Page 73 of Shattering

She was about to greet them when a voice cut through the low hum of conversation.

"Dr. Hughes, a word."

Her stomach tightened.

Vanessa.

Just perfect.

Cadi didn't sigh. Didn't roll her eyes. But she wanted to.

She turned, her expression cool and unreadable. "Would you like to discuss the patient?"

Vanessa's lips parted slightly, as if caught off guard by the formality, but she recovered quickly. "In private."

Cadi didn't acknowledge the request outright. Instead, she turned and walked into the clinic room, Sue following close behind. Vanessa stepped in after them, shutting the door.

Cadi met Sue's eyes and gave a small, barely perceptible nod toward the door.

Sue hesitated-reluctant-but after a second, she gave Vanessa a pointed look before stepping out, closing the door firmly behind her.

Cadi turned to her paperwork, flipping through patient files as though Vanessa were no more than an annoying background noise. "I have a clinic to run, so..." Her voice was calm. Clipped.

Vanessa, however, wasn't here to talk about a patient.

"I saw Gray the other day in the consultant's room," she said casually, watching for a reaction.

Cadi didn't react.

Vanessa pushed on, her tone light but probing. "We were planning to meet up. You know how he is when he wants something."

Cadi kept flipping through the paperwork.

Vanessa's voice sharpened. "It's funny, though. Gray might have told you he was on call two nights ago," she said, her tone turning sly. "But he wasn't. He was with me."

Chapter 35

Cadi's expression didn't waver.

Drinks? Two nights ago?

Gray had been home.

Cadi had checked—feverishly, compulsively, almost obsessively. Phone logs, the family tracking app, even the home CCTV.

Maybe a little stalker-ish.

But she knew the truth.

Vanessa's lips curved, mistaking Cadi's silence for discomfort. "He said he was leaving you," she pressed, voice thick with feigned sympathy. "We even talked about custody. He wanted to take Tomos with us. Why don't you do us all a favor and give in without a fuss? He doesn't want you anymore."

That got Cadi's attention.

Vanessa had no idea.

No idea about the DNA.

No idea how deep this really ran.

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