty minutes.”
“Where?”
“Public place.”
Warren agreed.
Before hanging up, Charles heard something.
A voice in the background.
A man speaking.
Charles immediately recognized the sound.
“Warren.”
“Yes?”
“Who is with you?”
Silence.
Then the call ended.
Charles immediately called Teresa.
“I’m meeting Warren.”
“No.”
“He asked for a meeting.”
“That’s exactly what a suspect would do.”
“I need answers.”
“You need protection.”
Charles looked at Lillian’s room.
“He knows something.”
Teresa understood.
“Where?”
“I’ll send the location.”
An hour later, Charles sat inside a crowded coffee shop near downtown Minneapolis.
He chose the table closest to the entrance.
He chose a place with cameras.
He chose somewhere Warren could not control.
When Warren walked in, Charles barely recognized him.
The confident businessman was gone.
His shoulders were lower.
His face looked older.
For the first time, Charles saw fear.
Warren sat down.
“You shouldn’t have come alone.”
Charles looked at him.
“I didn’t.”
Warren glanced around.
“Police?”
“No.”
That answer surprised him.
Charles leaned forward.
“Why did you create that company?”
Warren looked away.
“Because I was trying to protect Lillian.”
Charles almost laughed.
“Protect her?”
“She was in danger.”
“She was almost killed.”
“I know.”
The words came out quietly.
Charles froze.
“You know?”
Warren closed his eyes.
“Yes.”
The noise of the coffee shop seemed to disappear.
“You knew she was going to be poisoned?”
“No.”
“Then explain.”
Warren looked at his hands.
“I found out too late.”
Charles studied him.
“Found out what?”
“That Martin was using me.”
“Martin Hale.”
Warren nodded.
“He contacted me two years ago.”
“Why?”
“He said he had information about my pharmacies.”
“What kind of information?”
“Financial problems.”
Charles frowned.
“Your businesses were failing?”
“Not exactly.”
Warren looked ashamed.
“I had made investments.”
“What investments?”
“Experimental medical research.”
Charles felt cold.
“Martin’s research?”
Warren nodded.
“He promised a breakthrough.”
“You trusted him?”
“I thought I did.”
Charles stared at him.
“You gave him money.”
“Yes.”
“How much?”
Warren swallowed.
“Almost everything.”
Charles finally understood.
The missing money.
The hidden accounts.
The company.
“You were trying to recover it.”
“Yes.”
“Using Lillian’s name.”
Warren looked down.
“I thought I could fix it before she knew.”
Charles’s voice hardened.
“So you forged documents.”
“I was desperate.”
“And Martin?”
“He knew.”
Warren’s eyes filled with regret.
“He threatened me.”
“What did he threaten you with?”
“He said if I didn’t help him, he would destroy my reputation.”
Charles leaned closer.
“Help him do what?”
Warren hesitated.
Then he whispered:
“Make Lillian disappear.”
Charles felt a wave of anger.
“You expect me to believe you?”
“I don’t care if you believe me.”
Warren looked up.
“I just need you to understand.”
“Understand what?”
“That I never wanted her dead.”
Charles stared at him.
“Then why was she wearing a Dexopraline patch?”
Warren’s face changed.
Not confusion.
Not surprise.
Fear.
“I don’t know.”
“You knew about her allergy.”
“Yes.”
“You knew Martin’s history.”
“Yes.”
“And you expect me to believe you had nothing to do with it?”
Warren looked toward the window.
Then he spoke quietly.
“Charles.”
“What?”
“The patch wasn’t meant to kill her.”
Charles felt a chill.
“What do you mean?”
Warren leaned closer.
“It was meant to make everyone think she was already dying.”
Charles stared at him.
“Why?”
“Because Martin needed time.”
“For what?”
Warren looked directly into his eyes.
“To remove something from her medical records before anyone discovered the truth.”
Charles’s expression changed.
“What truth?”
Warren’s voice dropped.
“The truth about Lillian’s family inheritance.”
Charles said nothing.
Because suddenly he realized something.
The company.
The money.
The fake ownership.
The medication.
They were all connected.
But the question that remained was the one Warren still had not answered.
Why did Martin Hale need Lillian Vance gone at all?
Charles did not answer immediately.
The question stayed between them like a locked door.
“What inheritance?” Charles finally asked.
Warren looked around the coffee shop before speaking again.
“Lillian never told you about her father’s research?”
Charles shook his head.
“She never mentioned anything.”
“Because she didn’t know.”
Charles studied him carefully.
“You’re saying Lillian inherited something she didn’t know existed?”
“Yes.”
“What exactly?”
Warren lowered his voice.
“A patent.”
Charles frowned.
“A medical patent?”
Warren nodded.
“Her father was a scientist.”
“I know he worked in medicine.”
“He developed a treatment method decades ago.”
Charles remained silent.
“After he died, everyone thought his work disappeared.”
“But it didn’t.”
“No.”
Warren looked at the table.
“It was hidden.”
“By who?”
Warren hesitated.
“By Martin Hale.”
Charles felt his jaw tighten.
“Why?”
“Because Martin knew what it was worth.”
“How much?”
Warren looked up.
May you like
“Billions.”
For a moment, Charles thought he had misunderstood.
