Chương 7
“Why would Warren hide that letter?”
Lillian closed her eyes.
“Because he was afraid.”
“Afraid of what?”
“That I would know the truth.”
“What truth?”
She whispered:
“Warren had been working with Martin.”
Charles stood completely still.
“What?”
“Not to kill me.”
“Then why?”
“To find the patent.”
Charles felt betrayed.
“Did Warren admit this?”
“No.”
“Then how do you know?”
“Because the letter mentioned him.”
Charles looked at her.
“What did your father write?”
Lillian swallowed.
“He wrote Warren’s name.”
Charles felt his chest tighten.
“Why?”
“He said Warren was the only person he trusted enough to help protect me.”
A strange silence filled the room.
The situation was no longer simple.
Warren was not just the husband who knew too much.
He was not just the man who had made terrible choices.
He was also the person Lillian’s father had trusted.
The person who might have been trying to protect her.
And the person who had betrayed that trust.
Charles looked at Lillian.
“Why didn’t you tell me this before?”
“Because I was afraid.”
“Of Warren?”
She nodded.
“But not because I thought he wanted me dead.”
“Then why?”
Lillian looked at the floor.
“Because I thought he wanted to control my life.”
Charles understood.
Warren had not become a stranger overnight.
He had slowly crossed lines.
One secret.
One lie.
One decision at a time.
A knock came at the door.
An officer entered.
“Dr. Fletcher.”
Charles turned.
“We found Martin Hale.”
Everyone froze.
“Where?”
The officer looked at Lillian.
“Outside the hospital.”
Charles’s expression changed.
“Why?”
The officer hesitated.
“Because he said he needed to speak with Mrs. Vance.”
Lillian’s face went pale.
“He’s here?”
The officer nodded.
“He said he has proof that Warren Prescott tried to murder her.”
Charles looked through the glass window toward the hallway.
And for the first time, he realized the most dangerous part of the plan was not the attack.
It was the moment when everyone had to decide who was telling the truth.
The hallway outside the intensive care unit became completely silent.
Charles watched through the glass as two officers stood several feet away from Martin Hale.
Even from a distance, Charles could see the confidence in the older man’s posture.
He was not afraid.
He was not surprised.
He looked like someone who had been waiting for this exact moment.
“Do not let him inside,” Charles said.
The officer nodded.
“He requested to speak directly with Mrs. Vance.”
“No.”
Before anyone could move, Lillian spoke from the bed.
“Let him come.”
Charles immediately turned.
“No.”
Lillian looked at him.
“I need to hear what he has to say.”
“He almost killed you.”
Her expression remained calm.
“No.”
Charles frowned.
“No?”
“He wanted me afraid.”
The room went quiet.
Lillian looked toward the hallway.
“But he wanted something else more.”
“What?”
“The truth.”
Charles studied her.
“You believe him?”
“No.”
She paused.
“But I believe he knows something.”
A few minutes later, Martin Hale was brought into the observation room next to the ICU.
The officers remained nearby.
Charles stood beside Lillian.
Warren stood against the wall.
For the first time in forty years, the three old friends were together in the same room under completely different circumstances.
Martin looked at Warren.
“You told him everything.”
Warren did not answer.
Charles stepped forward.
“You’re not in control anymore.”
Martin smiled slightly.
“You think you understand what happened.”
“I know enough.”
“No.”
Martin looked at Lillian.
“You know what they showed you.”
Lillian stared back.
“You put that patch on me.”
Martin smiled.
“I did not.”
Charles immediately watched his reaction.
Not anger.
Not panic.
Confidence.
“You expect us to believe that?”
“I expect you to investigate before accusing.”
Charles stepped closer.
“We found your phone.”
Martin’s expression changed for the first time.
Only slightly.
But enough.
“What phone?”
“The one with your messages to Warren.”
Martin looked at Warren.
“You were careless.”
Warren’s face tightened.
“No.”
Charles noticed.
The fear.
The guilt.
The anger.
All of it existed at the same time.
Martin turned back to Charles.
“Your friend made many mistakes.”
Warren looked away.
“But I was not the only person hiding things.”
Charles narrowed his eyes.
“What does that mean?”
Martin looked at Lillian.
“Your father never told you everything.”
Lillian’s face remained still.
“You don’t know my father.”
Martin gave a quiet laugh.
“I knew him better than you think.”
Charles noticed Lillian’s breathing change.
The monitor increased slightly.
He immediately stepped closer.
“Keep talking carefully.”
Martin ignored him.
“Your father was brilliant.”
He looked around the room.
“But brilliant people make enemies.”
“Why?”
“Because they create things other people want.”
Lillian looked at him.
“My father trusted you.”
Martin’s expression hardened.
“No.”
The single word carried years of anger.
“Your father used me.”
“That’s not true.”
“You know what he did?”
Charles watched as Martin’s calm expression began cracking.
“He promised me partnership.”
“He promised me recognition.”
“Then when he realized the research was valuable, he removed me.”
Lillian shook her head.
“My father would never do that.”
Martin leaned closer.
“You never knew him.”
Charles felt the tension building.
“Enough.”
Martin looked at him.
“Doctor, you want the truth?”
“Yes.”
“Then ask Warren.”
Everyone became silent.
Charles turned.
“Warren.”
Warren looked at the floor.
Martin smiled.
“He knows.”
Charles felt his stomach tighten.
“Knows what?”
Warren did not answer.
“Warren.”
Finally, Warren spoke.
“I knew about the patent.”
“That’s not enough.”
Charles’s voice was quiet.
“What else?”
Warren closed his eyes.
“I knew Martin was looking for it.”
“And you helped him.”
A long silence followed.
“Yes.”
Lillian looked at him.
The pain on her face was worse than anger.
“Why?”
Warren could barely meet her eyes.
“Because I thought I could control the situation.”
Charles shook his head.
“You thought you could use Martin.”
“Yes.”
“And what happened?”
“He used me.”
Martin smiled.
“Exactly.”
Charles looked at Warren.
“How did you help him?”
Warren swallowed.
May you like
“I gave him information.”
“What information?”
