Chapter_88
Mrs. Jones continued to sob uncontrollably, her body shaking with each cry, as she clutched onto the armrest for support. Her grief seemed endless, and every sob seemed to deepen her despair. Darren, struggling to maintain his composure, did his best to comfort her. “She’ll be alright, don’t worry,” he said, though his voice was strained, quivering as if he was trying to convince himself more than her. “Tyler has brought in the best doctors. They’ll save her.”
Despite his words, the fear in his eyes was unmistakable. His attempts to reassure her felt hollow, as though they were trying to stave off the inevitable.
Mrs. Jones’s gaze shifted toward Olivia, her eyes filled with confusion, fear, and something darker—accusation. Her voice, shaky and desperate, broke the silence. “Did you come into contact with cats or dogs?” she asked, her words cutting through the air.
Olivia froze, her hands trembling as her mind scrambled for a response. The question hit her like a shockwave, and she felt her heart skip a beat.
Mrs. Jones repeated the question, her tone growing sharper, “Did you touch cats or dogs?”
Olivia’s mouth went dry. The weight of the question suffocated her, and she struggled to form words. Finally, after a long, agonizing pause, she stammered, “I… rescued a k…”
Before she could finish her sentence, Mrs. Jones lunged at her, grabbing her arms with a force that surprised Olivia. Her grip was tight, unyielding, as if she were trying to physically restrain Olivia from escaping the accusation she was about to hurl.
Darren, alarmed by his wife’s sudden outburst, quickly intervened, his voice raising in concern. “What are you doing?! Why are you grabbing Olivia?” he demanded.
But Mrs. Jones was beyond reasoning. Her face contorted with rage, the years of frustration and resentment pouring out in a torrent of fury. “You know what?!” she shouted at Olivia, her voice trembling with hatred. “I shouldn’t have brought you into this house all those years ago! I did it out of pity—because you were young and motherless! But the fortune teller warned me… She warned me that we could only have one daughter! And now look what you’ve done! You’ve brought nothing but bad luck to Naomi!”
Her words struck like daggers, each one stabbing deeper than the last. “You want her dead, don’t you?!” Mrs. Jones shrieked, her voice venomous.
Olivia stood motionless, her face ashen, her heart pounding painfully in her chest. She couldn’t comprehend the depth of the accusation, but she could feel the weight of it crushing her. Every word felt like an attack, a betrayal, and yet she said nothing, letting the verbal assault wash over her without protest.
Mrs. Jones continued her tirade, her voice thick with bitterness. “You’ve been trying for so long, but you’re still not pregnant. You don’t want Naomi to recover, do you?” She shook Olivia forcefully, demanding an answer. “Tell me! Tell me now!”
Olivia’s body weakened under the pressure of Mrs. Jones’s anger. Her legs felt like they might give way, her head spinning from the intensity of the accusations. Darren, now panicked, tried again to stop his wife. “Julia!” he urged, his voice tight with fear. “Stop! This isn’t helping!”
But Julia, her face twisted in grief and fury, ignored her husband’s pleas, her anger unwavering. “I won’t forgive you if anything happens to Naomi!” she screamed at Olivia.
Olivia stood silent, her gaze fixed downward. She didn’t cry, nor did she fight back. She simply endured the emotional barrage, her heart heavy with helplessness. Each word, each accusation, took its toll on her.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the emergency room doors swung open. Julia’s head snapped toward the sound, and she rushed forward without hesitation, her voice trembling with urgency. “Doctor! How is my daughter?” she asked, barely able to keep her composure.
The doctor’s face was grim, his expression somber. “She’s stable for now,” he said, his tone clipped. “But she’s in a coma.”
Olivia’s heart dropped at the news. A coma…
Julia, still filled with anger and fear, turned her gaze toward Olivia once again, her eyes blazing with accusation. “You did this on purpose, didn’t you? You want to take her place!” she spat, her voice low and venomous.
Olivia’s eyes widened in shock, her mind reeling at the accusation. Take her place? The words hit her like a slap, and she couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
She took a step back, shaking her head in disbelief. “I washed my hands and changed my clothes before coming here,” she tried to explain, her voice trembling. “I had no idea this would happen, Aunt. I really…” She paused, looking at Julia, but how could she expect her to believe any of it?
Julia’s glare intensified as she moved closer, stopping just in front of Olivia. Their gazes locked, and Olivia felt the weight of Julia’s hatred pressing down on her. Just as she opened her mouth to explain further, Julia raised her hand and slapped Olivia across the face with a resounding crack.
The loud noise echoed down the corridor, and Olivia’s cheek burned with the sting of the slap. She stood frozen, unable to react, as her cheek turned bright red beneath the harsh contact.
From the hallway, Tyler had been watching the scene unfold. His expression was hidden, but his eyes were sharp, taking in every moment. He remained silent, his face unreadable as the tension between Olivia and Julia escalated.