Chapter 7 - The Unseen Threat
While Ethan spent the next hour bonding with Ava in the hospital's private family lounge—answering her endless stream of questions about his job, his dog, and why he wore such fancy suits—I retreated to my office to review patient charts. But my mind was miles away.
The door clicked open, and Daniel Pierce walked in, closing it firmly behind him.
“I saw them in the lounge,” Daniel said, leaning against the doorframe with a grave expression. “Maya, are you sure about this? Once Ethan Caldwell acknowledges a blood heir publicly, the rest of the Chicago syndicate is going to find out.”
“I didn't plan for her to walk in on us, Daniel,” I sighed, rubbing my temples where a throbbing migraine was beginning to form. “It just happened. But seeing the way he looked at her... I couldn't keep lying to her. She deserves to know her father.”
“And what about Eleanor?” Daniel warned. “She may be banished to upstate New York, but she still has loyalists inside the syndicate. If she catches wind that Ethan has a daughter with you, she’ll see Ava as a threat to her legacy—or worse, a weakness to be exploited.”
Before I could answer, my cell phone buzzed violently on the desk.
An unknown number flashed across the screen.
Frowning, I swiped the screen and pressed it to my ear.
“Dr. Bennett,” I answered.
“Maya,” a cold, gravelly voice hissed through the speaker—a voice I hadn't heard in eight years, one that sent a chill straight down my spine. “It’s been a long time, my dear.”
My blood ran cold.
Eleanor Caldwell.
“How did you get this number?” I demanded, standing up so fast my office chair rolled back and slammed into the wall.
“In my position, finding a rebellious little cardiologist is child's play,” Eleanor chuckled darkly on the other end of the line. “I hear my son is currently paying a visit to your hospital. And I hear there is a rather charming little girl running around the corridors with copper-brown eyes. Tell me, Dr. Bennett... does Ethan know he has a precious little princess waiting for her inheritance?”
“If you come anywhere near my daughter, Eleanor, I swear to God I will—”
“You’ll what?” she interrupted, her voice dripping with venom. “You have no idea what my family is capable of. Ethan thinks he has banished me, but the roots of the Caldwell empire run deeper than he realizes. If that child carries Caldwell blood, she belongs to us. And if we can't control her... well, accidents happen in Chicago every single day.”
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The line went dead with a sharp click.
My heart hammered against my ribs like a pneumatic drill. Without hesitation, I grabbed my lab coat, sprinted out of my office, and rushed toward the family lounge where Ethan and Ava were.
