# PART 2 — THE SECRET IN ROOM 1708
I didn’t sleep that night.
Neither did Adrian.
His voice was weak, but his mind was clear.
He told me that three weeks earlier, he had collapsed at home.
Doctors initially diagnosed him with a rare neurological condition.
Then his condition deteriorated rapidly.
His family had already begun preparing for his death.
But Adrian remembered something.
The night before he collapsed, he had discovered irregular transfers from one of his companies.
Millions of dollars had disappeared.
He suspected someone inside his family was stealing from him.
“I confronted Marcus,” he whispered.
“What happened?”
“He laughed.”
Adrian’s eyes closed.
“The next morning, I collapsed.”
I stared at him.
“You think he poisoned you?”
“I don’t know.”
“But you suspect him?”
“I suspect everyone.”
I glanced toward the door.
“Why did you trust me?”
“I didn’t.”
That answer startled me.
He continued.
“But you were the only person in this hospital who wasn’t being paid by my family.”
I thought about that.
“Actually, they are paying me.”
“Not enough.”
He gave the faintest smile.
It was the first expression I’d seen on his face that looked alive.
Then he told me something even stranger.
“My doctors were wrong.”
“What do you mean?”
“I wasn’t dying.”
“Then why couldn’t you move?”
“My body was shutting down because of a drug.”
I stared at him.
“What drug?”
“I don’t know.”
He looked toward the IV.
“But someone was keeping me sedated.”
My stomach turned.
I wanted to leave.
I wanted to call the police.
Instead, I remembered his warning.
“If I call someone?”
“Then they’ll know.”
“Who can I trust?”
He looked at me.
“No one.”
The next morning, Marcus arrived.
I nearly dropped Lily.
He walked into the room smiling.
“Good morning, Emma.”
“Good morning.”
His eyes moved toward Adrian.
“Any changes?”
“No.”
“Still unresponsive?”
“Yes.”
He walked closer to the bed.
He stared at his brother.
Then he leaned down.
“Five days,” he whispered.
I heard every word.
“That’s all the doctors are giving you.”
My skin prickled.
Marcus straightened.
He looked at me.
“Mrs. Carter, I hope you understand how important it is that you follow the doctors’ instructions.”
“I do.”
“Especially regarding Mr. Blackwood’s medications.”
He smiled.
Then he left.
The moment the door closed, Adrian opened his eyes.
“You heard him.”
“Yes.”
“He’s coming back tonight.”
“Why?”
“Because tonight is when he plans to make sure I don’t survive.”
My hands began shaking.
I picked up my phone.
“I need to call someone.”
Adrian nodded.
“Yes.”
“Who?”
He looked at me.
“My attorney.”
“What’s his name?”
“Daniel Foster.”
I called the number Adrian gave me.
No answer.
I called again.
Nothing.
Then I received a text.
**Do not trust Daniel.**
I showed Adrian.
He stared at the message.
“That’s impossible.”
“Why?”
“Because only three people had that number.”
“Who?”
He didn’t answer.
The door suddenly opened.
Victoria stood there.
She smiled at me.
But her eyes went directly to Adrian.
For one terrifying second, I thought she knew.
Then she said:
“Emma, my mother wants to speak with you.”
I followed her.
And as I walked down the hallway, I noticed something taped beneath the nurse’s station.
A photograph.
It was Adrian.
Taken three weeks before his collapse.
Standing beside him was a man I recognized.
Dr. Reynolds.
The doctor who had told me Adrian had five days left.
