Chapter 121
Claude stormed out of my office, leaving me in a whirlwind of confusion. I decided to seek out Gabrielle in her hospital room. Despite everything, she had been kind to me over the years, save for hiding the bitter truth.
As I approached the door, unsettling noises seeped through the cracks.}
“Ugh… ugh… ugh…” It sounded like someone in agony.
“You old hag, you’d better die soon so Claude and I can be together forever. Claude’s under my thumb now.” It was Kate’s voice, laced with madness.
I burst through the door to find Kate straddling Gabrielle, suffocating her with a pillow. Gabrielle’s feet kicked frantically against the bed.
“Kate! Have you lost your mind?” I pushed Kate aside, removing the pillow from Gabrielle’s face. Gabrielle gave me a weak glance, reaching out, “Claire…”
Then she passed out.
I frantically rang for the nurse and started giving first aid, straddling Gabrielle to keep her stable.
Just then, Claude entered. In a panic, Kate burst into tears, “Claude, Claire’s trying to kill your mom! I walked in and saw she was smothering Mrs. Hart.“}]
Claude pulled me off Gabrielle and was about to slap me when I slapped him first. “Are you blind? I was saving her!”
The doctors arrived, shaking their heads at Gabrielle’s condition. “The patient’s cancer has spread, and the suffocation has led to a cerebral hemorrhage. It’s too late.“}
I was stunned. I had arrived just in time.}
“No, she was breathing. You can bring her back!” I attempted CPR again, but the doctors held me back, “We’re the professionals here.“}
I had a sinking feeling that Kate had bribed them. “Kate, this is too much. We can still save Mrs. Hart. Get these doctors away from her.“}
Kate slandered me. “Claire, you’re accusing me now? I saw you smothering Mrs. Hart with my own eyes. You’re the murderer!“}
“Talk about the pot calling the kettle black! It was you!” I looked around for cameras, but all the security lights were off. It was a perfect dead–end accusation.}
“Enough!” During our heated argument, Claude pushed past the doctors to Gabrielle’s side and solemnly covered her with a white sheet.}
“Claire wouldn’t kill my mom. Let’s leave it at that.” Claude refused to try to save Gabrielle.§
“Claude, how can you be so heartless? She still had a chance to live!”
Claude sighed. “Cancer was torturing her. Claire, even if you were the one to end her suffering, I would thank you. She was in too much pain.”
I stared at Claude, shocked at his cold indifference. It wasn’t just toward me but toward his mother.
I shoved Kate aside and fled the room, feeling nauseous. Claude knew I was innocent. Yet, he didn’t question whether Kate was the perpetrator. Even if he knew, he wouldn’t punish her. After all, Claude was under Kate’s spell.}
“Have some water.” I had been retching in the corner for ages when a hand offered me a bottle. Max’s voice snapped me out of my sorrow, and I stood up tall.
At that moment, the injustice of it all hit me hard. Gabrielle had kept secrets, but she had been good to me for ten years, always looking out for me.
