Chapter 4: The Enemy Inside the Walls
The message remained on my screen for exactly six seconds.
Six seconds was all it took for my entire body to switch from a mother’s instinct to a soldier’s training.
*STOP LOOKING INTO LAWSON STRATEGIC SOLUTIONS, COLONEL BENNETT.*
*OR YOUR DAUGHTER WILL BE THE NEXT THING YOU LOSE.*
My first instinct was fear.
Not for myself.
Never for myself.
For the tiny girl sleeping beside me.
Her fingers were curled around the edge of her blanket, completely unaware that someone had just threatened her existence.
I immediately locked my phone and placed it face down.
My mother noticed.
“What did it say?””
I didn’t answer.
“Emma.””
I looked at her.
My mother had always been the strongest person I knew.
The woman who raised me alone after my father died.
The woman who taught me that fear was something you acknowledged, not something you obeyed.
But when she saw my face, even she became frightened.
“Who threatened you?””
I glanced at the hospital room door.
Then at the windows.
Then at the sleeping baby beside me.
“I need you to do something.””
Her expression changed.
That was the voice she remembered.
Not her daughter.
Not the new mother.
The officer.
“What?””
“Take the baby.””
She froze.
“What?””
“Mom, listen to me.””
My voice lowered.
“I need you to take her home.””
“No.””
“Mom.””
“I am not leaving you here.””
“You’re not leaving me.””
I reached for her hand.
“You’re protecting her.””
The words hurt me as soon as I said them.
Because they were true.
And because I hated that I had to say them.
My mother looked at my daughter.
Then back at me.
“She’s your whole world.””
“Yes.””
“Then why are you sending her away?””
I swallowed.
“Because someone knows exactly where to hurt me.””
A tear slipped down my mother’s cheek.
Not because she was weak.
Because she understood.
She had spent her entire life protecting me.
And now I was asking her to protect my child.
A few minutes later, the hospital room transformed into a security zone.
Major Reynolds arrived with two officers from my division.
They entered quietly.
Professionally.
No panic.
No unnecessary movement.
“Colonel.””
I nodded.
“Report.””
Major Reynolds glanced at my mother and daughter.
“Security has been arranged.””
“Has the message been traced?””
“Not yet.””
“Find out.””
“Yes, ma’am.””
I hated using that tone with people I loved around me.
But this wasn’t a family problem anymore.
This was a threat.
Major Reynolds handed me a tablet.
“We reviewed the latest information.””
I opened the file.
The first page contained a photograph.
Daniel.
Lauren.
Victor Hayes.
Together.
A different photo.
A different location.
Different date.
I looked at the timestamp.
Five months ago.
Before Daniel threw me away.
Before Lauren stood in my hospital room.
Before I knew anything was wrong.
“They’ve been working together longer than we thought.””
Major Reynolds nodded.
“Yes.””
I scrolled further.
There were financial records.
Communication logs.
Company transfers.
Then I saw my name.
I stopped.
“What is this?””
Reynolds hesitated.
“Colonel…”
“What is this?””
He pointed to the screen.
“Someone accessed your military profile.””
My blood ran cold.
“When?””
“Six months ago.””
I stared.
That was the exact period when Daniel started coming home late.
The exact period when he became distant.
The exact period when he suddenly complained that I was “too busy.””
Someone had been searching for me.
And the person closest to me never told me.
“Who accessed it?””
“We’re still determining that.””
“Don’t give me possibilities. Give me facts.””
Reynolds nodded.
“The access came from a civilian network.””
“Lawson?””
“Yes.””
The room went silent.
I looked at Daniel’s company logo on the screen.
For years, he had complained about his business problems.
Cash flow issues.
Competition.
Internal disagreements.
I had listened.
I had supported him.
And all that time…
His company may have been targeting me.
My phone vibrated.
Everyone turned.
A new message.
Unknown number.
This time, there was an image.
I opened it.
My blood froze.
It was a picture of me.
Taken inside the hospital.
A few hours earlier.
I was sitting beside my daughter.
Someone had been watching us.
Inside.
Not outside.
Inside the hospital.
Major Reynolds immediately stepped forward.
“When was this sent?””
“Just now.””
His face hardened.
“Everyone out.””
The room changed instantly.
Officers moved.
The nurse station was contacted.
Security teams were alerted.
And suddenly, the place where I had felt safest became a potential crime scene.
I looked at my daughter.
My hands shook.
Not from fear.
From anger.
Someone had looked at my newborn child and decided to use her as leverage.
They had made the biggest mistake of their life.
Because they didn’t understand something.
I could tolerate betrayal.
I could survive heartbreak.
But nobody threatened my daughter.
Nobody.
“Colonel.””
I looked at Reynolds.
“We found something.””
He held up his phone.
“The hospital security system shows someone accessed your room records.””
“Who?””
His expression became serious.
“A staff member.””
My stomach tightened.
“Name.””
He looked down.
“Dr. Marcus Hill.””
I frowned.
I knew that name.
Everyone at the hospital knew that name.
Dr. Hill was one of the senior obstetric specialists.
The doctor who had helped deliver my daughter.
The doctor who had smiled and told me she was healthy.
The doctor who had touched my baby.
“No,” I whispered.
Reynolds looked at me.
“You know him?””
“He delivered my daughter.””
The room went silent.
A terrifying thought entered my mind.
“What exactly did he access?””
Reynolds looked uncomfortable.
“Your medical records.””
“And?””
He hesitated.
“Your daughter’s records.””
I felt something inside me break.
My daughter.
Someone had looked at her information.
Someone had been close enough to touch her.
“Find him.””
The order came out colder than I expected.
Reynolds nodded.
“Yes, ma’am.””
But before anyone moved, the hospital lights flickered.
Once.
Twice.
Then everything went dark.
The machines stopped.
The room was silent.
Only emergency lights remained.
My mother grabbed my daughter.
“What’s happening?””
No one answered.
Then the hallway erupted.
Footsteps.
Fast.
Multiple people.
Someone shouted.
“Security breach!””
My training took over.
I moved between the door and my family.
Major Reynolds reached for his weapon.
The hallway lights returned.
And standing outside my hospital room was Daniel.
His face was bruised.
His shirt was torn.
He looked like he had just escaped something terrible.
“Emma.””
Everyone froze.
I stared at him.
“What happened?””
He looked behind him.
Then at me.
“I found out who is behind everything.””
My eyes narrowed.
“You?””
He flinched.
“I deserve that.””
“Where were you?””
“I was trying to stop Lauren.””
A bitter laugh escaped me.
“You expect me to believe that?””
“No.””
He stepped closer.
“I expect you to believe what I’m about to show you.””
He reached into his jacket.
Every officer immediately reacted.
“Stop!””
Daniel froze.
Slowly, he pulled out a small flash drive.
“I stole this from Lauren’s office.””
No one moved.
“What’s on it?”” I asked.
His eyes met mine.
“Proof.””
“Proof of what?””
His face turned pale.
“Proof that Victor Hayes never died.””
I stared at him.
“I already know that.””
“No, Emma.””
His voice dropped.
“You don’t understand.””
He looked at my daughter.
Then back at me.
“Victor Hayes didn’t fake his death to escape.””
A cold feeling spread through my body.
“Then why?””
Daniel swallowed.
“Because he was running from the people who helped him steal classified military information.””
The room became silent.
“Lauren knows,” he continued.
“She knows everything.””
I stared at the flash drive.
“And you?””
His eyes filled with regret.
“I found out too late.””
“Six months too late.””
He looked down.
“Yes.””
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Then Daniel said the words that changed everything.
“Emma…”
“Victor Hayes wasn’t the person controlling Lawson Strategic Solutions.””
I frowned.
“Then who was?””
Daniel looked toward the dark hallway.
His voice became barely a whisper.
“The person who has been giving Lauren orders…”
A pause.
May you like
Then:
“…is someone inside your military division.””
