Chapter 10 - Dawn of Expulsion
Patricia’s hand dropped instantly from the medical chart binder, her fingers curling into tight fists at her sides as she straightened to her full height. The cold composure she usually wore like armor had completely fractured, revealing a desperate, snarling fury beneath. For a terrifying second, I thought she might lunge across the room toward me. But the heavy, measured click of heavy shoes echoing down the corridor shattered the standoff before it could escalate into violence.
A sharp, authoritative voice cut through the tense air. "What is the meaning of this?"
Luca stepped into the doorway, his broad shoulders filling the frame. He wore a dark, unbuttoned blazer over a black shirt, his sleeves rolled up to his forearms as if he had been working late in the study. His sharp gaze darted from Patricia standing suspiciously close to the medical cart to me standing by the threshold. The temperature in the room plummeted. The sheer executive presence he commanded filled the space instantly, leaving no room for excuses or evasive maneuvers.
Patricia recovered her footing with terrifying speed, smoothing down her black apron and pasting on a mask of aggrieved professionalism. "Mr. Morales, thank goodness," she began, her voice dripping with practiced concern. "I found this girl tampering with your mother’s private medical records. I came down to secure the wing after noticing unusual activity, and she was in the middle of altering the dosage sheets." It was a brazen, inverted lie told with absolute conviction, designed to flip the narrative before Luca could process the physical evidence right in front of them.
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I stepped forward, my voice steady despite the adrenaline roaring in my veins. "She’s lying, Luca. Look at the desk. She’s ripping out the original logs and replacing them with forged records to hide how she’s been medicating your mother." I pointed directly at the loose sheets scattered near Patricia's elbow. Luca’s eyes tracked my gesture, locking onto the discarded papers and the distinct, non-prescribed vials sitting openly on the tray. The color drained from his face, replaced by a dark, dangerous storm.
Luca didn't yell. His quiet rage was far more terrifying than any outburst. He stepped past me, his dark eyes locked onto Patricia’s blanching face. "You were suspended pending an estate audit," Luca said, his voice dropping an octave into a low, metallic register. "Which means you are trespassing on private property. Pack your things and leave the grounds immediately. If you are still on this estate when the sun clears the horizon, I won't just involve the authorities—I will ensure you never work in this city again." Patricia stared at him, realizing the game was finally over, before turning on her heel and marching out into the night.
