Natalie's POV
I don't remember getting to the hospital.
One second I'm in Dominic's penthouse, hearing those terrible words—cardiac arrest—and the next I'm running through Northwestern Memorial's corridors with Dominic's hand gripping mine.
"Room 4012," he says to security who try to stop us. "Thomas Hartley. Let us through."
They recognize Dominic and step aside immediately.
We burst into the ICU wing, and a doctor intercepts us.
"Miss Hartley—Mrs. Ashford—your father is stable. We got his heart restarted, but—"
"But what?" My voice cracks.
The doctor's expression is grave. "The stress triggered a massive heart attack. We've moved him to the cardiac ICU. He's on full life support now."
The world tilts.
"Can I see him?"
"Five minutes. He's sedated, but you can sit with him."
Dominic's hand is still gripping mine as we enter the room.
Dad looks worse than I've ever seen him. Tubes everywhere. Machines breathing for him. His face is gray.
"Oh god." I sink into the chair beside his bed. "Dad, I'm so sorry. This is my fault. The stress from the scandal—"
"It's not your fault." Dominic's voice is harsh behind me. "It's whoever leaked that contract. They wanted this exact reaction."
He's right. Someone wanted to hurt us. And they used my father to do it.
"Mr. Ashford?" A nurse appears. "Dr. Patel would like to speak with you. Privately."
Dominic hesitates, looking at me.
"Go," I whisper. "I'm not leaving him."
He nods and follows the nurse out.
I'm alone with my unconscious father and the machines keeping him alive.
"I'm sorry," I whisper, taking his cold hand. "I thought I was saving you. But I just made everything worse."
The machines beep their steady rhythm. No response.
My phone buzzes.
I ignore it. Then it buzzes again. And again.
Finally, I look.
Seventeen missed calls. Thirty-two text messages.
All from unknown numbers.
My hands shake as I open the first text: Hope your father survives. Would be a shame if he died because of your choices.
Another: This is what happens when you marry the wrong man.
Another: How does it feel to know you're killing him?
They're attacking me. Blaming me. Twisting the knife.
I delete them all with shaking fingers.
Then a new message appears. Different number.
Mrs. Ashford, this is Dr. Elizabeth Monroe. I was your biochemistry professor at Northwestern. I need to speak with you urgently about your father's case. Please call me. This concerns Emily Ashford's death.
Emily Ashford. Dominic's sister.
Why would my old professor want to talk about that?
Before I can respond, Dominic returns. His expression is unreadable.
"What did the doctor say?" I ask.
"Your father needs a specialist. A cardiac surgeon who's currently in London." He pulls out his phone. "I'm having him flown here tonight. He'll operate tomorrow morning."
"That must cost—"
"I don't care what it costs." His voice is sharp. "The contract promised your father's medical care. I keep my promises."
Even now. Even with everything falling apart. He's still keeping his word.
"Thank you," I whisper.
"Don't thank me. This is business." But his voice sounds strange. Almost uncertain.
A commotion erupts in the hallway. Raised voices. Security shouting.
Dominic is at the door in seconds. "What's happening?"
"Sir, there's a woman demanding to see Mrs. Ashford. She's claiming to be family—"
A figure shoves past security and into the room.
I recognize her immediately. Sarah Chen. My best friend from college. The only person who never abandoned me.
"Natalie!" She rushes forward and pulls me into a hug. "Oh my god, I saw the news. Your father, the contract leak, everything—are you okay?"
"Sarah, how did you—"
"I'm an investigative journalist, remember? I have sources." She pulls back, studying my face. "You look terrible. When's the last time you slept?"
"I don't remember."
She looks at Dominic, and her expression hardens. "You. You're the bastard who destroyed her family."
"Sarah, don't—"
"No, let her speak." Dominic's voice is cold. "Everyone else has an opinion. Why not her?"
"You spent eight years ruining everything the Hartleys built," Sarah says. "And now you've married Natalie? For what, some sick revenge?"
"For business," Dominic says flatly. "Ask your friend. She signed the contract willingly."
"Because you gave her no choice!" Sarah's voice rises. "Her father was dying. You manipulated—"
"Sarah, please." I step between them. "Not here. Not now."
She looks at me, and I see the hurt in her eyes. "You should have called me. I would have helped you find another way."
"There was no other way."
"There's always another way." She glances at my father's unconscious form. "This can't be it. There has to be something—"
Her phone buzzes. She checks it, and her expression changes.
"What?" I ask.
"I just got a tip. From my source investigating Gregory Chen's embezzlement." She looks up at me. "Natalie, there's something you need to know about your father's case."
"What?"
"Gregory Chen didn't work alone. He had a partner. Someone who helped him frame your father and steal the fifty million."
My blood runs cold. "Who?"
Sarah's eyes flick to Dominic. "Someone with connections to Ashford Technologies."
The room goes silent.
Dominic's voice is deadly quiet. "What are you implying?"
"I'm not implying anything. I'm telling you what my source found." Sarah pulls up something on her phone. "Money trails. Emails. Communication between Gregory Chen and someone inside your company, Mr. Ashford. They coordinated the entire thing."
"That's impossible," I whisper.
"Is it?" Sarah looks at me. "Think about it. Who benefits from destroying both the Hartley family and creating leverage over Dominic Ashford?"
The answer hits me like ice water.
"Victor Ashford," Dominic says.
"Exactly." Sarah shows us her phone. "My source traced shell companies. Victor Ashford and Gregory Chen have been partners for years. They destroyed your father's company together, Natalie. And they did it to give Victor ammunition to use against Dominic."
I can't breathe.
Everything I thought I knew is a lie.
"Victor framed my father?"
"With Gregory's help. They made it look like your dad was the embezzler. Then they waited for the perfect moment to use it." Sarah looks at Dominic. "And when you announced your marriage to Natalie, Victor saw his chance. Leak the contract. Destroy your credibility. Take control of Ashford Technologies."
Dominic's hand clenches into a fist. "Where's your source?"
"That's the problem. I can't reach him." Sarah's voice is tense. "He sent me this information two hours ago and said he had more proof. Then he went dark. I think someone got to him."
"Victor," Dominic says.
"Or Gregory. Or whoever else is working with them." Sarah looks at me. "Natalie, you need to be careful. If they're willing to frame your father and destroy Dominic's company, they won't stop at—"
The lights go out.
Complete darkness.
Then emergency lighting flickers on, bathing everything in red.
An alarm blares through the hospital.
"What's happening?" I grab Dominic's arm.
"Lockdown protocol." His voice is sharp. "Someone triggered the emergency system."
Security bursts through the door. "Mr. Ashford, we need to evacuate. Now."
"What's the threat?"
"Fire alarm on this floor. But sir—" The guard hesitates. "It might not be real. It could be a distraction."
Dominic understands immediately. "They're trying to separate us."
"We need to move your father," I say, but the machines are connected to wall power. If we move him—
"I'll handle it." A doctor appears with a team. "We have battery backups. We can transport him to a secure floor."
"Do it," Dominic orders. "And get extra security on him. No one gets close without my authorization."
Chaos erupts as medical staff swarm around Dad's bed, disconnecting machines, preparing for transport.
Dominic pulls me close. "Stay with me. Don't let go of my hand."
"What about Sarah?"
I turn, but Sarah is gone.
"Where did she—"
"She left when the alarm started," the security guard says. "Ran toward the stairwell."
Dread fills my chest. "We have to find her."
"We have to get you somewhere safe first—"
My phone buzzes.
Unknown number: I have your friend. Sarah Chen is with me now. If you want to see her alive, you'll come alone. Fifth floor. Abandoned surgical wing. You have ten minutes.
Bring anyone with you, and I'll kill her. Tell Dominic, and I'll kill her. Come alone, or your best friend dies.
The phone nearly slips from my shaking hands.
Someone has Sarah.
Someone is using her to lure me into a trap.
And I have ten minutes to decide if I'm willing to risk my life to save hers.
I look at Dominic. He's talking to security, coordinating Dad's transport, completely focused on protecting me.
If I tell him about the message, he won't let me go. Sarah will die.
If I don't tell him and go alone, I might die.
But Sarah never abandoned me. When everyone else disappeared, she stayed.
I can't abandon her now.
"I need to use the bathroom," I tell the security guard.
"Make it quick. We're moving in three minutes."
I slip away into the chaos of the evacuation. Nurses rushing past. Patients being moved. Red emergency lights making everything look like a nightmare.
I find the stairwell and start climbing.
Fifth floor. Abandoned surgical wing.
Every step feels like walking toward my own execution.
But what choice do I have?
I push through the door onto the fifth floor, and the silence hits me like a wall.
No evacuating patients here. No staff. Just empty hallways and darkness.
"Hello?" My voice echoes.
No response.
I move forward, phone clutched in my hand like a weapon.
Then I hear it. A muffled sound. Like someone trying to scream through a gag.
"Sarah?"
I follow the sound to a surgical suite at the end of the hall.
The door is cracked open. Light spills out.
I push it open.
Sarah is tied to a chair in the center of the room, tape over her mouth, eyes wide with terror.
"Oh god, Sarah—"
I run toward her.
Too late, I see the figure behind the door.
Too late, I feel the needle pierce my neck.
Too late, I realize I've made a terrible mistake.
The world spins. My legs give out.
I hit the floor hard, and the last thing I see before darkness takes me is a woman's face. Beautiful. Cold. Smiling.
Isabella Rousseau.
"Hello, Mrs. Ashford," she says. "Welcome to the beginning of the end."
Then everything goes black.