Chapter 3: Vivian’s Mask Slipped
For years, I had only known pieces of my mother’s pain.
A hospital room. A ruined reputation. A lawsuit that vanished. A baby brother born with complications after a night she never fully explained.
My mother had once been a nurse too.
Brilliant. Gentle. Trusted by everyone.
Then one wealthy family accused her of stealing from a private estate where she worked as Arthur Sterling’s personal nurse.
After that, no hospital would touch her.
She lost her license. Her health. Her hope.
And now Arthur Sterling had died with her name in his mouth.
Vivian laughed suddenly.
Too loudly.
“This is absurd. Arthur was delirious.”
I looked at her.
“He said Vivian hid the file.”
The color left her face.
Silas turned slowly toward his stepmother.
“What file?”
Vivian’s hand tightened around her pearl necklace.
“He was confused.”
I shook my head.
“No. He was terrified.”
And for the first time, Vivian Sterling looked afraid of a nurse.
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