Chapter 2 - THE THING VICTOR DIDN'T KNOW
That afternoon, a woman named Claire entered my room.
She wore a dark navy uniform.
Captain's insignia.
My heart skipped.
"Elena."
"Captain Reynolds?"
She nodded.
She closed the door behind her.
"I was supposed to see you at the commissioning ceremony."
"I was supposed to be there."
"I know."
She pulled a chair beside my bed.
"I want you to understand something."
"What?"
"You haven't lost your commission."
I stared at her.
"What?"
"The ceremony can be postponed."
Tears burned my eyes.
"I thought everything was over."
"No."
Captain Reynolds reached into her folder.
"We don't abandon officers because someone attacked them."
I looked away.
"I can't feel my legs."
"Right now."
She emphasized the words.
"Not forever."
I wanted to believe her.
But fear had already settled inside me.
Then she lowered her voice.
"Elena, your husband contacted the command office two days before your ceremony."
My heart stopped.
"What did he say?"
"He claimed you wanted to withdraw."
"I never said that."
"I know."
"Then why would he say it?"
Captain Reynolds hesitated.
"That's something you need to ask him."
I laughed bitterly.
"I don't think I'm going to ask him anything."
"Good."
She closed the folder.
"Because Detective Harris is already looking into it."
I looked at her.
"Did Victor tell you anything else?"
"That you were overwhelmed."
"He lied."
"I know."
She stood.
Before leaving, she placed a business card on my table.
"If you need anything, call me directly."
After she left, I stared at the card.
Then my phone buzzed.
A message from Victor.
We need to talk.
I didn't answer.
Another message.
Your mother-in-law is worried about you.
Then:
Don't make this uglier than it needs to be.
I locked the screen.
Five minutes later, the hospital room door opened.
Victor walked in.
No apology.
No flowers.
No remorse.
He wore the same expensive watch I'd bought him on our second anniversary.
He looked at me as if I were an inconvenience.
"Elena."
I didn't respond.
He pulled a chair closer.
"You look terrible."
I stared at him.
He smiled faintly.
"Still angry?"
"Get out."
His smile disappeared.
"You need to understand something."
"No."
"You've made a mistake."
I almost laughed.
"A mistake?"
"You've been telling people I attacked you."
"You did."
"You don't have proof."
I looked directly at him.
"The bruises are proof."
He leaned closer.
"Bruises fade."
My stomach turned.
Then he reached into his coat.
He pulled out a document.
"Sign this."
I didn't touch it.
"What is it?"
"A statement."
"About what?"
"That the fall was accidental."
"No."
"Elena."
"No."
His jaw tightened.
"You don't understand what's at stake."
"I understand perfectly."
"No, you don't."
He stood.
"You think that ceremony makes you independent."
"It does."
"You'll lose everything."
I stared at him.
"What does that mean?"
He said nothing.
Then his phone rang.
Patricia.
He answered.
"She's refusing."
A pause.
Then he looked at me.
His expression changed.
Not anger.
Fear.
He ended the call.
"Who was that?"
"My mother."
"What did she say?"
"Nothing."
"You're lying."
He walked toward the door.
Then stopped.
"Don't force me to protect myself."
The door closed behind him.
I sat there motionless.
A minute later, Detective Harris entered.
"Did he threaten you?"
"Not directly."
"What did he bring?"
"A statement."
Harris sighed.
"Good."
I frowned.
"Good?"
"Because now we have evidence he is trying to influence your account."
He sat down.
"Elena, I need you to think carefully."
"About what?"
"Did Victor ever control your finances?"
"Some of them."
"Did he have access to your accounts?"
"Yes."
"Your email?"
"Yes."
"Military correspondence?"
I hesitated.
"Some."
Harris looked at me.
"Then we're not dealing with one violent incident."
"What are you saying?"
"I'm saying the attack may have been the final step in something much larger."
That night, I couldn't sleep.
At 2:17 a.m., my phone buzzed.
An email notification.
From my bank.
Transfer scheduled.
I opened it.
A payment of $86,000 had been authorized from my account.
Recipient:
Marshall Holdings LLC.
I had never heard of it.
I called the bank.
The representative said the transfer had been scheduled six days earlier.
The same day as the medical billing authorization.
I stared at the screen.
The attack hadn't started three days ago.
It had started six days earlier.
Maybe even before that.
May you like
And Victor had been moving pieces around me while I thought we were simply having a marriage crisis.
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