Chapter 6 - The Trojan Horse
Three days later, Emily was discharged from the hospital. Despite her protests, the discharge orders had been authorized by a family-connected physician, and when she stepped out of the hospital lobby, a sleek black Mercedes was waiting at the curb.
Daniel was standing by the door, wearing an expression of profound contrition. He held a bouquet of white lilies—her favorite—and his eyes were suspiciously damp.
“Emily, thank God,” Daniel said, stepping forward as if to embrace her.
Emily raised her bandaged hand, stopping him dead in his tracks. Her security detail—two private guards hired by Rosa using an anonymous burner phone and paid from a hidden account—stood formidably on either side of her.
“Keep your distance, Daniel,” Emily said, her voice steady, cold, and carrying an authority that made him flinch. “I’m returning to the estate only because my legal counsel advises me to settle our affairs under our shared roof. But make no mistake: try anything resembling what happened on that balcony, and you won’t just be fighting a civil suit. You’ll be wearing an orange jumpsuit.”
Daniel’s jaw tightened beneath his polite smile, but he nodded submissively. “Of course, darling. Whatever you need to feel safe. I was out of my mind with shock that day. Mother and I just want you and the baby home.”
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As they drove back to the estate, Emily looked out the tinted window, her hand resting protectively over her swollen belly. She knew she was walking directly back into the lion’s den. Margaret and Daniel were playing a long game, pretending to relent while plotting their next move. But Emily was no longer the naive young woman who believed in fairy-tale marriages. She had the envelope safely locked in a bank safety deposit box downtown; Rosa had managed to sneak it out during her hospital visit.
All she had to do now was survive the final month until her due date.
