Chapter 7
Sofia answered first.
“Because I fell.”
Lorenzo looked at her.
“When?”
“Three weeks ago.”
He waited.
She sat slowly.
Grant had grabbed her arm during an argument in the upstairs hallway.
She pulled free.
He stepped in front of her.
Sofia backed away and missed the first stair.
She fell onto her side.
Not far.
Three steps.
She did not bleed.
The baby moved afterward.
Grant insisted she was fine.
Eleanor agreed.
Sofia wanted to call her doctor.
Grant said if she reported a fall, the hospital would keep her for hours and make everything dramatic.
“So you didn’t go.”
Sofia stared at the table.
“No.”
The next day she attended a routine appointment alone.
She told Dr. Pierce she had slipped.
That was when the bruises were noticed.
Lorenzo walked to the window.
He had to put distance between himself and the image in his head.
“Did Eleanor know he caused the fall?”
“Yes.”
“And she still said checkups were a waste.”
“Yes.”
That partially explained Eleanor’s fear of the scan.
But another detail did not fit.
After the fall, Grant had purchased a home blood-pressure cuff.
He monitored Sofia twice daily.
He also bought a fetal Doppler and insisted on checking the heartbeat.
Those were not the actions of a man unconcerned about the pregnancy.
“He was afraid something was wrong,” Sofia said.
“But still blocked medical care.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
She did not know.
The company review produced the second layer of evidence.
Grant had searched from his work laptop:
placental abruption symptoms after fall
can ultrasound show old placental abruption
mandatory reporting domestic violence pregnancy New York
can doctor tell injury from assault
The searches occurred the morning after Sofia fell.
Lorenzo felt cold.
Grant understood exactly why medical attention was dangerous to him.
Not because a doctor would see a magical signature proving abuse.
But because medical records would establish timing, symptoms, bruises, and Sofia’s account.
And because somebody might finally speak to her alone.
Then IT found one more search.
how long hospital social worker keeps domestic violence report
Sofia stared at it.
“He knew.”
Lorenzo nodded.
“He knew about the social worker.”
“How?”
That question changed the direction of everything.
May you like
Grant had not guessed she planned to leave.
He had learned it from somewhere.
