Chapter 4 - A House Full of Hidden Eyes
Sabina remained in the hospital for six days.
During that time, Thatcher visited only twice.
Both visits lasted less than fifteen minutes.
On the first visit, he brought a large stuffed bear selected by an assistant. Sabina thanked him quietly, but after he left, she asked Vivian to place it in the hallway.
On the second visit, Thatcher brought a photographer.
Vivian blocked him before he entered the room.
“What are you doing?”
“The board is concerned about rumors,” Thatcher said. “One family photograph will reassure everyone.”
“You want to photograph her in a hospital bed?”
“It will show that she is recovering.”
“It will show that you care?”
Thatcher’s expression hardened.
“Be reasonable.”
Vivian closed the door in his face.
An hour later, Ashford Industries released a statement claiming that Thatcher had remained in constant contact with medical professionals throughout Sabina’s illness.
Vivian read the statement twice.
Then she sent it to Daniel.
He responded within minutes.
Do not comment publicly. Let him create a record of his own dishonesty.
The trust review began quietly.
Daniel assembled medical reports, phone records, vehicle footage, and witness statements from hospital staff. The recording from the driveway had captured Thatcher’s voice clearly.
She’s your problem.
Get out of there, and don’t even think about coming back.
The evidence should have been enough.
But Thatcher’s legal team argued that the statement had been emotional, that he believed Sabina suffered from an ordinary fever, and that Vivian had refused the private nurse he intended to call.
Beatrix signed a statement supporting him.
She claimed Vivian had exaggerated Sabina’s symptoms and deliberately interrupted the dinner because she resented Thatcher’s success.
Vivian expected the lie.
What she did not expect was a statement from Dr. Leonard Price, the Ashford family physician.
According to Dr. Price, Thatcher had contacted him before dinner and received reassurance that Sabina was in no immediate danger.
Vivian read the document in Daniel’s office.
“That never happened.”
“Dr. Price says it did,” Daniel replied.
“He wasn’t even available. His nurse told me he had gone to surgery.”
“We checked. He did perform surgery that afternoon.”
“Then when did Thatcher speak to him?”
“The statement does not specify.”
Vivian examined the signature.
Dr. Price had treated the Ashford family for nearly twenty years. He had always been kind to Sabina. The idea that he would support Thatcher’s decision made no sense.
“Can we speak to him?”
“He has taken emergency medical leave.”
“Where?”
“No one seems to know.”
Daniel placed another file beside her.
“There is more.”
A forensic team had entered Ashford Manor to preserve security recordings.
Every camera inside the house had functioned normally until 5:41 on the evening Vivian took Sabina to the hospital.
At that precise moment, the entire system had been remotely disabled.
“Who had access?” Vivian asked.
“Thatcher, Beatrix, and Beatrix’s brother, Gideon Vale.”
“What reason did they give?”
“A software failure.”
“Do you believe that?”
“No.”
The vehicle recording was valuable, but the missing interior footage might have shown Sabina collapsing on the stairs. It might also have shown Thatcher’s behavior before Vivian reached the driveway.
Someone had intentionally erased the strongest evidence.
Daniel turned toward the window.
“The trust committee meets in ten days. Without additional proof, they may issue only a warning.”
“A warning?”
“Thatcher’s allies control three of the seven committee seats.”
“My daughter almost died.”
“The truth is not always the same as what can be proven.”
Vivian closed her eyes.
For years, Thatcher had taught her that wealth could reshape reality. With enough influence, cruelty became misunderstanding, abandonment became responsibility, and lies became official statements.
“What about custody?” she asked.
“Thatcher has filed for temporary sole custody.”
Vivian looked up sharply.
“On what grounds?”
“He claims you endangered Sabina by delaying professional treatment until the evening.”
“I stayed with her all day because the nurse told me to monitor her.”
“He also alleges emotional instability.”
Vivian laughed in disbelief.
“Because I cried while my child was in surgery?”
“Because he has documented several years of what he describes as irrational episodes.”
“What episodes?”
Daniel handed her a list.
Every event had a date.
The night Vivian had confronted Thatcher about Beatrix.
The afternoon she had cried after a miscarriage.
The morning she had objected to Sabina being sent alone to boarding school.
The day she had accused Thatcher’s accountant of hiding money from her.
Each event was described in clinical language.
Uncontrolled anger.
Paranoid suspicion.
Emotional volatility.
Inability to make rational decisions.
Vivian recognized the pattern.
Thatcher had not simply ignored her for years.
He had been building a case against her.
“He planned this,” she whispered.
Daniel nodded.
“I believe so.”
“Why?”
“Control of Sabina means control of the trust.”
The meaning struck her.
“If he loses custody, he loses the estate.”
“Possibly.”
“And if I lose custody?”
“Thatcher remains the legal guardian of the primary heir.”
Vivian pushed the papers away.
“This was never about our marriage.”
“No.”
“He needs Sabina.”
“He needs what Sabina represents.”
A knock sounded at the office door.
Daniel’s assistant entered carrying a package wrapped in brown paper.
“This was delivered for Mrs. Ashford.”
There was no return address.
Vivian opened it carefully.
Inside was a small black storage drive and a handwritten note.
The cameras were not the only things recording.
Ask what happened in the library at 5:36.
The note was unsigned.
Daniel inserted the drive into an isolated computer.
One video file appeared.
It had been recorded inside Ashford Manor’s library five minutes before the official security system went dark.
Beatrix stood beside Thatcher’s desk.
Dr. Price faced her.
His expression was terrified.
“You said it would only make the child sleepy,” he whispered.
Beatrix stepped closer.
“And it did.”
“She’s in pain.”
“That is not your concern.”
“It becomes my concern when you put my name on the medical report.”
Beatrix smiled.
“You accepted the money.”
Dr. Price looked toward the door.
“I’m going to tell Vivian.”
Beatrix’s smile disappeared.
“No,” she said. “You’re going to disappear until we decide what happens next.”
The video ended.
Vivian stared at the dark screen.
“What did she give Sabina?” she whispered.
May you like
Daniel reached for his phone.
Before he could make a call, the office windows exploded inward.
