Chapter 5
Funny thing is, not long ago, a doctor at the Regional Medical Center got tangled up in a medical dispute and was suspended while they investigated.
When I brought it up to Adam at home, he held me close, sounding so sure of himself. "Claire, don't worry. If you ever run into someone unreasonable like that, I'll stand by you no matter what."
When my dad was hospitalized for his heart condition, Adam was the one who stood by his bedside and promised, "Don't worry. I'll take good care of Claire. Just focus on getting better—from now on, I'll handle everything for her."
Every detail, every gesture—they convinced me I was cared for.
But turns out, the whole thing was nothing but a scam from the start.
My in-laws who kept holding my hand and couldn't stop praising me during our one and only meeting, were just as much a part of the scam.
The Carters all deserved to pay for what they did.
I met Adam's eyes and said clearly, "You want to fight dirty? Bring it on."
As I turned to leave, William hurried after me. "Dr. Simmons, this family is not to be messed with. You need to be careful."
I nodded, and after a moment's thought, asked, "Dr. Grant, can you do me a favor?"
As I spoke, William nodded along, clearly agreeing.
After I finished explaining everything, I grabbed my phone and made my first call to my parents.
They were spending the winter down south, and when Mom picked up, she was all smiles. "Claire, have you made it to Adam's hometown yet? Did you meet his family?"
Once I made sure Dad wasn't around, I quickly filled Mom in on what had happened.
On the video call, Mom's face went pale, but she listened in silence until I finished.
After I finished, I stopped Mom from flying over right away to help me.
"Mom, I was just blind to who Adam and his family really are. They're not good people. If they try to reach you or Dad, don't answer," I said.
Mom nodded seriously. "Sweetheart, this isn't your fault. Don't worry about your dad and me. I'll block the Carters on his phone, and we absolutely won't pick up any calls from unknown numbers."
After making sure my parents were safe, I called my friend, Stella Bryant.
She was a divorce attorney. As she listened, her anger built until she finally exploded. "What the hell is wrong with these people? Absolutely shameless! Claire, don't worry—I'll start your case right away."
Then she recommended a medical dispute lawyer, James Parker.
"He's my senior, a powerhouse in medical dispute law," she said.
I couldn't wait to get back to the city, so I found a low-key spot near the county hospital and reached out to James right away.
He listened patiently, then analyzed calmly, "Dr. Simmons, from what you've described, our chances are excellent. But I'll need you to collect a few things—namely..."
We talked for a whole hour.
Right after, I called the chief back at the Regional Medical Center—the one who'd sent me here—and briefed him on everything.
He sounded calm too. "Claire, the director at Riverdale County Hospital already gave me the gist, and I've just updated our hospital's leadership.
"Here's how it'll go: you'll probably get suspended while they investigate. But take it easy—we didn't ask for this, but we're not running from it."
*****
After all those calls, my phone was nearly dead.
I finally stopped and let out a long breath.
Snow began to fall outside the restaurant. It was a cold Christmas.
But I was ready—ready to face the freeze, and ready to strike first.