I stared at my phone, Hugo's words replaying in my mind like a broken record. "I'll handle it." Three cold, clinical words about his own father's death.
The hospital corridor seemed to spin around me as I leaned against the wall, trying to steady myself. Richard Washington—the man who had treated me like a daughter, who had told me stories about Hugo's childhood, who had shown more warmth to me than my own parents ever had—was gone. And Hugo couldn't even be bothered to sound sad.
I swallowed hard and dialed Hugo's number again.
"Mariah," he answered, irritation evident in his voice. "I told you I'd handle it."
"Your father is dead," I repeated, my voice stronger this time. "Richard Washington is dead."
There was a pause, then: "What are you talking about? My father is fine."
My heart stopped. "Hugo, Richard died thirty minutes ago from septic shock."
"No, Mariah." His voice hardened. "Your father died. The hospital called me directly."
The realization hit me like a physical blow. He thought my father had died.
"Hugo," I whispered, "my father is alive. It's your father who died."
Silence stretched between us, heavy and terrible.
"That's not possible," he finally said, but I could hear the doubt in his voice.
"It's true," I said, tears welling up again. "Catalina left surgical gauze inside him. He died from the infection."
I heard him breathe sharply. "Listen to me carefully, Mariah. This is what we're going to do."
We. As if we were still a team.
"There's a settlement agreement in my desk at home," Hugo continued, his voice shifting into professional mode. "In the bottom drawer, under the insurance papers. You need to sign it immediately."
"A settlement agreement?" I echoed, disbelief coloring my words.
"For your father's death," he clarified coldly. "To prevent any legal complications."
I closed my eyes, unable to process his callousness. "Hugo, my father is alive. Your father is dead."
"I know that now," he snapped. "But we still need to handle this properly. Catalina can't afford any scandals right now."
I ended the call without responding, my hands shaking so badly I nearly dropped the phone.
---
I returned to Richard's room one last time before they took his body to the morgue. The machines had been silenced, the tubes removed. He looked peaceful, almost as if he were sleeping.
"I'm so sorry," I whispered, touching his hand one final time. "This shouldn't have happened to you."
As I turned to leave, I noticed Catalina hovering in the doorway, her eyes red-rimmed but her posture stiff and defensive.
"Mariah," she began, her voice trembling slightly. "I didn't mean for this to happen."
"But it did happen," I replied, my voice eerily calm. "And now he's gone."
I walked past her without another word, my mind suddenly clear about what I needed to do.
---
Back at home, I moved with quiet purpose through our bedroom to Hugo's study. The settlement agreement was exactly where he'd said it would be—a thick document with legal terminology that essentially promised silence in exchange for money.
I photographed every page with my phone, then replaced it exactly as I'd found it.
Next, I logged into the hospital's electronic records system using the access I still had from my days as a practicing physician. I downloaded copies of Richard's surgical notes, the inventory lists, and Catalina's operating logs.
"Hugo thinks he can cover this up," I murmured to myself as I saved the files to a secure cloud account. "But I won't let him."
I spent hours gathering evidence—medical records, staff schedules, even security footage from the operating room that showed Catalina's hands trembling during the procedure.
By dawn, I had assembled a damning case against both Hugo and Catalina.
---
The state medical board office was imposing—all glass and steel and serious-faced people in suits. I clutched my folder of evidence as I approached the reception desk.
"I need to file a report of medical malpractice," I said, my voice steady despite my exhaustion.
The receptionist directed me to a stern-looking woman with silver hair and reading glasses perched on her nose.
"Mrs. Morris," she said, studying my face. "What can I do for you?"
I placed my folder on her desk. "My father-in-law died because of surgical negligence," I said simply. "And the doctors responsible are trying to cover it up."
She opened the folder, her eyes widening slightly as she scanned the first page.
"These are serious allegations," she said carefully.
"They're true," I replied, meeting her gaze without flinching. "Every word."
As she continued reading through my evidence, I felt a strange sense of calm wash over me. For the first time since Richard's death, I was doing something that mattered.
"I'll need statements from the hospital administration as well," she said finally.
"I've already arranged that," I said, pulling out another set of documents. "Dr. Elena Martinez will be contacting you directly."
The woman's eyebrows rose slightly. "You've been thorough."
"I was once a doctor too," I reminded her gently. "Before I gave it all up for Hugo."
As I left the medical board offices, my phone buzzed with a text from Hugo: "Where are you? We need to discuss Catalina's birthday celebration tonight."
I stared at the message in disbelief. Richard's body was barely cold, and Hugo was planning a party?
Little did he know that by tomorrow, neither he nor Catalina would be celebrating anything ever again.
