Chapter 5 – THE DOCTOR AT THE DOOR

Patrick froze, the gun still pressed hard against my ribs.

Dr. Aris stepped into the ballroom, her eyes scanning the chaos until they landed on me. She looked at Patrick, then at the gun, and the color vanished from her face.

“What are you doing?” she gasped, dropping the envelope. It hit the marble floor, papers spilling out.

“Shut up, Aris!” Patrick screamed. “Get out of here!”

“You told me this was an intervention!” the doctor cried, tears streaming down her face. “You told me Julia was a danger to herself and the child! You begged me to sign the involuntary commitment papers for tonight!”

I stared at her, my mind spinning.

“You were going to commit me?” I whispered, my voice breaking. “Tonight?”

“He paid me,” Dr. Aris sobbed, looking at me with profound shame. “He gave me fifty thousand dollars to bypass the psychiatric evaluation. He said you were threatening to harm Sophie. I’m so sorry, Julia. When I got to the clinic to file them, I couldn’t do it. I came here to return the money.”

Patrick tightened his grip on my arm. “You stupid bitch. You ruined everything!”

“Let her go, Patrick,” Luca said, taking a slow, measured step forward. “Your doctor just confessed. Your uncle confessed. The game is over.”

“It’s not over until I have the money!” Patrick shouted, dragging me closer to the open French doors. The cool night air hit my face, but I was burning with panic.

I looked at Sophie. She was sitting on the floor where Patrick had kicked her, crying silently. Her hands were moving, signing to me over and over.

Mom. Mom. Mom.

I couldn’t leave her. I couldn’t let him drag me into the dark.

I remembered the silver rosary still clutched tightly in my right hand. The beads were solid metal, heavy and sharp.

I looked at Luca. He was watching my eyes, reading my intent. He gave me a microscopic nod.

I took a deep breath.

With every ounce of strength I had, I swung my right fist backward, smashing the metal rosary directly into Patrick’s eye.

He shrieked in pain, his grip loosening for a fraction of a second.

It was all I needed. I ripped my arm free and threw myself sideways, dropping to the floor.

A gunshot rang out.

The deafening crack echoed through the ballroom. I screamed, covering my head, expecting the burning pain of a bullet.

But the pain never came.

I looked up.

Patrick was on his knees, gripping his wrist. The gun was sliding across the marble floor.

Luca Moretti stood ten feet away, his own weapon drawn, smoke curling from the barrel. He had shot the gun right out of Patrick’s hand.

Before Patrick could recover, two bodyguards tackled him to the ground, pinning him down.

I scrambled across the floor on my hands and knees until I reached Sophie. I pulled her into my arms, burying my face in her hair, sobbing uncontrollably.

“I’ve got you,” I cried, rocking her. “Mommy’s got you. It’s over.”

Luca walked over to where Patrick was pinned. He looked down at the man who had tried to destroy his sister, and who had nearly killed me.

“Call the police,” Luca instructed his men. “Tell them we have a hostage situation resolved.”

Isabella walked up to Patrick, looking at him with nothing but pity and disgust. “You thought you could buy your way into our family. Instead, you bought your way into a cell.”

The sirens began wailing in the distance, growing louder by the second.

I sat on the floor, holding my daughter, finally feeling safe.

Then, Sophie pulled back from my embrace. She reached into her little pink purse again.

She looked at me, her eyes red and swollen.

Mom, she signed. I need to show you what else I found in Dad’s briefcase.