Chapter 4
When John made his declaration, Frank’s face clouded over.
John’s voice boomed, and Mable, standing beside Frank, caught the gist.
“Is Gianna really in trouble? Maybe we should go to the hospital to see her?” she suggested.
Frank hesitated and replied with forced calm.
“Dad, stop joking. Gianna couldn’t possibly…”
Unwilling to waste more words on Frank, John commanded, “Get to the hospital now!”
After the call ended, Frank was left in a daze.
Mable tried to console him.
“Let’s go. I’m sure she couldn’t have died. She must be badly
hurt.
“You’ve said your parents adore Gianna. Maybe they’re saying this to help her.”
Her words eased the tension.
“You’re right. I wonder what Gianna did to my parents to get
Chapter 4
2/4
them to go along with this.
“She just fell down the stairs. At worst, it’s a fracture or a concussion. She couldn’t have died.”
I shook my head with a bitter smile.
Mable had only fallen from three steps; of course, she wouldn’t die.
But I had taken a tumble down ten steps, my head striking the stairs before I hit the ground with a heavy thud.
Mable had timed her fake fall perfectly.
Therefore, when Frank arrived, he saw Mable and me fall. simultaneously.
Without a second thought, Frank rushed to Mable, who had conveniently fainted.
Frank turned a blind eye to the wounds marring my body and the blood that flowed freely.
I had clung to the hope of survival.
But as I waited for the ambulance, that hope, along with my blood, seeped away.
I died in agony and despair.
Yet, until this very moment, Frank believed I was deceiving him.
Chapter 4
I trailed Frank and Mable back to the hospital.
3/4
When John saw Frank at the hospital entrance, he slapped him. without a word.
He shouted, “Absurd! You’re utterly absurd!”
He then turned his furious glare onto Mable.
“What did you give my son?”
Instantly, Mable’s eyes brimmed with tears.
“Mr. John Cullen, you’ve watched me grow up. You know I’m not that kind of person.
“Did Gianna say something that made you misunderstand?”
Seeing Mable under fire, Frank instinctively sprang to her defense, stepping forward with a protective air.
“Dad! It’s Gianna who’s got you under her spell. Why are you pointing fingers at Mable, just like Gianna does?
“Mable never said a word when Gianna pushed her down the stairs, leaving her being hospitalized. If you want to yell at someone, yell at Gianna!”
John likely hadn’t anticipated Frank’s staunch defiance.
John seized his son by the ear, dragging him into the elevator,
Chapter 4
4/4
paying no mind to the curious glances of onlookers.
Inside the elevator, Frank felt his impatience flaring.
“Is Gianna ever going to stop? At worst, I won’t retaliate against her.
“Does she really need to go this far? It’s just getting ridiculous.”
John’s face darkened with anger, leaving him speechless.
Frank didn’t stop his complaints until John had steered him to a doorway.
“Go see Gianna one last time. You owe her an apology!”
John gave Frank a forceful shove.
Frank stumbled.
After regaining his balance, he finally lifted his gaze to see the word “Mortuary.”
I also witnessed the moment when his impatient demeanor twisted into an expression of sheer horror.
