Chapter 7 - THE PHONE THEY WANTED
Beatrice insisted she had only asked for Sarah’s belongings.
The nurse’s statement was more specific.
Mrs. Bennett repeatedly requested patient’s phone and handbag.
Patrick remembered handing Sarah’s purse to a friend before riding in the ambulance.
That may have prevented something worse.
Then the digital audit found three failed login attempts to Sarah’s trust portal on the night of the fall.
Source:
Bennett mansion Wi-Fi.
The username was correct.
The password was wrong.
After the third attempt, the account locked.
Richard argued anyone at the party could have tried.
Technically true.
Then Jade called Patrick.
“Mom asked me if I knew Sarah’s password.”
“When?”
“After the ambulance left.”
“Did you give it?”
“No.”
She started crying.
“I didn’t know it was this bad.”
The trust’s independent administrator responded quickly.
Beatrice was suspended as emergency successor pending investigation.
If Sarah ever became genuinely incapacitated, a neutral fiduciary would now step in.
One trap closed.
Then a business article appeared:
PREGNANT HEIRESS BLOCKS $46M HOTEL RESCUE DURING FAMILY FEUD.
It described Sarah as hospitalized, emotional, and medically impaired.
No mention of the staircase video.
No mention of related-party vendors.
Patrick wanted to respond.
Sarah said:
“Not yet.”
Then Rachel called.
“We know who fed them the story.”
“Dad?”
“No.”
“Mom?”
“No.”
“Then who?”
“Jade’s boyfriend.”
Connor Hale.
The same consultant receiving money from Bennett Heritage.
Jade had become both a witness and part of the conflict.
When Jade learned Connor had leaked the story, she called him from Sarah’s hospital room.
Patrick and Rachel listened.
Connor did not deny it.
“I was protecting the project.”
“You called my sister unstable.”
“She is in the hospital.”
“Because my father pushed her.”
Silence.
Then Connor said the sentence that ended whatever loyalty Jade still had.
“If Sarah had just signed before all this, none of us would be in trouble.”
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Jade looked at Sarah.
For once, she heard what the family sounded like from the outside.
