Four Empty Coffins, One Terminal Diagnosis Chapter 04
When I woke up in the hospital, my body felt like I’d been hit by a truck. I’d burned with fever all night. My pillow was soaked through.
The only thing on my nightstand was a discharge notice.
A nurse glanced in at me. Her eyes were full of pity. “Miss Vale, your medical account was suspended yesterday. The doctor recommends—”
“I know. I’m leaving.”
The doctor stopped me in the hallway. “With proper rest, you had maybe a month left. Now… your condition has accelerated.”
I didn’t care anymore.
I walked out the hospital doors. A black SUV was idling at the curb. The window rolled down. A man in a charcoal-gray suit looked at me.
“Vivienne Vale?”
The man held out an envelope. “Someone asked me to give this to you.”
I opened it. Inside was a card. Dante Moretti. Moretti Family
I slipped the card into my pocket. I had no intention of going back to the Vale estate. But then I saw them—my family—right outside the hospital.
Evelyn’s eyes were red. She was practically shaking. “How could you do this? She’s just a child!”
Serena was crying. “Last night, someone pushed Lena down the stairs! The doctor said if we’d gotten there a few minutes later, she’d be crippled for life!”
Lena sat in a wheelchair, her small leg wrapped in bandages, her eyes squeezed shut.
“It wasn’t me.” My voice came out hoarse. “I was at the hospital all night. Besides—my acting’s a lot worse than yours.”
“You’re lying!” Damian shouted. “You bribed the hospital staff! Don’t think I don’t know what a Vale family card can do!”
Adrian stood at the front of the group. His face was blank. “Do you have proof?”
I shot back, “Do you have proof it was me?”
Serena’s hand settled lightly on Adrian’s arm. Her eyes glistened. “Adrian, maybe Vivienne didn’t mean it. Maybe she just lost control for a moment…”
Adrian stepped up to me. His voice was a threat. “Vivienne. Lena is my daughter. You touch a single hair on her head, and I’ll make your entire Vale family pay.”
“Including Serena? And my parents?” I said.
Adrian raised his hand. For a second, I thought he might actually hit me. But he only clenched his fist.
“I’m asking you one last time.” His voice dropped low. So low only I could hear it. “Are you going to admit it or not?”
I looked at him. I used to love this face. I’ve seen it in my dreams a thousand times. “I didn’t do it.”
Adrian stepped back. “Then get the hell out.”
He turned around, lifted Lena into his arms, and walked back into the hospital.
Serena followed him. As she passed me, her voice dropped to a whisper. “They will never believe you.”
The worst part was, she was right.
“I wish I’d never known any of you,” I said.
Damian shot me a cold sneer. “Then leave! Don’t bother coming back! The Vale family doesn’t need you!”
I left. Around the corner, a black SUV was still waiting for me. I opened the door and climbed inside. My fingers found the card in my pocket—the one that said Moretti.
“I want to meet him.” I leaned back against the seat and closed my eyes.
…
After that, the Vale family tried to reach me. Damian called again and again. Evelyn, over and over. Gideon, too.
I didn’t answer a single one.
Serena sent me a photo. A new family portrait.
Gideon and Evelyn sat in the middle. Damian stood on the left. Adrian stood on the right, holding Lena. Serena leaned into his shoulder. On her ring finger sat that ring.
Everyone was smiling.
Beneath the photo, a line of text read:
There will always be a place for you at the Vale estate. All you have to do is apologize.
But no matter what photos or provocations they sent, I never responded.
Finally, half a month later, a call from the hospital reached the Vale family. Damian was having dinner at Serena’s house. He put the phone on speaker.
“Miss Vivienne Vale passed away tonight at 11:33 PM. We request that family members come to the hospital to identify the body,” the nurse said.
