Chapter 5 - THE DOCTOR'S CONFESSION
The grey dawn broke over Lake Michigan with a cold, unforgiving light that cast long shadows across the manicured lawns of the Valente estate. I returned to the compound just before six in the morning, slipping back through the service entrance before the morning shift change roused the other staff. Amara was still sleeping peacefully, completely unaware that her mother had just brokered an alliance with a city detective that could either save us or destroy us.
At eight o'clock, the household plunged into a state of heightened alert when word spread through the kitchens that Roman Valente had checked himself out of the private medical wing and demanded a full family breakfast in the formal dining hall.
I was assigned to assist with serving the morning coffee and pastries, my hands steady as I balanced the heavy silver pot on my tray while stepping into the grand dining room.
Roman sat at the head of the long mahogany table, looking pale and gaunt, his collar unbuttoned and his breathing still slightly shallow, but his dark eyes burned with an icy, terrifying intensity. Marcus sat to his right, cutting methodically into a plate of eggs with calm precision, while Vivian sat to his left, nervously toying with a silver spoon and avoiding Roman’s piercing gaze entirely.
“Harrison,” Roman barked suddenly, his voice raspy and harsh as he looked down the table toward Dr. Harrison Vance, who sat near the far end looking visibly green around the gills. “You examined me yesterday afternoon after the incident. You told me my asthma flare-up was caused by environmental dust and standard atmospheric triggers.”
Dr. Vance swallowed hard, dabbing his mouth with a linen napkin while his hands shook visibly. “That... that was my initial clinical assessment, Roman. The pollutant levels in the lower archives were unusually high—”
“Was it dust, Harrison?” Roman interrupted softly, the quiet deadliness in his tone bringing every conversation at the table to an abrupt halt. “Because I spoke with the head of internal maintenance this morning. The air filtration systems in the archives were completely overhauled two days ago. There wasn't a speck of dust in that room.”
Dr. Vance opened his mouth to reply, but no words came out; he simply looked frantically toward Marcus for rescue. But Marcus continued cutting his eggs, his expression smooth and unbothered, refusing to look up or acknowledge the doctor's silent plea.
“You've been my family doctor for twelve years, Harrison,” Roman continued, standing up slowly from his chair and leaning his palms against the edge of the table as he loomed over the physician. “You patched up my gunshot wounds, you treated my lung damage, and I trusted you with my life. So tell me the truth right now. Why did my rescue inhaler vanish from my jacket pocket at the exact moment my airways locked up?”
“I... I don't know anything about an inhaler, Roman,” Dr. Vance stammered, sweat beading visibly on his forehead as he pushed his chair back from the table. “You're under a lot of stress—perhaps your memory—”
Before the doctor could finish his sentence, the heavy mahogany doors of the dining room swung wide open with a sharp crash.
Detective Thomas Vance stepped into the room, flanked by two uniformed patrol officers, his trench coat sweeping around his ankles as he walked straight toward the head of the table.
Marcus finally dropped his fork, his calm facade cracking instantly as he glared at the intruder. “What is the meaning of this intrusion? This is private property. Get out before my guards throw you out.”
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“You can tell your guards to stand down, Marcus,” Thomas said coldly, pulling the folded medical form from his coat pocket and tossing it squarely onto the center of the mahogany table, right next to Roman’s coffee cup. “Because your brother’s private doctor didn't just misdiagnose an asthma attack yesterday. He signed off on a planned execution schedule ordered by a member of this household.”
Roman’s gaze dropped slowly to the paper resting on the table. His hand reached out, trembling slightly as he picked up the document and unfolded it for the very first time.
