Chapter 2 - Playing the Fool
The morning sun flooded the formal dining room, catching the glint of sterling silver.
Nathan Vance sat at the head of the table, sipping espresso and scrolling through a tablet.
His wife, Claire, was meticulously buttering a piece of toast.
“Good morning, Emily,” Claire said, her voice dripping with artificial sweetness.
“Good morning, Mrs. Vance,” I replied, keeping my posture neutral.
“How was your first night with Richard?” Nathan asked without looking up from his screen.
“Quiet,” I lied smoothly. “He slept through the night. He seems very… dependent.”
Nathan’s finger paused on the tablet.
He finally looked up, a satisfied smirk playing on his lips.
“It’s a tragedy, really. But we’re so glad you’re here to make his transition easier.”
“Does he talk much?” Claire asked, her eyes narrowing slightly.
“Mostly just asks for water or adjusting his pillows,” I said, pouring myself a cup of coffee.
“He was quite the tyrant in the boardroom,” Nathan chuckled dryly. “It’s hard for him to accept that his mind is the only thing he has left.”
“And even that seems to be slipping,” Claire added with a theatrical sigh.
I took a sip of my coffee to hide the disgust on my face.
“The doctor prescribed a new muscle relaxant for his spasms,” Nathan said, sliding a small orange pill bottle across the mahogany table.
“Make sure he takes two with breakfast. It keeps him… comfortable.”
I picked up the bottle.
The label read Lorazepam. A heavy sedative, not a muscle relaxant.
“Of course, Mr. Vance,” I said.
“We just want what’s best for my brother,” Nathan said, finally returning to his tablet.
I turned and walked back toward the east wing, my pulse quickening.
When I entered Richard’s room, he was already awake, staring out the window.
I locked the door behind me and held up the pill bottle.
“They want you comfortable,” I whispered.
Richard glanced at the bottle, his jaw clenching.
“Flush them. Replace them with the sugar pills in my shaving kit.”
“They’re heavily sedating you,” I said, moving toward the bathroom.
“It makes it easier for them to forge my signature on the company restructuring documents,” he replied.
May you like
I swapped the pills, my hands trembling slightly at the reality of the danger we were in.
“Tonight,” Richard said, his voice dropping an octave. “We need to get into Nathan’s office.”
