Two hours later, at the Dallas General Hospital, Marcus sat in the private recovery room holding Clara's hand.
The ultrasound machine hummed quietly in the corner, showing the steady, rhythmic heartbeat of their unborn daughter.
Clara: The doctor said the baby is stable... thank God...
Marcus: Thank God. I don't know what I would have done if I lost either of you today.
Clara: Marcus, what did you mean when you told Evelyn about the forged statements?
Marcus sighed, rubbing his face with his hand as David Brooks, his family attorney, knocked on the door and walked into the room.
Lawyer Brooks: Marcus, Clara... I just came from the police precinct. Evelyn has been formally booked.
Marcus: What are the exact charges, David?
Lawyer Brooks: Attempted murder, felony child endangerment, aggravated assault, and corporate fraud.
Clara: Corporate fraud?
Lawyer Brooks: Yes, Clara. Over the last six months, Evelyn embezzled three million dollars from the family trust fund to cover her gambling debts in Macao.
Marcus: She forged my late father's signature on loan agreements, using the Dallas mansion as collateral.
Clara: Oh my goodness... She was going to bankrupt the family!
Lawyer Brooks: She realized that Marcus was auditing the accounts this week. If the audit finished, she faced immediate arrest for fraud.
Lawyer Brooks: She thought if she created a massive family tragedy—if you lost the baby or got severely injured—Marcus would be too distracted to finish the audit.
Marcus: She pushed you into the pool to buy herself time to flee the country with the remaining funds.
Clara: She's a monster... She put our child's life at risk just to cover up her stolen money!
Marcus: She's never getting out of prison, Clara. I'm pressing every single charge possible.
Lawyer Brooks: The prosecutor assured me that with the four-K video footage and the financial records, she is looking at twenty to twenty-five years without parole.
Marcus: Good. Make sure the court revokes her bail immediately.
Lawyer Brooks: Already done, Marcus. The judge deemed her a flight risk and a danger to society.
Toby ran into the room, holding a small teddy bear he had picked out from the hospital gift shop, and jumped up onto the edge of Clara's bed.
Toby: Mommy! Look! I bought a bear for the baby sister!
Clara: Oh, Toby... come here, sweet boy.
Clara pulled Toby into a tight hug, kissing his forehead while tears of relief streamed down her cheeks.
Toby: Is the mean lady gone now, Daddy?
Marcus: Yes, Toby. She's gone, and she can never hurt our family ever again.