I was escorted off the plane along with Lucius and Belinda when I noticed the medical team working urgently on Grace’s injury while they waited for the ambulance to reach the scene.
I couldn’t help but feel troubled by the whole situation as Ethan approached the doctors to inquire about Grace’s condition. The doctor explained that the extent of the damage to her head was still uncertain and that further diagnostic tests were required, which could only be performed once she was admitted to the hospital.
With his brow deeply furrowed, Ethan gave a few brief orders before heading our way. He scanned each of us with a piercing look before his eyes eventually settled on me. “I want an explanation from each of you. I want you to go first.”
“I-”
Lucius cut me off before I could explain myself. “You shouldn’t waste your time listening to her nonsense or watching the surveillance footage, as everyone on the flight can serve as witnesses, Mr. Howard! That woman is the one solely responsible for this!”
I never expected that, even now, Lucius would still try to pin this on me. I looked at him with a trace of mockery as I realized his intentions.
It was clear that he was aware that once the surveillance footage was reviewed, he and Belinda would be caught red -handed. It seemed like his current behavior was nothing more than a desperate, last–ditch effort.
Ethan didn’t seem to have the slightest intention of listening to him, though.
It was then that the wail of an ambulance siren echoed in the distance. It finally reached the scene, and Grace was loaded inside.
Belinda stared at the ambulance and burst into dramatic wailing. “I can’t take it anymore. My stomach hurts so much! You have to help me! You have to take me to the hospital as well!”
I knew instantly she was faking it to dodge the consequences, as it was an old trick she had pulled dozens of times before.
In the past, long before Lucius and I were married, Belinda used to feign illness whenever she wanted Lucius to drop everything for her. She doubled down on her act once she got pregnant, using her “stomach aches” to make Lucius wait on her hand and foot.
Yet, every time she was taken to the hospital, she either miraculously recovered or the doctors couldn’t find anything wrong with her.
I had confronted Lucius over this before, only to be brushed off with the same excuse. “You ought to know that Belinda and I are just friends. She already has a husband and is expecting a baby soon. You should stop overthinking things, Zoe!”
I eventually came to terms with it, telling myself that it was nothing more than a business marriage. I never could have imagined that this marriage would ultimately cost me my life in my past life, though.
Lucius hovered over Belinda, fussing over her incessantly before finally dropping to his knees before Ethan.
He then pleaded, “Please let us go to the hospital, Mr. Howard! She’s pregnant right now, so any complication could be fatal for the baby! You can’t just turn your back on us now, especially since we’re the ones who came to your grandmother’s aid, Mr. Howard!”
Ethan remained indifferent. He watched Belinda thrash in pain on the floor and motioned to the doctor beside him.
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“I’ll have my doctor examine her first. You see, my private medical staff consists of top specialists from the best hospitals. They don’t make mistakes. If they determine that a hospital visit is actually necessary, I’ll see to it that you’re sent there first.”
Belinda was startled, knowing that if she were caught faking it, the consequences would be far worse. “That won’t be necessary! 1–It seems that the pain has passed. I think I was just a little shaken up from the turbulence on the flight earlier. Thank you so much for your concern, Mr. Howard.”
That doctor stepped forward and scrutinized her with a frigid gaze. He then reached out, intending to check her
stomach.
Belinda was so frightened that she suddenly jumped up from Lucius. She backed away several steps, showing absolutely no sign of the agony she had just claimed to feel earlier. “I’m seriously fine now, so please don’t come any closer!”
Lucius quickly jumped in to back her up. “You can see for yourself that she’s perfectly fine now; she was obviously just shaken up a minute ago, that’s all!”
Ethan scoffed. His gaze was brimming with contempt. He simply thought that their acting was pathetic and poorly executed.
It was then that Ethan’s assistant hurried over. “I’ve pulled the plane’s surveillance footage, Mr. Howard. The entire incident was captured perfectly.”
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
