The danger was mounting. Gavin Price began leaking stories to the local tabloids about a “Power-Hungry CEO” who was “unstable” and “neglecting her child.” The pressure was mounting for the Board of Care Loop to remove me. I was losing my company, and the CPS case was hanging by a thread. I needed a win, and I needed it fast. But before I could make my move, the phone rang. It was my husband, Tai. He was screaming.
“Immani! The police… they pulled me over. Zara’s in the back, she’s—she’s turning blue! She’s having a respiratory fit and they won’t let me leave the car!”
Part 3
I have never driven faster in my life. My mind was a chaotic blur of terror and strategy. I knew this wasn’t a random stop. Gavin Price and Mara were playing for keeps. They had used their connections to flag Tai’s license plate, likely under the guise of the ongoing CPS investigation.
When I slid my car to a halt behind the police cruiser, I saw Tai on his knees, hands behind his head, while an officer stood over him. Another officer was peering into the back seat where Zara was buckled in. I could hear her—a faint, wheezing gasp that sounded like a dying bird.
“Let him go!” I screamed, sprinting toward them. “That baby needs a hospital! Now!”
“Stay back, ma’am!” the officer yelled, reaching for his holster.
“I am the CEO of the company that owns the hospital she needs to go to!” I roared, standing my ground. “If that child dies in that car because you’re following a bogus tip from a disgraced, unlicensed nurse, I will spend every cent I own to make sure you never see the sun again!”
