Mrs. Abbott's contorted face filled my vision, and just behind her stood Denise Galloway, wearing that coy half-smile that never quite reached her eyes.
This was exactly how it had happened before. Denise had waved a forged medical report in front of my mother-in-law and wound her up like a toy.
She'd nearly destroyed my reputation and my wedding.
Mrs. Abbott spat at my feet.
"Shameless little tramp! You almost set foot in my family! I'll beat you dead first!"
Denise put on her concerned act, voice dripping with false sympathy:
"I know the report looks bad, but what if Miss Galloway caught those infections by accident? A dirty towel at a public bath, maybe..."
Mrs. Abbott's voice pitched higher, furious:
"Stop defending her! That medical report says she's had over a dozen abortions! You think THAT was an accident?!"
The aunts and neighbors who'd come to help with my bridal preparations heard every word.
Their gazes slid toward me, thick with disgust and contempt:
"Good lord! The outpost requires a physical before marriage, and it turns out the Galloway girl is THAT kind of woman!"
"Thank God his medic got here in time, or poor Ezra would've actually married that filthy thing."
In my previous life, despair had swallowed me whole. I'd thrown myself at Denise, clawing at her clothes, screaming:
"Why are you doing this to me?! Why do you have to destroy everything I have?!"
Our fight drew Ezra and his commanding officers.
Denise crumpled into Ezra's arms, the picture of wounded innocence:
"Captain Mason, I was just delivering the premarital exam results. She seemed so nervous, I made a little joke to lighten the mood. I never imagined your wife would get angry enough to hit me!"
I begged Ezra through my tears, trying to explain how she'd slandered me, fabricated diseases out of thin air.
All of it to tear us apart and ruin the only happiness I'd ever managed to find.
Denise just blinked those wide eyes of hers, her voice dripping with hurt:
"I never said that! I said you had a little cold. You must have misheard me. It's all just a misunderstanding."
"Besides, I don't even know you. Why would I want to ruin your happiness? If anything, I hope Ezra finds all the happiness in the world!"
I tried to pull Mrs. Abbott and the other older relatives over to back me up.
But Ezra cut me off, his tone measured and dismissive: