A pause.
Then Patricia’s voice sharpened.
“Ryan?”
“He had documents.”
“Impossible.”
“He had the power of attorney. He had a lawyer. He knew.”
Patricia went silent.
Caleb lowered his voice.
“We need to move faster.”
Across the hall, Ryan stopped talking.
He did not look over.
But he heard enough.
Nora Vance followed his gaze.
“Ryan,” she murmured, “not here.”
Ryan kept his eyes on Caleb.
“He’s calling Patricia.”
“I assumed he would.”
“Tell me you filed the injunction.”
“I filed it at 6:31 this morning.”
Ryan exhaled through his nose.
Good.
One move ahead.
That was the only way to beat people like the Whitmores.
Not by hoping they would become decent.
By assuming they would not.
Security supervisor Marcus Hale approached Ryan.
“Mr. Carter, I’ve notified hospital administration. Mr. Whitmore is no longer permitted beyond this point without staff approval.”
Ryan nodded.
“Thank you.”
Caleb ended his call and walked toward them.
His expression had changed.
The performance was back.
Wounded husband.
Concerned father.
Man under attack.
“You’re making a mistake,” Caleb said to Ryan.
Ryan looked at him, calm as glass.
“No. I made my mistake when I let Hannah marry you.”
Caleb’s eyes hardened.
“She chose me.”
“She chose the version you sold her.”
read more in next page
