Chapter 1 - THE MAN WHO OWNED THE BUILDING
Grant remained near the NICU doorway with the leather folder beneath his arm.
Vanessa’s hand slowly slipped from his sleeve.
Neither of them spoke.
My grandfather’s voice came through the phone again.
“Emma, are Noah and Elise safe?”
“They are alive.”
The word nearly broke inside my throat.
“They were born at twenty-nine weeks.”
“I am coming now.”
“Do not allow anyone to remove you or the children from that floor.”
Grant forced a laugh.
“You cannot order people around in a hospital.”
My grandfather heard him.
“Who is that?”
“My husband.”
“Former husband,” Grant corrected.
The satisfaction in his voice had weakened.
I looked at the folder he was holding.
“The papers have not been filed.”
Vanessa touched the ivory coat.
“You signed them.”
“I did.”
Grant’s confidence returned slightly.
“Then this conversation is over.”
The young NICU nurse moved toward the monitors.
Her badge identified her as Lily Chen.
She checked Elise’s oxygen level, but her eyes remained fixed on Grant.
An elevator bell sounded outside.
Then another.
Heavy footsteps approached through the corridor.
Two hospital security officers appeared first.
Behind them came the director of nursing, the chief medical officer, and six men in dark suits.
The last man to enter was eighty-two years old.
Theodore Vale used a silver cane, but nobody mistook age for weakness.
His charcoal coat hung perfectly across his shoulders.
His white hair was combed back.
His eyes moved directly to the incubators.
He did not look at Grant.
He did not look at Vanessa.
He walked to me.
“My dear girl.”
I had spent two days unconscious.
I had survived emergency surgery.
I had watched my children fight for every breath.
But when my grandfather placed his hand around mine, I finally cried.
He bent and kissed my forehead.
Then he looked through the glass at Noah and Elise.
“My great-grandchildren.”
Grant stared at the medical executives surrounding him.
The hospital president stepped forward.
“Mr. Vale, we secured the floor as requested.”
Grant’s face lost color.
Vanessa whispered.
“Why is the hospital president calling him Mr. Vale?”
My grandfather turned.
For several seconds, he simply studied them.
His gaze stopped on Vanessa’s coat.
“That belonged to my granddaughter.”
Vanessa folded her arms over the fabric.
“Grant gave it to me.”
Theodore looked at Grant.
“Did you?”
Grant adjusted the folder.
“It was purchased during our marriage.”
“No.”
I wiped my face.
“My grandfather commissioned it.”
Theodore’s expression remained calm.
“Remove it.”
Vanessa laughed nervously.
“You cannot be serious.”
The hospital president spoke.
“Ms. Cole, you have been asked to return stolen personal property.”
“Stolen?”
Grant stepped in front of her.
“This is a domestic matter.”
Theodore’s cane struck the floor once.
The sound was quiet.
Everyone stopped speaking.
“This is Beacon Crest Medical Center.”
“My family owns the controlling interest in this hospital.”
“We also own the network that employs every executive standing behind me.”
Grant looked from one face to another.
No one contradicted him.
Theodore continued.
“You entered a restricted neonatal unit.”
“You harassed a patient recovering from major surgery.”
“You insulted two medically fragile infants.”
“You attempted to obtain legal signatures while that patient was receiving narcotic medication.”
He turned toward hospital security.
“Secure the divorce documents.”
Grant pulled the folder against his chest.
“These belong to me.”
A security officer stepped closer.
“They may be evidence.”
Vanessa removed the coat so quickly that one sleeve turned inside out.
She placed it across a chair.
My grandfather saw the embroidered initials inside.
N.
E.
He touched them with one hand.
Then he looked at Grant.
“You called these children a burden.”
Grant’s mouth opened.
No words came.
May you like
Theodore’s voice lowered.
“You have no idea what you just signed.”
