Chapter 10: The Prescription That Should Never Have Existed
"Say that again.""
My voice barely sounded like my own.
Dr. Samuel Reed was silent for several seconds.
Then he repeated himself.
"Vanessa authorized the medication change. I have the records, Marcus.""
I gripped the edge of Eleanor's dining table.
"Are you telling me my wife was poisoned?""
"I'm telling you that an unauthorized medication was introduced into Sarah's treatment plan. Whether it directly contributed to her death requires a proper medical investigation.""
Daniel immediately took out his phone.
"Dr. Reed, this is Daniel Brooks, Marcus's attorney. Do you have documentation?""
"Yes. I kept copies of the original prescription orders, the amended orders, and the hospital's internal correspondence.""
"Why didn't you report this four years ago?""
The doctor exhaled.
"Because I was threatened.""
I closed my eyes.
"By whom?""
"I received a letter from a law firm representing Richard Coleman. It accused me of violating patient confidentiality and threatened to destroy my medical career if I discussed Sarah's treatment.""
Daniel wrote something down.
"Did you preserve that letter?""
"Every page.""
I looked at the photograph again.
Sarah was sitting in her hospital bed.
Her face looked exhausted, but her eyes were alert.
She had known something was wrong.
And I hadn't been there to hear her.
"Doctor, did Sarah know?""
"Yes.""
My throat tightened.
"What did she say?""
Dr. Reed paused.
"She told me someone had accessed her medical information and requested a prescription change. She suspected it was someone close to her.""
"Did she name Vanessa?""
"No. She specifically asked me not to accuse anyone without evidence.""
I stared at the photograph.
Sarah had protected me even while she was dying.
"Where can I meet you?""
"Tomorrow morning. But Marcus, there's something else. Sarah left me a sealed statement. She instructed me to give it to you if anyone ever attempted to access Lily's inheritance unlawfully.""
Daniel leaned closer.
"Do you have it?""
"Yes. And I think it's time you saw it.""
The call ended.
For several minutes, nobody spoke.
Then Eleanor placed a hand on my shoulder.
"Sarah knew she couldn't protect Lily forever. That's why she made arrangements.""
I nodded.
But my thoughts were somewhere else.
Four years earlier, Vanessa had been beside me at the hospital.
She had brought coffee.
She had held my hand.
She had told me to get some sleep while she sat with Sarah.
I remembered thanking her.
I remembered telling her I didn't know what I would do without her support.
I had trusted her with the two people I loved most.
And now I was questioning everything.
Daniel interrupted my thoughts.
"Marcus, we need to be careful. A medical allegation this serious cannot be treated as established fact. We'll preserve the records and involve the appropriate authorities.""
I nodded.
"Whatever it takes.""
My phone vibrated.
Vanessa.
I answered.
"Where are you?"" she demanded.
"Why?""
"Because Richard is gone, Patricia is refusing to answer my calls, and someone from the bank contacted me about a frozen account.""
"Good.""
"Marcus, this has gone too far.""
I laughed bitterly.
"Too far? You tried to take my daughter's inheritance.""
"I made mistakes.""
"Did you authorize a change to Sarah's medication?""
Silence.
Then she said, "Who told you that?""
My stomach turned.
"That's not a denial.""
"Marcus, listen to me. You have no idea what was happening back then.""
"Then explain it.""
"I was helping Sarah.""
"By changing her medication?""
"She was sick! She was taking too many prescriptions. I was trying to make things easier!""
I looked at Daniel.
He was recording the conversation on his phone, in accordance with the applicable legal requirements.
"Did you have authorization from her doctor?""
Vanessa started crying.
"Richard said it was fine.""
"Richard isn't a doctor.""
"You're twisting everything!""
I took a slow breath.
"Did you change Sarah's medication?""
She whispered, "I didn't know it would hurt her.""
My entire body went cold.
"You're admitting you did it?""
"I said I didn't know!""
I closed my eyes.
For four years, I had believed Sarah's final days were tragic but unavoidable.
Now my wife was admitting she had interfered with her treatment.
"Vanessa, stay away from Lily.""
She began shouting.
"You can't keep my stepdaughter from me!""
"Watch me protect her.""
I ended the call.
Daniel immediately saved the recording.
"That's important evidence. We'll make sure it's preserved properly.""
That evening, I went home with Lily.
She was sitting on her bed, drawing a picture of our family.
I sat beside her.
"Can I see?""
She handed me the paper.
There were three people.
A little girl in a pink dress.
A tall man holding her hand.
And a woman standing in the sky, surrounded by yellow flowers.
"Is that Mommy?"" I asked.
Lily nodded.
"I wanted her in the picture.""
My eyes filled.
"She's always in our family pictures, sweetheart.""
Lily looked down.
"Will Vanessa come back?""
I brushed her hair away from her face.
"I don't know. But nobody will ever make you feel unwanted in this house again.""
She leaned against me.
Then she reached into her bedside drawer and pulled out a small folded paper.
"I found this in my school bag.""
I unfolded it.
The handwriting was Vanessa's.
Tell your father to stop investigating. If he doesn't, he'll learn things about Sarah that he won't be able to forgive.
My hands tightened around the paper.
Lily whispered, "She gave it to me at school.""
"When?""
"Yesterday. She told me not to show you.""
I held my daughter close.
Then I noticed something written on the back.
An address.
May you like
And beneath it, a name.
*Peter Lawson.*
