Chapter 2 - The Medical Ransom
The monitors in the room continued their steady, rhythmic beeping.
The chilling threat hung heavily in the sterile hospital air.
My blood ran completely cold as I stared at the proxy document in his hand.
Dominic had exploited my two days of unconsciousness to steal the legal rights to my children.
"You are a disgusting monster," I whispered, gripping the arms of my chair.
Arthur Vanguard raised a hand to halt his security team.
His expression remained completely unreadable, a trait that made him a legendary corporate predator.
"What exactly do you want, Dominic?" my grandfather asked smoothly.
Dominic yanked his arms free from the guards and straightened his suit jacket.
"I want Audrey to sign her entire secret trust fund over to my personal accounts," Dominic demanded.
Natalie stepped out from behind him, her confidence returning.
"Pay us fifty million dollars, or those babies will not survive the afternoon," she threatened.
I felt a surge of pure, unfiltered hatred toward the woman wearing my clothes and threatening my twins.
Arthur pulled a sleek platinum smartphone from his pocket.
He dialed his elite legal team and placed the call on speakerphone for everyone to hear.
"Find an immediate legal loophole to invalidate a medical proxy filed under duress," Arthur commanded.
The minutes ticked by in agonizing, suffocating silence.
Dominic tapped his expensive watch, clearly enjoying his newfound power.
"You have exactly five minutes before I sign the termination order," he gloated.
Suddenly, a terrifying, high-pitched alarm began to shriek from inside the incubators.
Baby Liam's tiny chest stopped rising entirely.
The digital heart monitor flatlined into a solid, horrifying red line.
A team of panicked doctors and nurses rushed into the room with an emergency crash cart.
The lead surgeon shouted that Liam's underdeveloped lungs had collapsed.
"We need to perform an emergency intubation and surgical bypass immediately to save his life!" the surgeon yelled.
He shoved a surgical consent clipboard directly toward my shaking hands.
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Before I could grab the pen, Dominic aggressively snatched the clipboard away.
"I am the sole proxy, and I refuse to authorize this life-saving surgery until I see the money," Dominic stated ruthlessly.
