“I’m calling the hospital administrator.”
“You are welcome to speak with her,” a woman said from the doorway.
A silver-haired woman in a navy suit entered with a hospital identification badge clipped to her lapel.
A security officer remained just behind her.
“I’m Elena Vargas, the hospital’s privacy officer,” she said.
“Mr.
Harrison, please put your phone away.”
For the first time that night, Michael looked uncertain.
“This is a family matter.”
“No,” Elena said.
“Unauthorized access to a patient record is a hospital security matter.”
She asked me whether I recognized the email address attached to the proxy account.
I did not.
Michael claimed it belonged to a service he used to organize household documents.
Elena placed a printed technical report on the counter.
The details were dense, but one line had been highlighted.
The account had been created from an internet address assigned to Michael’s office.
The most recent access came from a company-issued laptop registered to Amber Collins.
Michael stared at the report.
Then he made his first serious mistake.
“She only checked because I asked whether Catherine had actually been admitted.”
The room went silent.
Rachel’s expression changed from rage to disbelief.
“You just said Catherine gave Amber permission.”
Michael looked at her and realized too late what he had admitted.
“I meant that if Amber accessed anything, it would have been on my instructions.
She had no reason to believe the paperwork was invalid.”
He was already sacrificing her.
Minutes earlier, Amber had spoken like a woman certain Michael would choose her.
Now Michael was preparing to blame her before anyone had even mentioned consequences.
My phone rang.
Amber’s name appeared on the screen.
Michael moved toward the bed.
“Do not answer that.”
Rachel picked up the phone first and placed it on speaker.
Amber did not wait for a greeting.
“Michael, what is taking so long? You said you were only going there to calm her down.”
Michael’s face drained.
Amber continued.
“And delete the hospital emails before she sees them.
I don’t want this traced back to my laptop.”
Elena raised one hand, signaling everyone to remain silent.
Michael lunged for the phone.
The security officer stepped between us.
“Amber,” Michael said sharply, “stop talking.”
There was a pause.
“Who else is there?” she asked.
Elena identified herself.
Amber disconnected immediately.
No one moved for several seconds.
Then Michael began talking so quickly his words collided.
He said Amber had misunderstood.
He said the authorizations were routine.
He said I had verbally approved everything.
He said pregnancy hormones were affecting my memory.
He said Daniel had manipulated me while I was vulnerable.
