Chapter 48: Shattered Lies
617 Words
Allie stood outside Cheryl's hospital room at Ruian Hospital, her heart oddly calm despite the chaos inside.
The door was ajar, and heart-wrenching cries echoed out.
For a moment, Allie hesitated, her hand hovering near the doorframe. She didn’t know why she had come. Was it to face Cheryl? To prove her innocence? Or simply to confront the storm head-on?
She stepped into the room.
Cheryl was in bed, her face pale but contorted in fury. Nick stood at her side, his face a storm of conflicting emotions.
Behind them, Nick’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lawson, loomed like specters of judgment.
As Allie entered, every gaze snapped toward her, filling the air with a suffocating tension.
"You murderer!" Cheryl screamed, clutching a pillow and hurling it at Allie. "Why did you do it, Allie? Why did you kill my child?"
The pillow fell short, hitting the floor with a soft thud. Cheryl, her emotions overtaking her, attempted to leap from the bed but collapsed in a heap before anyone could stop her.
Mrs. Lawson, ever the composed matriarch, stepped forward. "Cheryl, control yourself," she said with barely concealed irritation. "We all grieve the loss, but this outburst helps no one."
Her tone carried no affection, but a duty-bound sense of pity for Cheryl’s plight.
Nick was the first to move, rushing to help Cheryl back into bed. "Cheryl, stop. You need to rest," he said softly, though his words carried no real warmth.
The nurse hurried in to assist, settling Cheryl down while Allie stood frozen in place, absorbing the chaos.
Finally, Mr. Lawson turned to Allie. His voice, heavy with disappointment, cut through the silence. "Allie, why? We trusted you. This wasn’t just Cheryl’s child—it was our family’s blood. Whatever anger you have, this... this is unforgivable."
Allie took a deep breath, her voice steady but laced with an undercurrent of frustration. "I didn’t push her."
The room went silent for a moment, Cheryl’s sharp sobs the only sound. Then, Cheryl’s head snapped up, her eyes blazing with hatred. "Don’t lie, Allie! You were there! You wanted to hurt me, and you succeeded. Even Nick saw you
do it!"
Nick’s eyes darted to Allie, guilt flickering briefly before he looked away. That flicker didn’t escape her notice.
"Nick," Allie said sharply, forcing him to meet her gaze. "You know I didn’t push her."
Nick hesitated. "I saw Cheryl fall, Allie. What else am I supposed to believe?"
Allie clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms. "You know me better than that," she said, her voice low and controlled. "You know I wouldn’t harm anyone, least of all an innocent child. Think, Nick."
Cheryl let out a hysterical laugh, wiping at her tear-streaked face. "You think you’re so clever, don’t you, Allie? You act like the victim here, but I know who you really are."
From beneath her pillow, Cheryl pulled out her phone. "You thought you could get away with it, but I have proof. Everyone’s about to see who you really are."
She pressed play.
Cheryl’s recorded voice echoed through the room: "Allie, I’m sorry for what happened with Nick. I never meant to hurt you. Can we please go back to the way things were?"
Then, Allie’s voice followed: "If you want my forgiveness, Cheryl, here’s what you’ll do. Lose Nick’s child, and leave him for good. Then maybe—just maybe—we can be friends again. Deal?"
Gasps filled the room as the recording ended. Cheryl’s tears came faster now, her sobs shaking her fragile frame. "I trusted you, Allie. I thought you were my friend. How could you say something so cruel? How could you do this?"
- Writer
