Chapter 11: The Doctor Who Knew Everything
I couldn’t speak.
The voice on the phone belonged to someone I had trusted.
Someone my mother trusted.
Someone who had watched her suffer.
“Dr. Reed,” I said slowly.
“Yes.””
“How did you get my number?””
A pause.
“I’ve had it for years.””
That answer made my stomach turn.
“Why are you calling me now?””
Because he knew.
He knew the truth had been found.
“You opened the box, didn’t you?””
Everyone looked at me.
My father’s face changed.
I stepped away from the room.
“How do you know about the box?””
Silence.
Then:
“Because your mother told me she hid it.””
My blood ran cold.
“You knew?””
“Yes.””
“And you never said anything?””
“No.””
“Why?””
His voice softened.
“Because she asked me not to.””
I almost dropped the phone.
“My mother trusted you.””
“Yes.””
“And you betrayed her.””
“I made mistakes.””
Everyone said that.
Mistakes.
As if that word could make years of pain disappear.
“Where are you?””
He hesitated.
“At my office.””
“I’m coming.””
“Nia—”
“I’m coming.””
I ended the call.
Nobody stopped me.
Not even my father.
Maybe because he knew he had no right.
Twenty minutes later, I was sitting across from Dr. Samuel Reed in his office.
The same office where my mother received news that changed our lives.
The walls were exactly the same.
The framed certificates.
The medical books.
The fake plant in the corner.
Everything looked normal.
That was the terrifying part.
“You look like her,” he said.
I stared at him.
“Don’t.””
He looked down.
“I’m sorry.””
“You’re sorry?””
My voice shook.
“My mother died believing someone hurt her.””
His eyes closed.
“She was right.””
The words hit harder than I expected.
“Tell me.””
He folded his hands.
“Your mother discovered that someone had accessed her medical information.””
“Diane.””
He nodded.
“But that wasn’t the worst part.””
My stomach tightened.
“What was?””
He looked at me.
“Someone changed the communication settings on her treatment plan.””
“What does that mean?””
“It means certain updates were not reaching her.””
“Who did it?””
He didn’t answer.
“Dr. Reed.””
His expression changed.
“The person who did this had access to the hospital system.””
My heart raced.
“Who?””
He looked toward the window.
Then said:
“Your father.””
I felt like the room tilted.
“No.””
“I know what you think.””
“You’re lying.””
“I wish I was.””
I stood.
“My father loved her.””
Dr. Reed looked at me sadly.
“He did.””
That stopped me.
“Then why?””
“Because love and fear can exist together.””
I hated that it sounded true.
“He thought your mother was changing the will.””
My face went cold.
“You knew?””
“I suspected.””
“And you said nothing?””
“I tried.””
“When?””
“Before her final surgery.””
I stared.
“What happened?””
Dr. Reed looked devastated.
“Your father came to me.””
“Why?””
“He wanted to know if your mother was mentally capable of making legal decisions.””
I understood.
He wasn’t trying to help her.
He was trying to challenge her.
“He wanted her declared incapable?””
Dr. Reed nodded.
“He was afraid she would leave everything to you.””
I felt sick.
“My own father.””
The doctor looked away.
“There’s something else.””
I waited.
“The treatment delay wasn’t caused by him.””
I froze.
“What?””
“He accessed information. He made unethical choices. But he didn’t alter the treatment.””
“Then who did?””
Dr. Reed opened a drawer.
He pulled out a file.
“I kept this because your mother asked me to.””
Inside was a printed email.
The sender’s name was hidden.
But the message was clear.
*Stop the treatment update. Wait until after the surgery.*
My hands shook.
“Who sent this?””
Dr. Reed looked at me.
“I don’t know.””
“But you can find out.””
He nodded.
“The hospital traced the account.””
“To who?””
He hesitated.
Then pushed another document toward me.
I looked down.
The name at the bottom made me stop breathing.
Because it wasn’t my father.
May you like
It wasn’t Diane.
It was someone I had known my entire life.
