Chapter 6 - The Poison Was Never in the Tea
“I’m not thirsty,” I said.
Margaret placed the cup beside me.
“It will calm your nerves.”
“I prefer water.”
Daniel handed me a glass from the side table.
I took one small sip.
There was no unusual taste.
For several minutes, nothing happened.
Daniel discussed the transfer agreement. He pointed to signature lines and explained powers he already understood far too well.
Margaret sat across from me, watching.
Then my lips began to tingle.
I looked at the water.
Daniel followed my gaze.
“What’s wrong?”
The tingling spread across my face.
I stood, but my knees weakened.
“You put something in the water.”
Daniel reached for me.
“Emily, sit down.”
I knocked his hand away.
Margaret remained calm.
“The poor girl is having another episode.”
My muscles tightened. My breathing became shallow. This reaction felt different from the first. Along with the familiar allergic symptoms came a frightening heaviness in my arms and legs.
I tried to reach the clock.
Daniel blocked my path.
“Where are you going?”
“Move.”
“You’ll fall.”
“Move!”
He caught me as my legs gave way and lowered me onto the floor.
To anyone watching without context, it might have looked gentle.
But his mouth was close to my ear when he whispered, “You should have signed first.”
The clock’s red light activated.
Daniel did not notice.
Margaret knelt beside me.
“You always had to make things difficult.”
“What… did you give me?”
“A medication that should make your reaction appear unusually severe,” she said. “The investigators will blame your health.”
Daniel looked alarmed.
“Mom, don’t explain it to her.”
“She won’t be repeating anything.”
My body grew still.
I could see and hear, but I could no longer lift my hands.
Later, doctors would explain that the substance mixed into the water had intensified my reaction and caused temporary muscle weakness. It had not truly paralyzed me, but in that moment, the distinction meant nothing.
I was conscious and defenseless.
Daniel picked up the transfer documents.
“She hasn’t signed.”
Margaret looked at him as though he were a disappointing child.
“Then place the pen in her hand.”
“The signature won’t look right.”
“We only need enough confusion to delay the board.”
Daniel crouched beside me.
“Emily, listen to me. Sign the documents, and we call an ambulance.”
I stared at him.
He smiled sadly, pretending the choice belonged to me.
“Your father has always said you’re a fighter. Fight by being sensible.”
I tried to speak.
Only a rough breath escaped.
Daniel put the pen between my fingers, but my hand would not close around it.
Margaret stood.
“This is useless.”
“What do we do?”
“We finish the original plan.”
Daniel looked toward the windows.
“No. We said we wouldn’t go that far.”
“You knew exactly how far this would go.”
“I agreed to scare her into signing.”
“You disabled the cameras. You moved the injector. You arranged the medical documents.”
“I didn’t agree to murder.”
Margaret leaned close to him.
“You agreed to inherit.”
He fell silent.
That silence was his final confession.
Margaret lifted the teapot.
She was no longer trying to make me sign.
She was trying to create a chaotic scene that would disguise what they had done.
May you like
She did not know the clock was recording every word.
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