Chapter 3

The next morning, Catalina felt the heavy fog of the pain medication lifting. Her body still ached with every breath, but her mind was razor-sharp. She swung her legs out of bed. She could stand now without the room spinning.

Laura, the blonde nurse from yesterday, walked into the room to check Catalina's blood pressure.

"I will be right back, Mrs. Ramos," Laura said cheerfully as she unhooked the cuff. "I just need to drop off a new gel cushion for your husband's wheelchair in the suite next door."

Catalina's eyes locked onto the nurse. A cold, calculated plan formed in her mind.

As soon as Laura stepped out of the room, Catalina unplugged her phone from the charger. She shoved it into the pocket of her hospital gown. She gripped the wall for support and walked silently out into the hallway.

She stayed close to the wall, following Laura's path.

Laura stopped her cart right outside the door of the VIP suite. The door opened. Broderick rolled out in his wheelchair, with Jami walking right beside him.

Catalina quickly stepped behind a massive potted palm tree at the corner of the hallway. She held her breath.

Laura smiled and handed the thick black cushion to Jami. "Here you go, Mrs. Ramos. The new cushion for your husband."

The air in the hallway froze. Jami's face flushed with a sudden, triumphant thrill.

She did not correct the nurse. Instead, Jami offered a sickeningly sweet smile and took the cushion. "Thank you so much. He really needed this."

Behind the palm tree, Catalina pulled her phone out of her pocket. She opened the camera app and hit record. She zoomed in on the three of them.

Broderick shifted uncomfortably in his chair. He coughed into his fist. He did not correct Laura either. He simply looked at the nurse and lowered his voice. "Please keep the noise down in the hallway. We are trying to rest."

Laura blinked, sensing the sudden awkwardness. She apologized quickly and pushed her cart away down the corridor.

Jami rolled her eyes. She leaned down and whispered into Broderick's ear. "Why do you not just tell them who I really am?"

Broderick grabbed her hand and squeezed it. "Not yet. We cannot let the media get ahold of anything until the trust is signed over."

Catalina watched the recording timer tick past thirty seconds. She hit stop. She saved the video to a secure cloud folder.

Broderick patted Jami's leg and turned his wheelchair toward Catalina's room.

Catalina shoved the phone back into her pocket. She stepped out from behind the palm tree, walking slowly toward them, pretending she had just come from her room.

She stopped right in front of Broderick.

Broderick's eyes widened. His hands instantly clamped down on the armrests of his wheelchair. A bead of sweat formed at his temple.

"Who were you just talking to?" Catalina asked. Her voice was flat, devoid of any emotion.

Broderick swallowed hard. "Just a salesman. He walked into the wrong room."

Catalina stared dead into his eyes. "A salesman? In the VIP wing of the most secure private hospital in Los Angeles?"

Broderick's face lost its color. His mouth opened, but no words came out. The lie was so pathetic it hung in the air like a bad smell.

Jami took a step forward, ready to open her mouth and defend him. Broderick shot her a vicious, warning glare that stopped her in her tracks.

"You should not be out of bed," Broderick snapped, his voice rising in defensive anger. He grabbed the handles of his wheels and pushed past her. "Get back to your room before you hurt yourself again."

Catalina turned slowly. She watched him roll away. A dark, hollow smirk pulled at the corner of her mouth.