Chapter 15 - The Lowest Point
Sunday morning began with rain.
Emily woke at 4:12 with a contraction strong enough to take her breath away.
Then another came eleven minutes later.
Raymond drove her to the hospital.
Dr. Keller examined her immediately.
“You’re not in active labor.”
Emily exhaled.
“But your body is telling you something.”
“I know.”
“You cannot keep absorbing this level of stress.”
Emily looked away.
Dr. Keller touched her hand.
“Whatever happens in court today, your baby does not care who wins.”
Emily nodded.
For the first time since the hallway, she felt tired enough to break.
Not dramatic.
Not loud.
Just empty.
Sarah arrived with the latest filings.
“They got another affidavit.”
“From who?”
Emily asked.
Sarah hesitated.
“Your former housekeeper.”
Emily looked up.
“Mrs. Lang?”
“She says Preston asked her questions about your mood.”
Emily stared at her.
“She worked for us twelve years.”
“I know.”
“She held me after my miscarriage.”
Sarah’s voice softened.
“I know.”
The affidavit claimed Emily had become increasingly emotional.
That she sometimes sat alone in the nursery.
That she had cried after arguments.
That she worried excessively about the baby.
Normal human grief had been arranged into something sinister.
Emily turned her face toward the window.
“They’re using everyone.”
Sarah sat beside her.
“They’re scared.”
Emily whispered,
“So am I.”
It was the first time she admitted it.
She was scared of court.
Scared of premature labor.
Scared of raising a child alone.
Scared that Preston might find some legal loophole nobody had seen.
Scared that every institution she trusted could be manipulated by someone with enough money.
Then the door opened.
Mrs. Lang walked inside.
Emily froze.
The older woman’s eyes filled with tears.
“I’m sorry.”
Sarah stood immediately.
Mrs. Lang held an envelope.
“Preston’s attorney wrote that statement.”
Emily said nothing.
“They told me if I didn’t sign, they would say I stole from your house.”
Mrs. Lang’s hands shook.
“I signed because I was afraid.”
Emily looked at her.
“Why are you here?”
Mrs. Lang placed the envelope in Sarah’s hands.
“Because they made one mistake.”
“What?”
“They emailed me the draft first.”
Sarah opened the envelope.
Inside was the original email from Preston’s attorney.
Attached instructions read:
PLEASE SIGN AS WRITTEN.
DO NOT EDIT LANGUAGE REGARDING EMOTIONAL INSTABILITY.
Sarah looked stunned.
Mrs. Lang started crying.
“I should have protected you.”
Emily reached for her hand.
“No.”
Her voice was quiet.
“You came back.”
Mrs. Lang squeezed her fingers.
Then she said,
“There’s something else.”
Emily looked at her.
“Preston kept a safe in the basement.”
“I know.”
“No.”
Mrs. Lang shook her head.
“Not the one in his office.”
May you like
She gave Sarah a small brass key.
“The one behind the wine racks.”
