My hands trembled as I took the consent form. Somehow, I scratched out my signature and then collapsed onto the hospital bed, completely drained.
“Baby, how can I rest easy if you don’t let the doctor check you thoroughly?”
“You’re so bad, Tommy.”
Looking up, I spotted Thomas across the way, his arm wrapped around Tracy while juggling stack of medical forms.
“Now that’s devotion,” one of the nurses gushed, eyeing them. “She barely tapped another car, doesn’t have a scratch on her, and here he is, ordering every test in the book.”
“That’s the kind of husband you want,” another chimed in. “Someone who treats you like you’re made of glass.”
“What a lucky girl. She must have saved the galaxy in her past life to land a man like that.” They kept going on and on, completely oblivious to my expression darkening with each
word.
A bitter laugh escaped my lips. “That’s my husband.”
The nurse’s eyes went wide, her jaw practically hitting the floor.
00
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When I came to, I found myself in a hospital bed with Ryan hovering nearby, looking like he’d
rather be anywhere else.
“Ma’am, this is the last VIP room available,” he said carefully. “The hospital’s asking us to clear
out. Apparently, Mr. Davenport wants Ms. Hayes to stay for a thorough checkup.”
How thoughtful of them.
My throat felt like sandpaper as I forced out the words. “Tell the hospital I’m not going
anywhere.”
Ryan quickly poured me some water. “Ma’am, maybe we should tell Mr. Davenport the truth. He still loves you… He just doesn’t know you were the one in the accident.”
I took a sip of water. “You should head back now. Just tell them the accident’s been handled.
No need to make this awkward.”
Just then, the hospital door swung open.
Tracy rolled in on a wheelchair, pushed by a nurse.
She took one look at my pale face lying in the hospital bed and smirked, utterly pleased with herself. “Isn’t this my room now? Why don’t you do us all a favor and clear out?”
I met her gaze steadily. “And if I don’t?”
She threw up her hands with an exaggerated shrug. “Then I’ll have to get someone to help you move. But that could get messy, you know? Save yourself some dignity and walk out on your own. No point clinging to something that isn’t yours anymore. Better to keep it classy, right?”
I shot her an icy look. “Classy? That’s rich coming from someone who’s proud to be the other woman, showin
up to make a scene in front of the wife. Where’s your dignity in that?”
Tracy’s face flushed red. She hadn’t expected me to call out her homewrecker status so
bluntly.
“You don’t know anything!” she snapped, jabbing a finger at me. “The real other woman is the one who isn’t loved. You’re just a washed–up old hag who can’t even have kids. Tommy doesn’t
love you anymore.”
Ryan had finally had enough. He stepped between us. “Tracy, you’re crossing a line here.
Remember your place.”
Tracy’s face twisted with rage. In one swift motion, she jumped up from her wheelchair and slapped Ryan across the face. “Who do you think you are to lecture me? Watch yourself, or I’ll tell Tommy to fire your ass.”
Ryan’s face flushed with anger. “You…”
“You what? You’re nothing but Tommy’s lapdog. Who are you to bark at me?”
Then, Tracy turned her venom on me. “And you, you old hag, why are you still hanging
around? Get lost. This room belongs to me now.”
My chest heaved with rage as she got in my face. Before I knew it, my hand flew up and cracked across her cheek.
12:33 Fri, 3 Jan Kiss
B
She froze, stunned. “How dare you hit me?”
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I sneered, “Yeah, I did. What, should I have made an appointment first? That’s what happens when you mess around with married men.
I told you. This is my room, and I say you’re not welcome. So do yourself a favor and get out of
my face.”
She lost it completely, launching herself at me with fists flying. Ryan jumped in to protect me, but everything spiraled out of control. He tried to shield me, taking the brunt of Tracy’s wild scratching and clawing.
“What the hell is going on here?” Thomas stormed in, radiating fury, with a bunch of doctors trailing behind him.
Tracy seized her moment while I was distracted, shoving me hard. I hit the floor, pain
shooting through my body.
Then, she flipped the script completely, tears streaming down her face as she threw herself into Thomas‘ arms. “Tommy, this room was supposed to be mine, but she wouldn’t leave. She hit me too. Look at my face!”
Thomas snapped. He rounded on Ryan, “I hired you to handle things, not let Tracy get hurt. You want to keep your job or not? Whoever dares mess with my people… I’ll make sure they vanish from Altheria. Get this woman out of my sight. Now.”
My blood ran cold. So this was what happened when people crossed Tracy.
