Chapter 3 - The Stamped Seal
The blue and red lights from the approaching ambulance flashed wildly through the living room windows, painting the walls in frantic, shifting shadows. Mark stared at Julian, his mind struggling to bridge the gap between the medical emergency unfolding on the floor and the official-looking papers dangling from Julian's hand.
"Get out of my house, Julian," Mark snarled, still shielding Clara with his own body. "My wife is hurt. I don't care about your papers."
Julian didn't flinch. He walked further into the room, his polished oxfords clicking against the hardwood floor before stopping just at the edge of the rug. He glanced down at Clara, who was now clutching Mark’s sleeve, breathing in shallow, painful gasps.
"It's not your house, Mark," Julian corrected, his tone maddeningly polite. "Read the heading. Property transfer executed thirty minutes ago, signed by Clara herself under power of attorney."
Mark looked down at his wife, confusion flickering behind his terror. "Clara? What is he talking about? You didn't sign anything."
Clara shook her head weakly, tears finally spilling over her lashes. "I didn't... I swear I didn't, Mark. They forged it. They took everything."
Elena stepped up beside her husband, her maroon turtleneck catching the flashing emergency lights outside. "She's lying, Mark. She's been draining the accounts for months to fund her brother's gambling debts. We just stepped in to protect what's left of the family estate."
"That's a complete lie!" Clara cried out, trying to push herself up, only to collapse back against Mark with a sharp gasp of pain.
Heavy footsteps pounded on the porch, and the front door was thrown wide open by two paramedics in high-visibility jackets, carrying a heavy trauma kit and a folding stretcher.
"Step aside, sir, let us through," the lead paramedic instructed urgently, kneeling beside Clara and immediately checking her vitals.
Mark moved just enough to give them room, but he kept his hand firmly locked in Clara’s. "She was assaulted. Her sister-in-law pulled her down by the hair. She's pregnant."
The paramedic flashed a penlight into Clara’s eyes. "We need to get her to the hospital right now. Pulse is elevated, and she's experiencing acute abdominal distress."
Julian stepped forward, blocking the path to the front door with his briefcase held across his chest. "Before you take her anywhere, officer—or medic—you need to know she's a flight risk. We have a court order restricting her travel out of the county."
Mark surged to his feet, lunging toward Julian with a roar of pure fury, but before his hands could make contact, the front door was kicked wide open again by two uniformed police officers responding to the initial 911 dispatch.
"Freeze! Nobody moves an inch!" the lead officer commanded, his hand resting firmly on his holstered firearm.
May you like
Elena smirked, stepping smoothly into the beam of the officer's flashlight. "Thank goodness you're here, officer. My brother-in-law just attacked me and threatened my life."
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