The Twist of Fate のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 51 - チャプター 60

Lucy stared at her phone long after Katherine Ross hung up. The woman had refused to say anything more, insisting they meet in person at her law office downtown the next morning at ten.William found her still standing in the nursery, the half-folded baby clothes forgotten in her hands."What's wrong?" He read her face instantly. "Lucy, what happened?""A lawyer just called. Katherine Ross. She says she represents your mother's estate." Lucy set down the clothes carefully. "She says there's new information about Catherine's death. That we might be wrong about who killed her."William's face went pale. "That's impossible. Mirabel confessed. We have her on tape admitting to orchestrating my mother's death.""I know. But this woman sounded credible. She wouldn't say more on the phone, but she wants to meet tomorrow morning.""It could be a trap. Another one of Mirabel's schemes.""Rachel's team verified that Mirabel has no outside contact except her lawyer. She can't be coordinating anyt

Three days after Mirabel's confession, life began to settle into a new rhythm. William returned to work, though he left early most days. Lucy continued her therapy sessions, processing not just her own trauma but helping William through his.They didn't talk about Robert much. The wound was too fresh, too deep. Instead, they focused on the future. The nursery was nearly complete. Baby clothes washed and folded. Car seat installed. Names debated endlessly without resolution.Lucy was in the kitchen preparing dinner when her phone rang. Jackson's number."Hey Dad," she answered, tucking the phone between her shoulder and ear while stirring pasta sauce.Heavy breathing on the other end. Labored. Wrong."Dad?""Lucy." His voice was strained, pained. "Something's wrong. My chest. Can't breathe right."Lucy's blood went cold. "Where are you?""Home. I'm sorry. Didn't want to bother you.""I'm calling an ambulance right now. Don't move. Don't try to do anything. Just sit down and wait." Lucy

The morning after the warehouse incident, Lucy woke to stabbing pain in her lower back. She sat up carefully, trying not to wake William, but the movement made the pain worse."Lucy?" William was instantly alert. "What's wrong?""My back. It's probably just from the fall yesterday." She tried to stand, winced. "I'm sure it's nothing.""You're going back to the hospital.""William, I'm fine. Dr. Morrison checked everything last night.""That was twelve hours ago. Things can change." He was already reaching for his phone. "I'm calling Dr. Morrison."The doctor agreed to see them immediately, concern evident in her voice when William described Lucy's symptoms.At the hospital, Dr. Morrison ran another ultrasound while Lucy lay on the examination table, William gripping her hand."Everything looks normal," Dr. Morrison said, studying the screen. "Baby's position is good, heartbeat strong. But Lucy, your blood pressure is elevated. Significantly higher than it was last night.""Is that dan

For three days, Catherine remained on the ventilator. Lucy barely left the NICU, sleeping in a recliner chair beside the incubator, eating when William forced food into her hands, existing in a fog of exhaustion and fear.The doctors kept saying Catherine was stable, that this was expected, that preemies often needed breathing support. But being stable wasn't improving. Stable was her daughter trapped in a plastic box, machines doing the work her tiny lungs couldn't manage yet.On the fourth day, Dr. Patel, the lead neonatologist, pulled Lucy and William aside."We're going to try extubating Catherine today. Taking her off the ventilator and seeing if she can breathe on her own with just oxygen support.""What if she can't?" Lucy asked."Then we reintubate and give her more time. But her oxygen levels have been good, her lungs are responding to the surfactant treatment. I think she's ready to try."They let Lucy and William stay in the NICU during the procedure. Lucy held her breath a

Life settled into a rhythm over the next few weeks. Catherine grew stronger, her features becoming more defined, her personality starting to emerge. She was a serious baby, watching everything with intense focus, rarely crying unless genuinely uncomfortable.Lucy found herself healing, both physically from the C-section and emotionally from everything they'd endured. The nightmares came less frequently. The hypervigilance began to ease, though she still checked the locks twice before bed and kept her phone charged at all times.William returned to work full-time, though he came home for lunch when possible and never stayed late. Ashcroft Enterprises was thriving under his leadership, the scandal of his father's crimes fading as William proved himself honorable and competent.Jackson's recovery continued steadily. He'd lost weight, changed his diet, attended cardiac rehabilitation religiously. The doctors were cautiously optimistic about his long-term prognosis.Everything seemed to be