Chapter 13: Adrian’s Last Bargain
Adrian had been brought to the hospital under police supervision.
He claimed he could identify a hidden server Claire used to store medical records.
Ortiz had intended to keep him on another floor.
He escaped his guards during the evacuation and followed Claire’s voice.
“Put the lighter down,” he said.
Claire looked almost amused.
“You still think you can save yourself.”
“I gave the police everything.”
“You gave them what I allowed you to know.”
“You said Lily would survive.”
“I said what you needed to hear.”
Adrian’s face twisted.
“You murdered my daughter.”
Claire stepped toward him.
“And you watched.”
The words struck harder than any weapon.
Adrian looked at me.
For the first time, he did not ask me to forgive him.
He looked ashamed.
“I thought the attack would scare Nathaniel into delaying the audit,” he said. “Claire said Lily would receive treatment in time.”
“You took her inhaler,” I answered.
“Vanessa took the first one. I took the backup from her bag.”
“Why?”
“To create an emergency.”
“You created her death.”
His eyes filled with tears.
“I know.”
Claire flicked the lighter.
A small flame appeared.
Officers moved behind the doors.
She poured gasoline across the server-room entrance.
Adrian rushed toward her.
Claire threw the burning lighter.
He kicked it aside before it reached the fuel.
Police flooded the corridor.
Claire ran.
She reached the stairwell, but Ortiz blocked the exit.
For several seconds, the two women stared at each other.
Then Claire reached inside her coat.
Ortiz raised her weapon.
“Don’t.”
Claire slowly removed a phone.
She pressed one button.
A fire alarm began screaming.
Then every monitor inside the pediatric wing went dark.
Claire had triggered a computer attack against the hospital network.
Emergency generators activated.
Medical teams rushed toward patients.
Claire smiled.
“Arrest me, and you lose the records.”
My father stepped forward.
“The records are already backed up.”
Her expression changed.
“You’re lying.”
“I learned from you.”
Ortiz handcuffed her.
As officers led Claire away, she looked over her shoulder at me.
“You think this ends with a trial?”
“It ends when you can no longer hurt anyone.”
She laughed softly.
“That will never happen.”
Adrian returned to custody.
His attempt to stop the fire did not make him innocent.
It only proved that somewhere beneath his greed and cowardice, he understood what he had done.
Two months later, the trial began.
Claire and Adrian were tried together.
Vanessa and Julia testified for the prosecution.
Dr. Hale admitted falsifying my medical records after Claire threatened his sister.
The hospital video was authenticated.
The financial records were undeniable.
Then Adrian’s attorney produced a sealed document.
It contained a statement written by my father.
According to the document, Nathaniel Bennett had known about Adrian’s financial fraud for more than a year.
He had allowed it to continue to protect Bennett Global’s share price.
If the document was genuine, my father had helped create the desperation that led to Lily’s death.
The judge ordered an immediate investigation.
Reporters surrounded my father outside the courthouse.
He did not deny writing it.
May you like
He looked at me and said only five words.
“There is something you deserve to know.”
