Chapter 12
582words
She busied herself unpacking pastries from the bag. "He gave it to me after you moved out. Someone needed to water the plants." She glanced up, meeting my gaze. "It's not what you think, Liv."
"And what do I think?"
"That something's going on between Nathan and me." She sighed, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear—a gesture we shared, one of the few reminders that we were sisters. "There isn't. There never has been."
"I saw you together," I said quietly. "That night, three months ago. Here, in this kitchen."
"You saw a conversation," she corrected. "A conversation about you, actually. I was trying to convince him to fight for your marriage."
I laughed bitterly. "Is that why you told him I'd become 'a shell of myself'? That I wasn't the woman he married anymore?"
Rebecca had the grace to look ashamed. "I shouldn't have said that. But Liv, you were drowning in grief, pushing everyone away. Nathan included."
"And you were just trying to help?" I shook my head. "You've always wanted what I have, Becca. Since we were children. My toys, my clothes, my friends. And then Nathan."
"That's not fair," she protested. "I've only ever wanted you to be happy."
"Happy?" My voice rose despite the pain it caused my ribs. "You think I'm happy? I lost my baby. I lost my husband. I nearly died last night in what was clearly a deliberate attempt to silence me about one of my patients. And now I find out my sister has a key to my ex-husband's apartment. Tell me, Becca, what part of that should make me happy?"
Rebecca paled. "What do you mean, a deliberate attempt? The accident wasn't an accident?"
"My brakes were cut," I said bluntly. "And I received a threatening text about Lily Sullivan's case right before it happened."
"Lily Sullivan?" Rebecca looked genuinely confused. "The little girl from that shooting last year? What does she have to do with anything?"
Before I could answer, my phone rang. The hospital. I answered immediately, turning away from Rebecca.
"Dr. Carter speaking."
"Olivia, it's James Reynolds." The hospital chief's voice was tense. "I need you to come in right away. There's been a development with Lily Sullivan."
"What kind of development?" I asked, alarm rising. "Is she alright?"
"She's physically fine, but we've received court orders to transfer her to a different facility. A private psychiatric hospital in Vermont. They're coming to collect her this afternoon."
"What? That's ridiculous! She's making progress with me. A transfer now would be traumatic."
"I agree," Reynolds said, lowering his voice. "But this comes from above me. Victor Carter personally signed off on it."
My blood ran cold. "I'll be there in thirty minutes."
I ended the call, turning to find Rebecca watching me intently.
"Trouble at work?" she asked, her tone too casual.
"I need to go," I said, ignoring her question. "Thanks for the breakfast I won't be eating."
"Liv, wait." She caught my arm as I moved past her. "There's something you should know. About Nathan, about that night when you lost the baby."
I pulled away. "I don't have time for this, Rebecca."
"Make time," she insisted, her perfectly manicured fingers digging into my arm. "Because what I'm about to tell you changes everything."
Something in her tone made me pause. "What are you talking about?"
