Chapter 13
It was the fifth day into the targeted therapy.
Stephen walked in with the latest report, and for once, his expression wasn't as grim as it had been the past few days.
"Looks like the cancer's finally slowing down," he said.
He tapped a number on the report. "If these numbers keep dropping over the next week, you'll have a shot at surgery."
I nodded.
"You don't look happy," he said.
"I am," I replied.
He looked at me for a moment, then let it drop.
That afternoon, Jack stopped by with some paperwork and brought some news.
"Ryan called you over a dozen times from Riverside City. He reached out to every place you ever worked, including restaurants, supermarkets, and construction sites. But everyone only said you didn't go to work," Jack said.
"Is he freaking out?" I asked.
"Hard to say, but Emily's totally unfazed. Yesterday, she brought a few friends over to your rental apartment for a little 'visit.' When she saw you weren't there, she bagged up the old clothes you left and threw them away."
I remembered Mom's old dress, tucked away at the very bottom of my closet in that tiny apartment.
Dad handpicked the fabric himself, and Mom wore it for more than a decade.
I never had the courage to wear it, not once.
"Whatever. If she tossed it, that's that," I said.
Jack didn't press me for more.
He set the paperwork down and said there was one more thing.
"Emily somehow found out you've been in touch with Summit Bank. Today, she sent someone named Madison Lee to the bank to ask around about you," he said.
Madison Lee was Emily's high school friend. She had been Emily's sidekick for the past four years.
I saw her once at the restaurant. She came in with Emily for dinner, and as they walked past the kitchen, she stepped on my foot on purpose.
It wasn't an accident. After she stepped on me, she looked down at me.
"Let her try. The bank's confidentiality rules will keep her out," I said.
"It's not the bank I'm worried about," Jack said. "It's Emily. If she gets suspicious, she'll strike first."
I thought for a moment. "Mr. Foster, any updates from Sophia?"
"The asset freeze request is in. She said it could take as little as three days, or up to a week."
Three days to a week. Until then, I had no choice but to lie low in the hospital and recover.
But some things couldn't wait.
I made a call.
After the call connected, there was a brief silence on the other end.
"Claire? Where are you?" Eric's voice was laced with panic.
"Eric, can you come to Harmony Medical Center? Third floor, room 307," I said.
"Harmony Medical Center? Why are you in the hospital? What happened?"
"You'll know when you get here."
I hung up.
Forty minutes later, Eric pushed open the door to my hospital room.
His reaction was the same as everyone else's.
He froze in place, and the color slowly drained from his face.
"Claire? h-how did you end up here?" he asked.
"Sit," I said.
He sat down, twisting his hands nervously.
"I need you to be honest with me," I said.
"Go ahead," Eric replied.
"Four years ago, I asked you for two hundred dollars, and you turned me down. I waited outside your company's front door, but you never came out to see me."
Eric swallowed hard.
"Was it Ryan who told you not to help me?" I asked.
He didn't say a word, but his silence said it all.
"Second question. Emily was out there telling everyone I stole money from the Cooper family. Did you buy it?" I asked.
"Honestly, I didn't believe it at first," Eric finally said. "But then Emily pulled out a screenshot of a bank transfer as proof."
"That screenshot was fake."
Eric's head shot up. "Are you sure?"
"I can't even remember my own debit card password. How would I be able to transfer the company's money?"
He leaned back in his chair, his face a mix of emotions.
"Eric, I didn't ask you here today for an apology," I said. "I'm here to give you a choice."
"What choice?" he asked.
"You can keep covering for Ryan, like you have for the past four years," I said. "Or you can help me with something."
"What is it?"
I looked at him. "I want you to help me find out if that bankruptcy four years ago was real."
Eric gripped his pants so tightly his knuckles turned white.
He sat there in silence for what felt like forever.
Finally, he stood up.
"Give me three days. I'll get you answers," he said.
As the door closed, I could hear him lingering in the hallway for a moment.
Then his footsteps hurried away.
*****
Eric got back to me sooner than I expected.
By noon the next day, he called me.
His voice sounded strained. "Claire, I found something."
"Go ahead," I replied.