Chapter 11 - ELAINE’S VISIT
Elaine returned to the hospital without flowers.
She asked Mara for five minutes alone with Valerie.
Valerie refused.
Elaine was allowed to speak through the glass with security present.
“You don’t understand what your father was trying to protect.”
Valerie’s voice remained weak.
“His mansion?”
“The company.”
“The company was profitable before you took money from it.”
Elaine flinched.
“Your father made mistakes.”
“You signed the insurance arrangement.”
“I signed what Adrian placed in front of me.”
“Then you sound exactly like the man who pushed me down the stairs.”
Elaine’s eyes filled.
“He said the policy was required by lenders.”
“And the guardianship petition?”
“We were afraid you would make decisions while medicated.”
“It was filed before I reached the hospital.”
Elaine looked away.
Valerie understood.
Her mother had known the petition was ready.
“Did you know he planned to hurt me?”
“No.”
The answer came immediately.
Valerie believed that part.
Then Elaine added, “But you should not have threatened him.”
Valerie stared at her.
Even now, her mother needed the assault to contain Valerie’s fault.
“You came here because the mansion refinance failed.”
Elaine’s face changed.
“We will lose the house.”
“You chose the house.”
“It is our home.”
“So was the place where Adrian left me bleeding.”
Elaine pressed closer to the glass.
“We are still your parents.”
“You signed papers saying I was too unstable to control my own life.”
“We can withdraw them.”
“They already revealed who you are.”
Robert arrived behind her.
He did not ask to see Valerie.
He demanded to speak to Mara.
“If Valerie restores the guarantee, we will cooperate with the audit.”
Mara looked at him.
“Cooperation with investigators is not a product you sell to your daughter.”
Robert lowered his voice.
“She will regret turning against family.”
Valerie heard him through the door.
She pressed the call button.
The nurse opened the communication panel.
Valerie looked at her father.
“The company records will decide what I regret.”
Robert’s face became hard.
“You think your grandfather’s shares make you capable of running Mercer?”
“No.”
Valerie’s answer surprised him.
“I think your theft makes you incapable.”
Security escorted both parents away.
That evening, the lender began foreclosure proceedings on the mansion.
Elaine called Valerie fourteen times.
Robert sent one message.
YOU WILL COME BACK WHEN THE PAIN MEDICATION WEARS OFF.
Valerie deleted it.
Then Mara received an alert.
Someone had attempted to access Valerie’s trust from Robert’s home computer.
May you like
The login used her mother’s credentials.
👉 Elaine claimed she wanted reconciliation, but she was still trying to enter Valerie’s accounts while standing outside the ICU.
