"Gertrude hit me with her car first, and now you're trying to trigger an allergic reaction. I'm not letting either of these slide."
The moment I said it, Gertrude's eyes turned red and watery.
"Mrs. Barnes, I don't know what you're talking about. Professor Barnes told us to buy the mangoes. He said they were your favorite."
My heart sank. I turned to look at Zachery.
He knew full well I was allergic.
Gertrude was lying.
I waited for him to expose her, to call out the lie.
But after a beat, Zachery raised an eyebrow.
Then, as if he'd made up his mind, he spoke. "It was my mistake. I told them wrong. Ellie, if you want to blame someone, blame me. Don't make things hard for Gertie."
He disappointed me again.
I stopped looking at him.
My gaze shifted to Gertrude, half-hidden behind his back.
The girl's eyes were brimming with provocation and triumph.
A thought slammed into me out of nowhere.
Why was Zachery so protective of Gertrude? Was it really just about saving face and his career?
Then he leaned in close, his voice low and pleading. "Ellie, the university needs a group photo for their records. Just bear with it one more time, okay? I know you're upset. Don't worry, I'll—"
I cut him off before he could finish. "Sure."
Every last shred of emotion had drained out of me. All I wanted now was the truth about what Zachery and Gertrude really were to each other.
He exhaled in relief. "See? My wife's always looking out for me."
During the photo, Gertrude deliberately pressed herself close to Zachery. She even hooked her pinky around his when she thought no one was looking. The two of them, getting their thrill right under my nose, convinced I wouldn't notice.
But I said nothing.
Instead, I urged Zachery to see them out. "I can't get out of bed. Go walk them downstairs, would you?"
A flicker of hidden delight crossed his eyes.
I didn't miss it.
It stung like a needle through my chest.
Once they left, I called over the young nursing aide. I paid her to follow Zachery and the others.
It didn't take long. She sent me a video.
The footage showed a quiet corner on the ground floor of the hospital. Gertrude threw herself into Zachery's arms, her voice thick with petulance.
"Zachery, we had a deal. You were supposed to hit that old hag with the car, then drug her so she'd never wake up. Now she's conscious and making our lives miserable. Are you going soft on me?"