Edna’s every word dripped with agony.
As luck would have it, the door to the hospital room was wide open.
People passing in the hallway–patients, visitors, nurses–couldn’t help but pause and gawk.
“Would you look at that,” someone muttered, unable to hide their fascination. “That old man must be pushing eighty, already halfway in the grave, and he’s still arguing with his son. Doesn’t he realize if he stirs up trouble, there won’t be anyone left to
take care of him?”
“Rich families, huh? Who knows what kind of skeletons they’ve got in their closets. Look at that woman–she’s crying her eyes out, and he’s just sitting there, stone–faced. Bet he’s been lording it over everyone for years.”
The crowd outside the door grew, their whispers blending into a low, judgmental
hum.
Edna’s performance–turning the tables and playing the victim–had the bystanders picking sides, many of them leaning in her favor.
Some even started calling out, “Hey, sir, whatever’s going on, at least let the lady stand up and speak her mind! There’s a limit to how much you can play favorites with your kids!”
“Exactly!” someone else chimed in.
Voices of agreement rippled through the crowd.
Inside, Luther’s face turned crimson, his eyes wild with fury, blood pressure spiking dangerously.
His hand shot up, ready to strike Edna.
But Edna didn’t flinch.
She was waiting for this–for the old man to lose control.
The unhealthy pregnancy she was carrying inside her was just looking for an excuse, an opportunity like this.
Luther was deeply superstitious, terrified of any omen of death.
If she could pin a miscarriage on him, he’d back off completely, never daring to meddle in her and Murdock’s affairs again.
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After that, she could keep playing the victim, and Luther would be at her beck and call–putty in her hands.
Not even Murdock knew what she was planning, she didn’t dare risk him messing
things up.
Instinctively, Edna placed a protective hand over her stomach.
Suddenly, a bright, earnest voice cut through the tension.
“Grandpa, please don’t hit Aunt Edna. Sure, she and Uncle Murdock carried on their affair for over a decade and drove his wife to her grave, tearing their family apart. But she’s stuck by him all these years, even though she never gave him a child. That’s real love right there!”
Celestine had caught hold of Luther’s wrist, facing away from the crowd, and gave him a conspiratorial wink.
Luther, still bristling with anger, jolted in realization–he’d nearly fallen right into Edna’s trap.
“Celly, thank you for speaking up for me.” Edna managed to squeeze out a frail, watery voice.
Damn this girl for meddling at the worst possible moment.
“So that’s it! She’s nothing but a barren homewrecker!” a woman in the hallway blurted, her voice dripping with contempt. “No wonder the old man’s furious!”
“Homewreckers are the lowest of the low! And the men who can’t keep it in their pants are even worse!” another snapped.
Celestine’s words had been clear and sharp, and Edna’s failure to deny them sealed it in the crowd’s mind. The atmosphere flipped; now, righteous indignation burned
in every eye.
Sensing things turn against her, Edna bit her lip, clinging to her last hope. She braced herself on her knees and dropped down at Luther’s feet.
“Dad! I know you’re angry. I was young and foolish back then, but I truly love Murdock and just want a family with him! If you’re mad at me, hit me, yell at me–I’ll take it all!”
As she spoke, she grabbed Murdock’s hand and tried to swing it towards her own face, desperate to keep up the act.
But Celestine caught her wrist, voice low and chilling. “Aunt Edna, what are you doing? Grandpa’s already worked up–if you push him any further and he passes
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out, isn’t that exactly what you want?”
Edna seethed inside.
No time to spar with Celestine; she went back to her performance, sniffling and preparing to let Luther shove her to the floor.
But just as she slumped dramatically to the ground, the old man–who a moment ago looked ready to strike–clutched his chest and collapsed onto the bed, groaning in distress.
A gasp rippled through the crowd, and someone yelled out, “The mistress killed her father–in–law!”
