I WOKE UP IN THE HOSPITAL AND HEARD MY PARTNER DIVIDING UP MY COMPANY—THEN THE WORKSHOP VIDEO EXPOSED SOMETHING WORSE
PART 3
The next morning, I pretended to be weaker than I was.
That became my first weapon.
Melissa arrived at 8:12 carrying flowers.
White lilies.
Laura’s favorite.
That detail almost made me laugh.
Almost.
She leaned over my bed.
“Hey, sweetheart.”
Sweetheart.
She kissed my forehead while wearing my dead wife’s necklace.
Behind her came Daniel with a leather folder.
Dr. Patel was in the room, pretending to check my IV.
Grace and Ethan were watching from a consultation room down the hall through the hospital’s security feed.
Two detectives were waiting with them.
Nobody moved too soon.
That was the plan.
Melissa sat beside me.
“You scared me.”
I stared at her.
Daniel stepped closer.
“We need to discuss a few temporary business matters.”
I let my eyes drift toward him as if I were confused.
He opened the folder.
“Nothing permanent. Just protection until you’re stronger.”
He placed a document on the tray table.
Temporary control of Barrett Precision.
Melissa’s name was already printed beneath the signature line.
I whispered:
“Pen.”
Melissa smiled.
For one second, I saw relief flash across her face.
Daniel handed me one.
My fingers shook genuinely as I picked it up.
Then I asked:
“What happened… in the workshop?”
The room changed.
Melissa’s smile froze.
Daniel’s eyes moved toward her.
“Accident,” he said quickly.
I looked at him.
“Camera?”
Daniel’s face tightened.
Melissa reached for my hand.
“Don’t worry about that now.”
I pulled away.
That was when the door opened.
Grace walked in.
Ethan came behind her.
Melissa stood so fast her chair nearly tipped over.
“Why are they here?”
Grace looked at the necklace around Melissa’s throat.
Her face went pale.
“That was Mom’s.”
Melissa instinctively covered it with her hand.
“This isn’t the time.”
Grace’s voice cracked.
“You stole it from Dad’s safe.”
Daniel stepped forward.
“Grace, this is a family matter.”
“No,” Ethan said.
His voice was cold.
“This is evidence.”
Two detectives entered.
Melissa stared at them.
Then at me.
For the first time, she understood.
I wasn’t helpless.
I had been watching.
Listening.
Waiting.
One detective introduced himself and asked Daniel and Melissa to remain where they were.
Daniel immediately tried to take control.
“My client is medically compromised. Any conversation should—”
“You’re not representing him anymore,” Ethan said.
Daniel looked at me.
I nodded.
“No.”
It was the first word I said clearly.
Daniel went silent.
Then Grace placed her phone on the tray table.
She opened the video.
The workshop appeared on screen.
Timestamp: 6:43 a.m.
The morning of my accident.
Melissa walked into frame.
Daniel followed.
And then came the third person.
My plant manager.
Frank Holloway.
A man who had worked beside me for eighteen years.
I felt something break inside my chest.
Frank had attended Laura