iar scent of antiseptic. The second was a pounding headach

over me, shining a p

You gave us quite a scare. You have a serious concussion and a

hero. He carried you in here himself. He h

spread through me, c

res

joke. A cruel

y pain, all the years I had endured Ilene' s

m

een dormant for so

, my voice clear and s

port a crime.

on the bedside table. "

d Ethan rushed in, hi

d, seeing the phone in my hand. He str

ent! She slipped!" he pleaded, his voice desper

e it was being sq

y voice shaking with fury. "

"There are security cameras in the

care if I l

ng. "But Ilene... you know her condition. A police investigati

I no longer had to give. "Her life is already ruined b

so hard I t

dent, Ethan? Did you ever wonder why she was calling you so frantically on ou

pouring out. "I loved you. That was my only crime. If you were so consumed

ce. "You always have an excuse for her! Always!

from my throat,

He had never seen me like this. T

led. He looked

ftening with a pain that mirrored my

around my shaking body. "I love you," he

m. I almost let myself sink into t

was t

eady and cold. "If you lo

or her to pay fo

tling with himself. He looked at my bandaged wrist,

huddering sigh, he hand

made hi

I th

e. I gave my statement. They pr

ready to be discharg

concluded our investigation. Based on the evidence and Ms. Wolf's documented h

ufficient to prove i

hearing. "But the security foo

orry, Mrs. Bruce. The security system at your residenc

od ran

mind reeling. I knew. I

ight to the house. I had to see f

I heard voices from inside. Il

or getting me that new doctor's note saying I was having a psychotic episode.

tilted o

o my face, held me while I cried, and then gone behin

lute, so complete, it fe