The Surgeon He Never Knew Chapter 08

The Surgeon He Never Knew Chapter 08

Saturday dinner was everything.

Lily Blackwell was a force of nature-dark curls, gap-toothed grin, encyclopedic knowledge of igneous rocks.

“This one’s obsidian,” she said, placing a glossy black stone in my palm. “Made from LAVA. Basically a

superhero rock.”

“It absolutely is.”

“Dad says you fix brains. Can you fix mine? I’m bad at spelling.”

Damien, from the doorway: “Your spelling is fine, Lily.”

“I spelled ‘beautiful’ with three L’s.”

“Creative choice.”

I laughed a real, full laugh-and Lily beamed like she’d won an Olympic medal.

After dinner, after she’d been carried to bed clutching her obsidian, Damien and I stood on his terrace.

He kissed me.

Slow. Devastating. A kiss that tasted like wine and warmth and the terrifying possibility of happiness.

“Too fast?” he murmured.

“Not fast enough.”

I drove home feeling like a different person. Someone lighter. Someone who believed good things could still

happen.

That feeling lasted fourteen hours.

Monday morning. Patricia called.

“The DOJ has expanded the Langford investigation. They’re now looking at the Kingsley Group’s role in funding the fraudulent trials.”

“The Kingsley Group didn’t know about the fraud.”

“Someone filed an anonymous tip claiming your grandfather’s investment was conditional on accelerated FDA approval-implying he knowingly funded the cover-up.”

“That’s a lie.”

“The tip included financial documents. Wire transfers from a Kingsley subsidiary to offshore accounts linked to the FDA bribes.” She paused. “The subsidiary is part of a joint venture controlled by Blackwell Industries.”

I stopped breathing.

“That’s not possible.”

“The documents show a partnership between Kingsley Group and Blackwell Industries, established three years ago. Money flowed through Blackwell accounts into the same channels used to bribe officials.” Patricia’s

voice was careful. “Sera-”

“No. Damien is not involved.”

“The paper trail-”

“Is fabricated. Someone is framing him.”

“Or the man you’re falling for saw an opportunity. If Kingsley is compromised, your inheritance freezes. The fifty-one percent stake is up for grabs. And Blackwell holds the joint venture-”

“Stop.” My hands were shaking. “Get me the source files. I’ll verify them myself.”

1 hung up.

Stood in my office. Alone.

Damien’s kiss was still on my lips. Lily’s laughter still in my ears.

And the evidence said the man I was falling in love with might be the architect of my destruction.

Not again, I thought. Please, God. Not again.