Chapter 181

Chapter 181
Harper

I studied her carefully. "What makes you think that?"

"Don't play games," she snapped, color rising in her cheeks. "Rowan was perfectly healthy. Then suddenly, heart failure?" Her hands trembled visibly. "I've been stupid, but I'm not blind. And I'm not naive about what Michael Blake is capable of."

I remained silent, unsure how much to reveal.

"I need to take Henry and leave," she continued urgently. "Blake is dangerous. You know that better than anyone. The things he's said..." She shuddered. "This isn't just about business anymore."

"And go where?" I asked, genuinely curious. "Blake's reach is extensive."

"Anywhere but here!" Panic edged her voice. "He's already talking about 'securing Henry's inheritance.' Do you understand what that means? He wants control of Whitaker through Henry, with me as the puppet." Her voice broke. "Or worse, with me out of the picture entirely."

I felt a flicker of real sympathy. For all her manipulations, Serena was now caught in the same web as the rest of us. "Serena—"

"Mom?" Henry's voice came from the doorway. Both of us turned sharply.

Henry stood there, his small face solemn, eyes too knowing for a child his age. Samuel and Grace flanked him, a united front of concerned children. "We want juice," Henry explained, then his eyes filled with tears: "Are we really leaving?"

Serena dropped to her knees, pulling him close. "Henry, sweetheart..."

"I don't want to go," he said, his voice muffled against her shoulder. "Samuel said I could still help with his robot. And Grace is teaching me about butterflies. And..." his voice hitched, "Dad promised he'd come back. He always keeps his promises."

The raw hope in his voice nearly undid me. I turned away, blinking back tears.

Grace stepped forward, taking Henry's hand. "You can't go," she said firmly. "Dad's gone now. We promised to look after each other."

Samuel nodded solemnly. "We must stay together now," he added, with a gravity that made my heart clench.

I watched Serena's face transform as she held her son and absorbed the twins' loyalty. The calculated ambition I was accustomed to seeing melted away, replaced by something raw and maternal. When she looked up at me, there was a new resolve in her eyes.

"We're not going anywhere yet," she told Henry, smoothing his hair. "I promise."

"Vivien's getting juice," Samuel reported. "Can we go back now?"

"Of course," Serena said, rising and taking Henry's hand. "We'll be right there."

After the children left, Serena straightened, her voice low and determined. "What do you need me to do?"

"What do you mean?"

"To take down Blake," she said simply. "I know you're planning something. You don't believe Rowan's death was natural any more than I do."

Before I could answer, my phone vibrated. A text from an unknown number: Complications. Call now. Urgent.

My blood ran cold. "I need to take this," I said, already moving toward the door.

Serena caught my arm, her grip surprisingly strong. "Harper, whatever you're planning against Blake, I want in. For Henry's sake. For all our sakes."

I hesitated, then nodded. "I'll be in touch."

Outside in the garden, away from prying eyes and ears, I dialed the number with shaking hands.

"Owen?" I whispered when the call connected.

"We have a problem." His voice was tense, medical monitors beeping in the background. "Rowan's heart rate became erratic about twenty minutes ago. I've stabilized him, but I had to use more medication than I'd planned."

"Is he—" I couldn't finish the question, fear closing my throat.

"He's alive, but the recovery timeline just got more complicated. The drug's interaction with his system is stronger than anticipated. And there's another issue. Blake has dispatched private investigators to the medical examiner's office. They're asking questions about the death certificate."

I closed my eyes, fighting panic. "Can you move him?"

"Not safely. Not yet. His cardiac rhythm is still unstable. Moving him could trigger a genuine cardiac event."

"What do we do?"

"The media coverage is intense," Owen continued. "Blake's investigators are interviewing hospital staff, and someone's offering significant money for information."

"He suspects," I whispered.

"He's cautious," Owen corrected. "But we're on borrowed time."

I glanced back through the window. Inside, Nancy sat surrounded by staff discussing funeral arrangements, her face a mask of grief. The three children huddled together on a window seat, Samuel's arm protectively around Grace, Henry leaning against them both. Their bond, formed so recently, tugged at my heart. I thought of Serena's fear, of Blake's naked ambition, of how close we'd come to drawing him out.

"Harper?" Owen prompted. "We need to decide now. Rowan's condition isn't immediately life-threatening, but the longer we maintain this deception, the more risks we face."

I closed my eyes, the weight of choice pressing down on me. Everything we'd planned, everything we'd risked—balanced against Rowan's life. Our family's future.

"Tell me what to do," I whispered, as the ground beneath my feet seemed to shift. "If we abort now, Blake wins. If we push forward and something happens to Rowan..." I couldn't finish the thought.

"There's a third option," Owen said quietly. "But it's risky, and I need your authorization."

I listened as he outlined the plan, my heart pounding in my ears. Every option before us was fraught with danger, but we were too deep in this game to turn back now.

"Do it," I said finally, my voice steadier than I felt. "And Owen? Keep him alive. No matter what it takes."

As I ended the call, I felt a presence behind me. Turning, I found Serena standing there, her expression unreadable.

"Who's really in that medical facility, Harper?" she asked softly. "Because I don't believe for one second that Rowan Whitaker is actually dead."

I stared at her, calculating rapidly. "What makes you say that?"

Her smile was bitter. "Because I know you. And I know him. And neither of you would let Blake win that easily." She stepped closer. "So I'll ask again—what do you need me to do?"

I made my decision in that moment, hoping I wouldn't regret it. "How convincing an actress are you, Serena?"

"Good enough to fool everyone in that room for years," she replied without hesitation.

I nodded slowly. "Then I think it's time we put on the performance of our lives."