Chapter 15
In agony, she lay crumpled at the foot of the stairs in a sorry
state, slowly lifting her gaze upward. There stood Adrienne on
the staircase, looking down at her with a meaningful smile. “I’m
not moving out,” Adrienne said softly. “Get real.”
It was Adrienne who had pushed her.
Hearing the commotion, Sarah rushed over and froze in shock.
With the last of her strength, Clarinda whispered, “Call an
ambulance.”
“W–What? Oh, OK!”
Sarah fumbled for her phone and dialed emergency services.
By the time she finished giving the address, Clarinda had
already lost consciousness.
It hurt.
It hurt so much–the pain was killing her.
When Clarinda regained consciousness, it was all she could feel.
Cold fluid dripped steadily into her veins through the IV line.
Chapter 15
She was alone in the hospital room, but the heated argument
from the balcony pierced through the silence.
Corbin’s voice was utterly deep, dark with a fury she had never
heard before. “Are you crazy? I told you last night. This has
nothing to do with Clarinda! I decided we can no longer live
under the same roof.
“It was my choice to have you and Leon move out. Clarinda
knows nothing about it!”
“You’re still defending her? Even now?” Adrienne’s voice rose to
a shrill pitch.
She refused to believe him, convinced instead that Clarinda had
egged him on this.
Just last night, she had been full of joy spending Christmas with
Corbin and Leonel, only for Corbin to coldly announce he had
found her a new place.
He even wanted her to move out with Leonel as soon as
possible!
Corbin found her unreasonable. “Even so, it doesn’t justify what
you did to her. And don’t try to blame it on Leon. Adri, you’re
not fooling anyone, least of all me.”
Chapter 15
Adrienne’s eyes reddened as she retorted stubbornly, “I pushed
her. So what? You take her side in everything! And now, you’re
throwing me out because of her!”
“Have you ever thought how you’re going to deal with the
follow–ups?”
Corbin’s frown deepened. “If Clarinda reports this to the police,
you will be charged with intentional assault.”
Holding the IV pole, Clarinda had been trying to make her way
to the bathroom.
At Corbin’s words, all color leached from her face.
She pushed open the balcony door, and both Corbin and
Adrienne turned abruptly, startled by her sudden appearance.
She gripped the doorframe to keep from collapsing. Then she
looked at Corbin. “Don’t worry. I won’t go to the police.”
Seeing her wince in pain, Corbin felt an unexpected pang in his
chest. Yet what came out of his mouth was, “What
compensation do you want? I’ll make it up to you on behalf of
Adrienne and Leon.”
Corbin was Clarinda’s husband.
Chapter 15
But lately, all he had ever done was make amends for others.
He had never stood up for her.
She looked at him, her eyes crystal–clear, her voice weak. “I can
name anything I want?”
Corbin nodded. “Of course.”
“Then I want an eye for an eye,” she said calmly.
Before he could process her words, she hurled the IV bottle
straight at Adrienne.
Clarinda’s aim was precise..
The IV bottle struck Adrienne squarely on the forehead.
Blood began to flow. But this time, it was much faster than the
bleeding from Clarinda’s fall that morning.
For a moment, Corbin was completely stunned. His body moved
faster than his mind.
Shoving Clarinda aside, he spat out, his voice icy with
disappointment, “What do you think you’re doing, Clarinda?
Was all your gentleness and kindness just an act?”
your
Caught off balance, Clarinda fell to the floor. Dazed, she looked
Chapter 15
up and met Corbin’s furious gaze.
Yes, he was right.
It was just an act.
And she was done pretending.
Corbin hadn’t expected her to fall so easily–he hadn’t used much
force to begin with. It seemed she was hurt much more badly
than he’d realized. He froze, uncertainty flickering in his eyes.
Just then, Adrienne whimpered, clutching her forehead, “Corby,
it hurts… There’s so much blood…”
Without another thought, he swept Adrienne into his arms and
turned to leave.
But in that final moment before stepping out, he glanced back.
At that glance, he felt his heart clench as if gripped by an
invisible hand.
Clarinda, the woman who had once dreamed of marrying him,
was watching him with a flat, empty gaze. There was not a trace
of emotion in her eyes.
It was like to her, he meant less than a stranger.
Chapter 15
As Clarinda hurled the IV bottle, the needle was torn fiercely
from her hand.
A vivid trail of blood trickled down the back of her fair skin,
stark and horrifying against its paleness.
As if numb to the pain, she struggled to stand, bracing herself weakly against the edge of the bed. Her body trembled, frail and unsteady, yet she clung with such force that her knuckles
turned white–never loosening her grip.
Just then, Cecily stepped into the room and froze at the sight.
She rushed forward to apply pressure to the bleeding wound
and steady Clarinda. “What happened? You’re bleeding–why
didn’t you call the nurse? What were you thinking?”
What was she thinking?
A faint, self–mocking smile touched Clarinda’s bloodless lips.
She was thinking that none of it had been worth it.
Her three years of devotion turned out to be a huge waste.
Frowning with concern, Cecily helped her sit back on the bed.
“What exactly happened? Sarah called me. She said you were
Chapter 15
pushed down the stairs.”
Clarinda pressed her lips together, pushing aside her swirling
thoughts. “Yes. But I’ve already made things right for myself.”
“What?”
“I smashed Adrienne’s head open.”
Lateefa Khanam is a spirited writer who finds freedom in horse riding. She cherishes her mare and the newborn foal, calling them her little happy family.
