Chapter 10 - The Second Accident
“Richard!”
Smoke crawled beneath the ceiling.
The fire alarm shrieked through the mansion.
I rushed into his bathroom.
Empty.
Closet.
Empty.
Balcony.
Empty.
Then I saw the service elevator indicator moving downward.
Basement.
I ran.
The elevator doors opened before I reached them.
Richard sat inside his wheelchair.
“What are you doing?”
“Getting the backup drive.”
“The library is on fire!”
“The backup isn't in the library.”
“Then why—”
“Because whoever started it thinks it is.”
A crash sounded upstairs.
Glass breaking.
“Out.”
I pushed his chair toward the side entrance.
Eleanor appeared in the hallway wearing a robe.
“Maya!”
“Outside!”
“Where’s Ethan?”
“I don’t know!”
Chloe came running from another corridor.
“What happened?”
Richard looked at her.
“You tell me.”
Her face went white.
Sirens approached.
Firefighters arrived within minutes.
The library suffered heavy damage, but the fire was contained.
Investigators quickly determined it was arson.
Accelerant near the bookcase.
Ethan returned twenty minutes later claiming he had been at a pharmacy.
At four in the morning.
No one believed him.
But the real danger came later.
At six, while firefighters remained on the property, I went to my car to retrieve clothes.
I opened the driver’s door.
Something seemed wrong.
The brake pedal sat lower than usual.
I crouched.
Fluid.
Beneath the car.
My breath stopped.
I backed away.
A mechanic later confirmed the brake line had been cut.
Not damaged.
Cut.
Richard stared at the report.
“They targeted you.”
“Yes.”
“You’re leaving.”
“No.”
“Maya.”
“No.”
“This isn't bravery anymore.”
“You don't get to decide that.”
“You almost drove that car.”
“I noticed.”
“What if you hadn't?”
“But I did.”
He slammed his palm against the wheelchair armrest.
“You could have died!”
The force of his emotion stunned me.
For several seconds, neither of us spoke.
Then I said quietly, “Now you understand how everyone else feels watching you take stupid risks.”
He stared at me.
A reluctant laugh escaped him.
“That isn't funny.”
“A little.”
“No.”
“A little.”
His anger faded.
Then his expression became serious.
“Maya, I mean it.”
“So do I.”
I sat opposite him.
“I’m not staying because I think I’m invincible.”
“Then why?”
“Because leaving doesn't guarantee safety anymore.”
He knew I was right.
Whoever had cut the line knew my car.
My routine.
My connection to the investigation.
Whether I stayed or left, I was involved.
Police placed an officer at the estate.
The board meeting was relocated to Vance Medical Systems headquarters downtown.
Security would be heavy.
At eight thirty, we prepared to leave.
Richard wore a charcoal suit.
For the first time, I saw him look like the man he had been before the crash.
Powerful.
Controlled.
Except for the wheelchair.
I adjusted his tie.
“You nervous?”
“No.”
“Liar.”
He smiled.
“You?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
“Why good?”
“Fear makes you observant.”
“Fear also makes people throw up.”
“Try not to do that in the boardroom.”
“I’ll aim away from you.”
We reached downtown at nine forty.
The building rose forty stories above the Chicago River.
Employees stared as Richard entered.
Some looked emotional.
Others avoided eye contact.
Ethan arrived moments later.
He saw the police escort.
“What happened?”
“My caregiver’s brake line was cut.”
His surprise looked convincing.
“Jesus.”
Richard watched him carefully.
“Yes.”
The board assembled at ten.
Eleven directors.
Legal counsel.
Dr. Halpern.
Ethan.
Chloe.
Eleanor.
Nora, waiting outside.
Laura, with investigators nearby.
And me.
Ethan began.
“As everyone knows, Richard has suffered severe neurological impairment following his accident.”
Richard sat quietly.
“His condition has unfortunately shown minimal improvement.”
I watched Dr. Halpern.
The physician looked uncomfortable.
Ethan continued.
“Vance Medical Systems cannot remain in operational uncertainty indefinitely.”
There it was.
He proposed expanded executive authority.
Temporary, he called it.
For continuity.
For shareholders.
For employees.
People can hide astonishing greed behind responsible vocabulary.
Then Dr. Halpern spoke.
“Mr. Vance continues to exhibit profound motor impairment.”
Richard interrupted.
“Do I?”
Everyone looked at him.
Halpern hesitated.
“Richard—”
“Doctor.”
His voice sharpened.
“When did you last personally examine my lower-body motor function?”
Silence.
“Six weeks ago?”
Halpern swallowed.
“Yes.”
“And yet you signed evaluations last week.”
“Based on care reports.”
“Whose?”
“Your household medical records.”
“Prepared by?”
Ethan intervened.
“This is unnecessary.”
Richard ignored him.
“Prepared by whom?”
Halpern looked toward Chloe.
My skin prickled.
Chloe looked down.
Richard smiled without warmth.
“Interesting.”
Ethan stood.
“My brother is under emotional strain.”
Richard looked at him.
“So you keep saying.”
Then Richard placed both hands on the wheelchair arms.
Dr. Pierce entered.
Ethan froze.
Richard slowly lifted his right foot.
The boardroom became silent.
Then his left.
Gasps.
Chloe went pale.
Eleanor covered her mouth.
Ethan stared.
Richard flexed his right hand.
Moved his fingers.
Then pushed himself upward.
Dr. Pierce immediately stepped beside him.
Richard stood.
Only for three seconds.
His legs shook violently.
I stayed close without touching him unless necessary.
He lowered himself safely into the chair.
Nobody spoke.
Richard looked directly at Ethan.
“You've spent eight months telling everyone what I cannot do.”
Ethan’s face was white.
Richard continued.
“Now we’re going to discuss what you did.”
Laura opened the doors.
Nora entered carrying financial records.
Behind her came two investigators.
Ethan stepped backward.
“What is this?”
Richard’s voice was calm.
“An audit.”
Nora placed documents on the table.
“Sixty-three million dollars in fraudulent transactions.”
Ethan laughed.
“This is ridiculous.”
Laura added:
“Unauthorized access to corporate vehicle systems.”
His laugh stopped.
“Recorded conversations discussing brake manipulation.”
Chloe began crying.
Ethan looked at her.
“Shut up.”
That was his first real mistake.
Everyone heard it.
Then the boardroom doors opened again.
Miguel entered.
He carried the original Vitalis diagnostic authorization.
Ethan stared at him.
“You.”
Miguel said nothing.
Richard did.
“You tried to make a prisoner out of me.”
His voice remained quiet.
“And you nearly killed Maya when she found out.”
Ethan looked toward me.
Something in his expression changed.
Not fear.
Hatred.
Then he smiled.
“You think you've won?”
Laura stepped forward.
“Ethan, don't say anything else.”
He ignored her.
Richard stared.
“What are you talking about?”
Ethan laughed softly.
“You still don't understand.”
“Understand what?”
“I wasn't the one who ordered the accident.”
Silence fell.
Even Chloe looked shocked.
Richard’s face changed.
“Who did?”
Ethan smiled.
“Ask Mom.”
Every eye in the room turned toward Eleanor.
She looked as though the floor had vanished beneath her.
May you like
And when Richard whispered, “Mother?” she began to cry.
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