Chapter 15
Aiden’s voice crackled with excitement on the phone, but Sean barely heard him. The knife slipped from his hand and hit the kitchen floor with a loud clang.
He didn’t think, didn’t pause–he just grabbed his keys and sped all the way to the hospital.
When he got there, a crowd of doctors had gathered around his grandfather’s bed.
“It’s a miracle! An honest–to–God miracle!” one of them exclaimed, while the others checked and double–checked the results. Once they were sure the encephalitis was completely gone, they finally cleared the room, leaving only Sean and Tina with the old man.
Grandpa stared at Sean, dazed for a moment, then blinked. “Where’s Bella?”
That question hit Sean like a punch. He hesitated, pain flickering in his eyes. He couldn’t let Grandpa, already so weak, take another blow. Fighting to steady himself, Sean forced out the lie he’d prepared, burying the truth about Bella deep inside.
*She… after what happened, I sent her overseas. She’ll come back when she’s ready to take responsibility for what she did.“}
Grandpa’s eyes flashed with anger. He pushed himself up in bed, voice trembling. “That’s nonsense! Bella would never hurt me. It’s that canary of yours!”
His words turned into a fit of coughing. Sean rushed to his side, patting his back, shock written all over his face. “What are you talking about? That’s impossible.“2
He knew Calista. She was gentle–so gentle she wouldn’t even squish a bug, let alone hurt Grandpa.
But Grandpa wasn’t having it. “If you don’t believe me, check the security cameras!“}
Security cameras? The memory hit Sean. After Grandpa’s accident, he’d meant to review the footage, but Calista had grabbed his sleeve, crying, insisting it wasn’t her. With Bella’s past, it was easy–too easy–to blame her. He’d believed Calista without question.
Now, with Grandpa bringing it up again, Sean felt exhausted. What was the point? Even if he checked, wouldn’t it still blame Bella? And Bella was gone now. Why dig it up again??
But Grandpa was relentless. “Even if you’re biased toward Calista, Bella deserves the truth! If you won’t look, I will.”>
Seeing Grandpa so worked up, Sean gave in. “Fine, I’ll check myself.”
But Aiden soon came back shaking his head. “The cameras were broken that day. There’s no footage.”
Sean frowned, unease prickling at the back of his neck.
Just then, a housekeeper crept over, wringing her hands. “Sir, I… I have a video.”}
She explained, voice barely above a whisper, that she’d gone to close the window in Grandpa’s room and stumbled on something terrifying. She’d hidden in the wardrobe, filming in secret. She’d been too scared–of Sean not believing her, of crossing Calista–to ever show anyone. Until now.
With Grandpa’s protection, she finally found the courage.}
Sean snatched her phone, his pulse racing. He hit play. His smartwatch started vibrating as his heart rate shot past 120.
In the video, Grandpa had just finished talking with Bella and lay down to rest. A few seconds after he closed his eyes, a girl in a white dress slipped silently into the room.
Long hair spilling over her shoulders. On her finger, a diamond ring–it was the one Sean had bought for Calista at the auction the day before their engagement dinner.
The girl turned, and there was Calista’s face.
Gone was the sweet, gentle look she always wore for Sean. Her expression was cold, twisted with hate.
She marched straight to the bed, grabbed a pillow, and pressed it hard onto Grandpa’s face.
Her voice was chilling, full of venom: “Old man, you really think you can keep me out of the Rangel family? You must be asking for it.”
The vicious words from Calista’s mouth made Sean’s smartwatch vibrate wildly–alarms flashing, his blood pressure spiking. The graphs on the screen shot up, just like the wailing siren from that night’s ambulance.
“Alden, bring Calista here, Sean heard his own voice, ice–cold and shaking. “And call the police.“@
