Chapter 5
Abigail called Julian at 12:07 a.m.
He answered before the second ring.
“Abigail?”
She hated that relief entered his voice when he heard hers.
“We received a note.”
His tone changed instantly.
“What note?”
She read it aloud.
Silence.
“Where are you?”
“At the hospital.”
“Stay there.”
“I wasn’t planning to drag my father down the street.”
“Don’t leave the floor.”
“You don’t get to order me around.”
“You’re right.”
A pause.
“Please don’t leave the floor.”
That stopped her.
“Fine.”
“I’m coming.”
Julian arrived twenty-three minutes later with two private security officers.
Abigail’s anger returned immediately.
“I didn’t ask for an army.”
“They’re staying outside.”
“I said one note. Not a kidnapping attempt.”
Julian held out his hand.
“Let me see it.”
She gave him the envelope.
He examined it without touching the paper inside.
“No postage.”
“The nurse said someone left it.”
“Description?”
“I saw a man near the elevator.”
Julian called hospital security.
Abigail watched him work.
His voice changed when he dealt with professionals.
Calm.
Precise.
Controlled.
He asked for camera footage.
Entry records.
Visitor logs.
Then he looked at her.
“Does your father know about the note?”
“No.”
“Good.”
“Don’t tell me ‘good’ like we’re partners.”
Julian’s jaw tightened.
“You called me.”
“Because this is connected to your family.”
“Yes.”
“Not because I trust you.”
He absorbed the words.
“I understand.”
Hospital security found the man on camera.
He had entered through the main lobby wearing a baseball cap.
No visitor badge.
He had followed a family through a restricted door.
The camera caught only part of his face.
Julian sent the image to his security chief.
Abigail crossed her arms.
“You do this often?”
“Do what?”
“Have people identified from surveillance footage.”
“My company receives threats.”
“Of course it does.”
He looked at her.
“Was that an insult?”
“I haven’t decided.”
Against all reason, the corner of his mouth moved.
Abigail saw it.
“Don’t smile.”
“It wasn’t intentional.”
“Try harder.”
The smile disappeared.
But the tension changed.
Only for a second.
Then Daniel’s monitor alarm sounded.
Abigail spun toward the room.
A nurse hurried inside.
Then another.
Abigail’s face drained.
“Dad?”
The door shut.
She rushed forward.
A nurse blocked her.
“You need to wait outside.”
“What happened?”
“His rhythm changed. Please let us work.”
Abigail stood frozen.
Julian moved closer but did not touch her.
Five minutes passed.
Then ten.
Ethan arrived, breathless.
“What happened?”
Abigail shook her head.
“I don’t know.”
Her brother looked at Julian.
“Who are you?”
“Julian Cross.”
Ethan’s expression hardened instantly.
“Oh.”
Abigail had clearly told him.
Julian did not blame him.
Twenty minutes later, the cardiologist emerged.
Daniel had stabilized.
But they could not postpone surgery much longer.
“We need to transfer him to the cardiac specialty center tomorrow,” the doctor said.
Abigail swallowed.
“The deposit?”
The doctor’s face softened.
“Billing can discuss options.”
“We already discussed options.”
Julian stepped forward.
“I’ll cover it.”
Abigail turned.
“No.”
Ethan stared between them.
“Abby.”
“No.”
Her brother lowered his voice.
“Dad could die.”
“I know.”
“Then why are we arguing?”
“Because it’s complicated.”
“It’s not complicated to me.”
Abigail stared at him.
Ethan’s eyes were red.
“I don’t care if Satan himself pays the hospital. Dad needs surgery.”
The words hit her hard.
Julian said quietly, “No conditions.”
She looked at him.
“None.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
“I don’t expect anything.”
“Julian—”
“I will pay the hospital directly. Not you. You owe me nothing. You can hate me tomorrow exactly as much as you hate me tonight.”
“I don’t hate you.”
“Good.”
“I’m furious with you.”
“I deserve that.”
She closed her eyes.
This was what she hated.
The money solved things.
Not feelings.
Not history.
Not humiliation.
But medical bills did not care about pride.
Neither did failing hearts.
Ethan whispered, “Abby, please.”
That decided it.
She looked at Julian.
“One condition.”
He waited.
“This does not buy my silence.”
His face changed.
“I don’t want your silence.”
“If your family hurt mine, I will find out.”
“So will I.”
“And if your company was responsible—”
“I’ll expose it.”
“You would expose your own family?”
Julian thought about Adrian.
Then his father.
Then his mother’s fear.
“Yes.”
Abigail studied him for several seconds.
“Okay.”
Julian called the hospital.
The deposit was paid before one in the morning.
No celebration.
No gratitude speech.
Just a confirmation email.
Daniel would be transferred at eight.
Julian stood to leave.
Abigail followed him into the hall.
“Thank you.”
He looked back.
“You don’t have to say that.”
“I know.”
That made him stop.
“I still mean it.”
He nodded.
“You’re welcome.”
The next morning, Daniel was moved.
The surgery was scheduled for noon.
At 9:40, Julian’s security chief called.
“We identified the man from the hospital.”
Julian stepped away from Abigail and Ethan.
“Who?”
“Raymond Cole.”
The name meant nothing.
“Background?”
“Former private investigator. Did corporate security work.”
“For whom?”
A pause.
“Cross Global.”
Julian’s face hardened.
“When?”
“Nineteen years ago.”
His stomach dropped.
“Who hired him?”
“We’re tracing it.”
“Do it faster.”
Julian ended the call.
Abigail had watched his face.
“What?”
He considered lying for half a second.
Then remembered what lies had already cost.
“The man who delivered the note used to work for Cross Global.”
Her face went pale.
“For your father?”
“Possibly.”
“Or Adrian.”
“Yes.”
Ethan stepped closer.
“What note?”
Abigail had not told him.
She did now.
His anger exploded.
“We need the police.”
Julian agreed.
Abigail looked surprised.
“You’re not going to protect your family?”
“No.”
“Even if it’s your uncle?”
“Especially if it’s my uncle.”
The police took the note.
They interviewed Abigail.
Julian gave them the surveillance information.
By the time Daniel was taken into surgery, everything felt too exposed.
Too dangerous.
Abigail sat in the waiting room, hands clasped.
Ethan paced.
Julian remained near the door.
Finally Abigail looked at him.
“You don’t have to stay.”
“I know.”
“Then why are you?”
He answered without thinking.
“Because you shouldn’t have to wait alone.”
She glanced at Ethan.
“I’m not alone.”
Julian almost smiled.
“Fair.”
Hours passed.
At 2:15, Ethan went for food.
At 2:40, Abigail fell asleep sitting upright.
Her head tilted against the wall.
Julian watched her for a moment.
Then took off his jacket and placed it over her.
She woke instantly.
“Sorry.”
“I wasn’t—”
She looked down at the jacket.
Then at him.
“You really don’t know how to help without making it weird, do you?”
“No.”
To his surprise, she laughed.
Softly.
Exhausted.
It was the first time he had heard her laugh.
He wanted to hear it again.
That realization unsettled him more than Adrian’s threat.
At 3:06, the surgeon entered.
Abigail stood so quickly Julian caught the chair before it fell.
“The procedure went well.”
Her knees almost gave out.
Julian reached toward her.
Then stopped before touching her.
Ethan returned at that exact moment.
Abigail ran into her brother’s arms.
They held each other.
Crying.
Laughing.
Relief flooding through them.
Julian stepped backward.
This belonged to them.
Not him.
For the first time in years, he did not feel the need to insert himself into a moment simply because he had helped pay for it.
He quietly walked away.
Abigail noticed.
She watched him disappear around the corner.
Something inside her softened.
Only slightly.
Then her phone rang.
Unknown number.
She answered.
“Hello?”
A woman’s voice whispered, “Abigail Hayes?”
“Yes.”
“You don’t know me.”
“Who is this?”
“My name is Lorraine Parker.”
Abigail looked at Ethan.
The woman continued.
“I worked with your father at Cross Global.”
Abigail’s pulse quickened.
“What do you want?”
“I saw the news about Julian reopening old internal records.”
“What news?”
“People inside the company are talking.”
Abigail glanced toward the corridor Julian had just taken.
Lorraine lowered her voice.
“Your father was telling the truth.”
Abigail stopped breathing.
“You know that?”
“I helped him.”
“Then why didn’t you say anything twenty years ago?”
The woman started crying.
“Because I was afraid.”
Abigail gripped the phone tighter.
“Of Adrian Cross?”
Silence.
Then Lorraine whispered, “Not Adrian.”
Abigail’s stomach dropped.
“Who?”
“The person behind the missing money wasn’t Julian’s uncle.”
“Then who was it?”
Lorraine hesitated.
“His mother.”
Abigail felt the world shift.
“Vivian Cross?”
“Yes.”
“That makes no sense.”
“You have no idea what that family buried.”
“Tell me.”
“I can’t over the phone.”
“Then meet me.”
Another pause.
“Tomorrow. Ten in the morning. Riverside Café on West Franklin.”
“I’ll be there.”
“No Julian.”
Abigail frowned.
“Why?”
“Because I don’t know how much he knows.”
The call ended.
Abigail stared at the screen.
Seconds later, Julian returned.
He was carrying coffee.
Her eyes met his.
He smiled faintly.
“Your father’s going to be okay.”
Abigail wanted to believe that was the only thing that mattered.
But now another question was tearing through her.
Julian believed his uncle might have destroyed her family.
Her father believed Adrian had done it.
And a frightened woman from the past had just claimed they were both wrong.
Because if Lorraine Parker was telling the truth—
May you like
the person Julian needed to fear was not his uncle.
It was his own mother.
