Chapter 3 - The Hospital Raid
The defense attorney immediately jumped up, shouting objections, but the judge raised a hand to silence him. The atmosphere in the courtroom had permanently shifted. The image of Margaret as a fragile, grieving matriarch attacked by an ungrateful daughter-in-law was evaporating.
"Your Honor," Claire’s attorney, Sarah Vance, stood up. "In light of this medical testimony, we request an immediate freeze on all Whitmore Medical Group assets and a search warrant for the private laboratory in the burn recovery wing."
The judge nodded firmly. "Granted. Court is recessed until tomorrow morning. The defendant, Margaret Whitmore, and her son, Ryan Whitmore, are ordered to surrender their passports immediately."
As the courtroom cleared, Ryan approached Claire’s table. His face was pale, his eyes wide with a desperate, pleading fear. "Claire, please. You have to talk to me. Mom... Mom didn't tell me about the drug. I just thought we were trying to save the family legacy. If the assets are frozen, the company will collapse."
May you like
Claire looked at her husband—the man she had spent six years supporting, the man who had watched her burn and offered her a pen instead of an ambulance.
"The company already collapsed, Ryan," Claire said, her voice dropping to a whisper that cut through his panic. "It collapsed the second you stood by and let her pour that pot. Don't look at me for mercy. I have none left to give."
