Chapter 3 - His Mother’s Last Lie
Margaret Hayes arrived at the hospital before midnight.
She didn't come alone.
Two relatives followed her down the corridor, whispering loudly enough for everyone to hear.
“My poor son.”
“Imagine what she's doing to him.”
“She always wanted attention.”
Caroline heard every word.
For years, Margaret had perfected the art of making Caroline feel guilty for being hurt.
When Luke broke Caroline's wrist, Margaret had said:
“You must have pushed him too far.”
When Caroline miscarried, Margaret had said:
“You need to stop stressing him.”
When Caroline spent three days in the hospital after falling down the stairs, Margaret had brought Luke dinner.
Not Caroline.
Luke.
Now she entered Caroline's room with the same expression.
Cold concern.
“Caroline.”
Caroline didn't respond.
Margaret looked at the bandages.
“Oh my God.”
She placed a hand against her chest.
“What have you done?”
Emily stepped forward.
“What has she done?”
Margaret ignored her.
“You've ruined my son's life.”
Caroline stared at her.
“No.”
Margaret blinked.
Caroline's voice was weak, but steady.
“He ruined mine.”
Margaret's expression hardened.
“You're confused.”
“I was confused for years.”
Emily moved closer to Caroline.
“But not anymore.”
Margaret looked at her.
“You were always jealous of this family.”
Emily laughed.
It wasn't a happy sound.
“Jealous?”
“Yes.”
“Of what?”
Margaret's lips tightened.
“My son has a successful career, a beautiful home—”
“A beautiful home where your son nearly killed my sister?”
Margaret lowered her voice.
“Watch yourself.”
Emily smiled.
“No.”
She stepped closer.
“Not anymore.”
Margaret turned toward Caroline.
“Luke told me everything.”
Caroline almost laughed.
“Of course he did.”
“He said you attacked him.”
Caroline stared at her.
“He said you deliberately poured the water on yourself.”
The room went silent.
Caroline looked toward the doctor.
The doctor shook her head.
Margaret continued.
“He said you've become obsessed with having children and that you are mentally unstable.”
Caroline felt something inside her change.
Years ago, those words would have destroyed her.
Tonight, they sounded pathetic.
She looked directly at Margaret.
“You know what the doctor found?”
Margaret froze.
“Three pregnancies.”
Silence.
“All three were boys.”
Margaret's face changed.
Caroline continued.
“Your son blamed me for losing them.”
Margaret swallowed.
The doctor stepped forward.
“And our records show repeated physical trauma during those pregnancies.”
Margaret looked at her.
“You're accusing my son?”
“No,” the doctor said.
“We're documenting evidence.”
Margaret suddenly became nervous.
“Those records are private.”
“They are Caroline's records.”
“And you're discussing them with her sister.”
“With Caroline's permission.”
Margaret looked at Caroline.
“You've always hated Luke.”
Caroline shook her head.
“No.”
Her voice became strangely calm.
“I loved Luke.”
Margaret said nothing.
“I loved him so much that I kept forgiving him.”
Caroline's eyes filled with tears.
“I loved him when he apologized.”
“I loved him when he promised to change.”
“I loved him when he blamed me.”
She paused.
“But I don't love him anymore.”
Margaret stared at her.
Caroline looked toward the door.
“And I'm not going home.”
Margaret's face went white.
“You have nowhere to go.”
Emily smiled.
“She has me.”
Margaret looked toward the hallway.
Then back at Caroline.
“You think this is over?”
Caroline shook her head.
“No.”
She looked at the medical reports on the table.
“I think it's finally beginning.”
Margaret left.
But before she reached the elevator, her phone rang.
It was Luke.
She answered.
“What happened?”
Luke's voice was low.
“Did you find out where she keeps the documents?”
Margaret stopped walking.
“What documents?”
“The ones from the old house.”
Margaret's eyes narrowed.
“Why?”
“Because if she gives them to the police, we're finished.”
Margaret looked back toward Caroline's room.
For the first time, she realized that Caroline might possess something Luke had spent years trying to destroy.
“Luke,” she whispered.
“What?”
“What exactly did you do to her?”
There was a long silence.
Then Luke said something that made Margaret's blood run cold.
“Everything she says is true.”
The call ended.
Margaret stood motionless in the hospital corridor.
And inside Caroline's room, Emily's phone suddenly buzzed.
May you like
A message had arrived.
UNKNOWN NUMBER: Don't trust the box. Luke knows about it.
