All Chapters of Betrayed, Broken, Back for Revenge: Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

(Maya)The pounding on the door won’t stop.I open it. Two police officers stand there, wet coats, clipped voices, expressions that don’t try to pretend.“Mrs. Vance?”“Yes.”“There’s been a crash. Your daughter, Lucy Vance, and a Miss Tessa Reid have been transported to City General. Both are alive. Both are unconscious.”The hall tilts. I grab the doorframe with both hands.“Alive?”“Yes. They are both critical. I’m sorry.”The word critical smashes into my brain.The younger officer keeps talking about transport and escort and statements. The older one is already stepping inside because I’m not moving or answering or blinking.“Please, sit,” he says.I don’t. I stand there and shake.Then my knees stop arguing and drop me to the floor. The tiles are cold through my clothes. I hear a sound and it takes a second to realize it’s me.Loud, raw, scream ripping through the quiet house and the neat life and whatever pride I had left today. The sound keeps going. I can’t shut it off.“Mrs.

(Maya)The hospital lights are too bright, the voices too calm for what is happening inside me.The nurse says words I don’t catch. Cole answers for me. He has my bag. He talks to the desk. He signs the paper.He tells them my name. He tells them our daughter’s name. As if they aren’t looking at me, accusing me of making this happen. They saw Jade and me; they know she’s been provoked.Nothing in this world can ever convince me this was a coincidence. I threatened her and she retaliated.Cole tells them we need to see her. I let him build the path because I am done.We stop outside a glass panel. There she is. Small. Still.Wires where no child should have wires. Tape on her skin. A faint beeping that is supposed to mean hope. It doesn’t. It’s a reminder.It means a machine is doing the job her body should be doing. It means my memory is here again in a new coat.She’s got bruises and dried blood on her. My stomach lurches.I press my hand to the glass and watch for the rise of her ch

(Cole)Same rules apply here as in the boardroom… Control the tone, own the room, make sure everyone forgets what they came in thinking.Maya’s in with Lucy, and for the first time in months, I almost had her where I wanted.Shattered. Dependent. Tired of fighting.Until she said it. Give me a divorce.Not whispered, not wept… said loud and clear.Damn it! I felt close to putting an end to this divorce nonsense. At least to give me enough time to explain the secret businesses and get them into my name. Maybe I can still do that.A nice dinner, some agreement in the divorce demands, I need to get those companies back before the boards find out I don’t actually own them, I was just running them.So now I wait, patient and composed, the devoted husband in a tailored suit.The press are circling outside, the staff already whispering Mr. and Mrs. Vance like we’re a tragedy they can photograph. Perfect. Public sympathy is good for me.I just need to keep her close long enough to remind her

(Maya)The doctor stops me outside Lucy’s room.“She’s still critical… stable for now,” he says carefully, “but she’s lost more blood than we expected internally. We may need to transfuse.”The word "transfuse" slices straight through my chest.“No,” I say before he can continue. “Absolutely not. Not from the blood bank.”He blinks. “Mrs. Vance…”“Call me Maya, please.”“Maya, the blood is all screened carefully. If it’s a religious concern. This may save her life.”“It’s not religious. I just don’t want to take the chance that something is wrong with the blood. Can she get it from me or her father?”“It takes longer that way but yes, it can be done. Certainly.”“One of us can give directly. Will she be okay with the delay?”“We’ll get it done as fast as possible and I think we can hold her until then. But if she deteriorates…”“Let’s cross that bridge if it happens. Right now, I choose to use my blood. I’m sure I’m compatible.”“Very well, I’ll make the arrangements for your blood tes

(Cole)The automatic doors hiss closed behind me, and for a moment I just stand there.Jade’s beside me, coat tight around her, face pale and drawn. The streetlights catch the shimmer of her eyes.But is what I see in them the truth or a lie?“Thank you for believing me,” she says softly. “No one understands me like you do, Cole.”“I believe you never hurt Lucy on purpose, I don’t think you would go that far,” I tell her. “I said I don’t think you meant to kill anyone. But everything else was for Maya’s benefit.”“What do you mean?”“I don’t want her thinking she’s got the best of me. She hasn’t. I want her to think I have a life after her. That I don’t need her.”“You don’t need her, Cole. You are the most powerful businessman in the country. You can do anything you want to do.”I’m not in the mood for lip service from Jade right now. “I don’t need a pep talk from you. I need the truth, Jade. If there is any way you were on that same road on purpose, you better tell me now.”She nods