The Founder’s Question
Chapter 05 - The Founder’s Question
Arthur moved Hannah to a protected floor normally reserved for visiting dignitaries. Two retired police officers guarded the elevator. No hospital employee entered without Nora’s approval.
The precautions felt excessive until someone tried to access Hannah’s medication chart using the credentials of a nurse who had been off duty for six hours.
The attempted change would have doubled a sedative that was not recommended late in pregnancy.
Dr. Hale caught it before the order reached the pharmacy.
Evan called it a clerical error.
Arthur called the district attorney.
That evening, he brought Hannah a weathered leather box. Inside were letters Catherine had written during her residency.
Most described ordinary things—long shifts, difficult patients, Arthur’s habit of forgetting lunch. The final letters changed tone.
I found a second set of birth logs.
The official records do not match the bracelet numbers.
Someone is using deceased infants’ identities to move living babies into private adoptions.
Linda says I am imagining patterns, but she keeps removing files after I review them.
The last page ended mid-sentence.
Hannah read it three times.
“My mother knew Blair’s mother was involved.”
“Yes,” Arthur said. “But I didn’t know.”
“Why didn’t you search harder?”
The question struck him.
Arthur looked older when he answered. “I searched for the daughter I expected to find. Angry. Educated. Independent. I never considered that someone had changed her name, cut off her access to money, and convinced her I wanted her gone.”
Hannah remembered Catherine’s fear of official forms. Her refusal to enter hospitals. Her habit of checking locks twice.
“She told me rich families can erase people without killing them.”
Arthur looked down.
“She was right.”
Nora entered with an update from the cybersecurity team. The security deletion had been routed through Evan’s account, but the command originated from Blair’s office computer.
There was more.
Blair had searched Hannah’s prenatal record thirty-seven times in two months. She had also opened Arthur’s sealed family trust.
“Why would she access the trust?” Hannah asked.
Nora turned the tablet toward her.
The Vale Family Medical Trust contained an unusual clause written by Arthur’s late wife. If Catherine or Catherine’s direct descendant returned, controlling shares in St. Catherine’s would transfer to that descendant after identity verification.
Hannah’s unborn child would inherit secondary voting rights.
Evan had known about the clause for years.
Arthur’s voice became almost a whisper.
“He didn’t marry you because he knew who you were.”
Hannah wished she could believe that.
Nora tapped another file.
“Maybe not at first. But he ordered a private genealogical search eleven months before the wedding.”
The room went silent.
Hannah placed one hand over her stomach.
May you like
Her marriage had not begun as a love story.
It had begun as due diligence.
