Chapter 4

What did you say?” The words barely left her lips. it's as if the air had been stolen from her lungs.

“I… I didn’t know what happened, I swear… I just found him on the floor… I…” Rafe stammered, incoherent.

“Calm down, Rafe. Calm down. What did you say happened to Father?” Her mind raced, terror clawing at her.

“It was Father. I came back from work and… he’d fell and collapsed.”

Benita jumped out of bed, gown clutched in one hand, bag and shoes in the other. “Where are you?” she demanded, her voice trembling with fear.

“At the hospital. The doctors are already attending to him,” Rafe replied, his voice cracking. “I… I’m so sorry. I failed to look after him.”

“I’m on my way.” She hung up before he could protest further.

She slipped out of Damien’s hotel room, heart hammering, and returned to her own room to gather her belongings. Her mind was a whirlwind of guilt and regret. She shouldn’t have left. She shouldn’t have gone on this vacation for even a second.

She bumped into someone in the hallway.

“Oh, sorry.”

“Careful, madam,” came the calm reply, but she barely registered it. Her thoughts were consumed by her father. She barely noticed the rest of the world as she made her way to the airport.

The flight back to New York felt like a blur. When she landed, she went straight to the hospital, barely able to process anything.

Morning had dawned by the time she arrived. Their family doctor, Dr. Peter, was waiting for her.

“Benita,” he greeted solemnly.

“Take me to my father,” she said, walking past him into the private wing the McCrackens had built in the hospital.

The sight hit her like a physical blow. Her father, hooked up to monitors, breathing mechanically through tubes, he was motionless.

“Is he… is he..... going to live?” she asked, voice shaking.

“I’m sorry,” the doctor replied, removing his glasses.

“What do you mean, ‘sorry’?” Her stomach turned, dreading the reply already.

“Based on the tests conducted from last night to this morning… Mr. McCracken no longer has any brain activity,” he said gently.

The words felt like a hammer to her chest. “You mean… these machines… are the only reason he’s still breathing?” A single tear broke free, sliding down her cheek.

“So if… the machine were removed, my father would—” Her voice broke, unable to finish the sentence.

“I’m so sorry, Benita,” the doctor repeated.

Benita leaned close to her father, taking his hand, kissing it gently. hey dad, I'm sorry...... I'm so so sorry I shouldn’t have left you alone. I’m so sorry.” Her tears fell freely now. Thoughts swirled in her mind. Could Rafe have done this? No… he wouldn’t… would he?

She stood and went to the doctor's office. “Dr. Pete, a word?”

“Of course. Come in.”

“I’m sorry about your father,” he said before she could speak.

“That’s why I’m here,” she said, taking a seat. “You’ve known my father since before I was born. You’ve been to our house countless times. You know the stairs, the entrances… tell me, is it possible he could have fallen like that on his own?”

The doctor hesitated. “Professionally… no. But as his doctor, I know his eyesight was worsening. I advised him to see an optician, but he refused. I assigned one anyway, but he wouldn’t go, not wanting you to worry. It’s possible his failing vision caused him to lose his footing.”

She had never known about his eyesight problems, she’d only known about his diabetes. “Okay… thank you, Doctor.”

“You might want to make a decision quickly,” he added gently.

“Decision?” she asked, desperate for a shred of hope.

“I understand the hope you need, but… your father… he’s gone.”

Benita nodded silently, swallowing the bitter truth.

“Miss McCracken?” the doctor added softly.

“Yes?” She turned to face him.

“You might want to review the CCTV around the house… just to be sure.”

Her legs felt like lead as she walked away, reality crashing down. Her father… was gone.

“Benny?” A voice called out. She turned to see Rafe.

He was speaking, apologies tumbling from his lips, but she barely heard him. Her mind was consumed with suspicion and grief. Then she caught fragments: “—the company… hitting a hard rock… my fault too… I’m so, so—”

“What company?” she snapped, unable to bear another blow.

“The company I brought in… it’s a shell company. I’m still investigating… trying to fix it,” he confessed.

One devastating revelation after another. Rafe’s mistakes and recklessness were destroying everything she had worked for.

“You really are a failure,” she hissed, her voice low and dangerous. “I shouldn’t have trusted you.” She turned sharply and walked away.

Meanwhile, back in Paris, Damien woke to an empty bed. At first, disbelief made him think he had imagined everything. But the bloodstain on the sheets proved she had been real. She was real, and she was gone.

Vince arrived shortly after. “Maybe you dreamt her,” he said casually. “There’s no indication a lady was here, man.”

Damien’s fury flared. “Follow me.” He pointed to the bed. “You’re telling me I imagined this? She was real, Vince. Every detail, she was real!” His voice trembled with frustration and worry.

Vince studied him for a moment, then said firmly, “If you want me to find her, I will. But right now… take a shower, get yourself together. We’ve got a serious situation.”

“How bad are we talking?” Damien asked, already suspecting the gravity of what he was about to say.

“Bad enough to see the McCracken company go into bankruptcy… that bad,” Vince replied.

Damien clenched his fists, his jaws tightened “I’ll be done in fifteen.”