If you sign the emergency conservatorship papers now, we won't have to explain the kitchen injuries to Child Protective Services, my senior business partner, Vivian Zhao, whispered while I lay bl...
The fluorescent lights of Northwestern Memorial’s maternity ward hummed, casting a sterile glow over my exhaustion. The rhythmic beeping of the fetal monitor was a fragile comfort, Lily’s heartbeat steady now. My body ached, a dull throb in my side, but the worst of the terror had receded.
Then the door opened. A man in hospital scrubs, carrying a clipboard, walked in.
“Delivery for Ms. Dao,” he said, his voice flat.
He wasn’t a doctor or a nurse. His eyes scanned the room too quickly. He produced a legal envelope from beneath the clipboard.
“Sign here, acknowledging receipt.” He pointed with a pen.
My hand trembled as I took the envelope. Inside, a thick stack of papers. The top sheet bore the grim title: “Emergency Financial Conservatorship Order.” My breath hitched.
This wasn’t just medical paperwork. This was a legal seizure. I saw the notary seal at the bottom: Nigel Kincaid. The date stamped next to it made my stomach drop further – three days prior.
Three days *before* Arthur attacked me in the studio.
Vivian had already set this trap, anticipating my collapse, before the physical violence even happened. My mind raced. If they had this, what else had they prepared? My personal documents, my entire history, were in my apartment, vulnerable.
My fingers fumbled with my phone, pulling up Aunt Mai’s contact.
“Auntie,” I whispered, my voice raw, “You have to go to my apartment. Now. Get the blue box from under my bed. The one with the old passports.”
Aunt Mai’s voice, usually so calm, sharpened with immediate understanding. “What happened, Linh? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” I lied, tears blurring the edges of the conservatorship papers. “Just… please hurry.”
She didn’t ask again. A click, then silence. The weight of the papers in my hand suddenly felt heavier than the pain in my body. Vivian wasn’t just after the business; she was after me.
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