Chapter 16
Lillian’s voice trembled. She instinctively took a step back, bumping into the IV stand behind her. The glass bottle clinked sharply against the metal pole.
On the floor, Travis saw her and scrambled forward like he’d just spotted a lifeline, trying to grab the hem of her gown-only to be pinned to the ground by Leonard’s boot pressing into his spine.
“Miss Snow! Please!” Travis sobbed, blood pooling under him, splattering across the pristine hospital tiles.
“You told me to do it! You said you’d give me a hundred dollars and make sure I’d get out if things went
south! Please-tell Captain Grant!”
Lillian recoiled as if touched by filth. Her face twisted in revulsion. “Who the hell are you? I don’t know you!” She turned sharply to Leonard, her voice rising with panic. “Why would you bring someone like this into my
room?”
Then, right on cue, tears welled in her eyes, spilling down her cheeks like pearls.
“Leonard, please-you don’t believe this, do you? This is Evelyn’s doing! She’s just jealous. Jealous of what we have, jealous that you love me!”
“I didn’t!” Travis yelled desperately. “You can’t lie like this! You hired me! You gave me your earring-”
Lillian’s face paled instantly. Her hand flew up to her ear.
Right. The earring was gone. She’d turned her whole room upside down looking for it a few days ago, assuming she’d dropped it somewhere.
“You’re insane!” she snapped, voice pitching high. “I’ve never owned pearl earrings! Leonard gave me sapphires and I take care of those.”
“I have it!” Travis cried out, pointing at Leonard. “The one in his hand! That’s the one you lost-he has it!”
Lillian’s gaze shot to Leonard.
He slowly uncurled his fingers.
In the center of his palm, the pearl earring shimmered under the fluorescent lights.
Her pupils shrank. All color drained from her face.
She opened her mouth. No words came out.
Leonard began walking toward her, one slow, deliberate step at a time.
“This earring,” he said, his voice like frostbite, “the one you claimed to have taken such good care of… why did it end up in Travis’s hands?”
Chapter 16
64.00%
She wasn’t moving. Just watching him, quietly.
She looked so much like Evelyn.
His chest clenched. The pain hit him like a punch to the ribs.
He opened his mouth, wanted to call her name, to say something-anything-but no sound came out.
He rushed forward.
Only to realize…
He’d mistaken someone else for her.
He stopped, took a breath, and mumbled an apology to the startled stranger.
Then stood there, frozen, watching her silhouette disappear down the corridor.
Regret gnawed at him.
As he stepped out into the hospital parking lot, a small boy suddenly ran in front of him, blocking his path.
“You’re a bad man!” the kid shouted. “Why are you hurting my mom?”
Zach moved to intercept, but Leonard held out a hand.
He looked down at the boy.
So much of Lillian in that face.
His heart sank.
“Your mom did something wrong,” Leonard said, his voice low. “I wasn’t trying to hurt her.”
“Really?” The boy’s eyes narrowed in suspicion.
“Have I ever lied to you?” Leonard asked gently.
The boy hesitated… then lowered his head. “Are you… are you not going to take care of us anymore?”
Leonard didn’t answer.
He just reached out and gently patted the boy’s head.
Then he pulled some bills from his wallet and tucked them into the boy’s hand.
And walked away.
Because in the end, it wasn’t the child’s fault.
And Leonard wasn’t cruel enough to punish someone who had done nothing wrong.
Chapter 16
64.00%
