Then one day, Tessa overheard Heidi talking to a friend on the phone. She was laughing proudly.
“I’m perfectly fine. I just pretended for a while, and she’s completely ruined. That old man, he’d do anything for some money.”
“I told you, what is she anyway? She thinks she can fight me for my family? As long as I cry a few times, they all believe me.”
When I heard about this, I felt completely numb.
……
My thoughts came back to me as I leaned against the wall, trying to stand. I turned to walk toward the hotel, but before I could take two steps, my brother rushed over and grabbed my arm.
He shouted angrily, “You called Heidi here on purpose and made her sick again! She almost got hit by a car and fainted from the shock!”
“You have to come with us to the hospital and kneel by her bedside to apologize!”
“When she wakes up, we’ll decide if we’ll let you go!”
I struggled as my brother dragged me into the car. In my earpiece, the police’s voice came through, “The suspect’s trail has disappeared. Stay where you are, you don’t need to go into the hotel.”
I took a deep breath, replied “Okay,” and turned off the earpiece.
They took me to the hospital’s emergency room. I stumbled as they pushed me toward it, and just as the door was about to close, I said softly, “Brother, I never told anyone that I was wearing a wedding dress to go to the hotel.”
“Brother, I didn’t call anyone, and I swear I didn’t bring Heidi here on purpose.”
“This time, do you believe me?”
Scott frowned and pushed me away, his voice cold. “Enough. Talking won’t change anything. Just admit you were wrong. As long as Heidi forgives you, Mom and I will let it go.”
I gave a faint, bitter smile, feeling the last bit of hope in my heart fade completely. Turning around, I walked into the emergency room.
The door had barely closed when a sharp pain hit the back of my neck. My vision blurred, and my body collapsed onto the cold floor.
When I opened my eyes again, I was tied up in a damp, moldy warehouse. The air was thick and stale, and the dim light above flickered weakly.
Next to me lay Heidi. She opened her eyes and immediately started cursing.
“Stephen, you old fool, are you crazy? I told you to drug her, not knock me out too!”
She tried to sit up but soon realized she couldn’t move, her tone turning even harsher.