The Moment I Realized I Can't Lose You novel Chapter 9

Chapter 9 

The corridor plunged into a tense, suffocating silence before Beatrice finally offered an awkward, trembling smile and pulled her hand back. “Joaquin, you know me. I’m not a violent person.” 

She lowered her head, pressing a hand to her eyes as forced tears began to fall. “I’m just so angry. Rainey is already fighting for her life, and the second she steps outside, she gets bullied by her…” 

“When did Audrey ever bully her?!” Bianca, having finally wrenched herself free from the bodyguards, rolled her eyes so hard it hurt. “It was your precious daughter who couldn’t keep her nasty mouth shut!” 

“Even if Rainey said something wrong, Audrey shouldn’t have gotten physical with her!” Because Joaquin was standing right there, Beatrice dropped her aggressive thug act and fully embraced the weeping mother routine. “Audrey has been living like a queen for the past year. She’s eating the finest foods, she’s glowing, she’s perfectly healthy… Rainey is wasting away! She’s so fragile a stiff breeze could knock her over. How was she supposed to withstand Audrey shoving her with all her might?” 

She collapsed dramatically against Arthur’s chest. “My poor Rainey! She’s suffered so much this past year. I thought coming home would save her, but instead…” 

Her theatrical sobbing made a flicker of pity cross Joaquin’s eyes. He frowned, turning to look at Audrey, who he was still shielding behind him. “Once Rainey wakes up, go in and give her a proper apology.” 

Even if it was an accident, Audrey was the one who pushed her. 

“I refuse.” Audrey looked up, meeting Joaquin’s gaze dead-on. Her usually soft, compliant eyes were now burning with fierce, unyielding defiance. “I absolutely pushed her. But I pushed her because she did this.” 

She raised her arm, shoving her wrist toward him. Five deep, jagged, bleeding gouges slashed across her pale skin. “She dug her nails into me so hard I shoved her away on pure instinct. But even then, I barely used any force. It was absolutely not enough to knock a grown woman to the ground.” 

Audrey pointed at her bleeding wrist, her voice ringing with absolute certainty. “Rainey faked that fall. But my injuries are very real. So the only person who owes an apology 

here is her.” 

The skin around the scratches was torn and inflamed, the five bloody streaks looking horrifyingly vivid against her delicate skin. 

A flash of genuine distress hit Joaquin’s eyes. “Are those… did Rainey really…” 

“How on earth could Rainey do that?!” Beatrice shrieked from the sidelines. “She’s practically on her deathbed! She doesn’t have the strength to scratch someone that deeply!” 

He went silent. The truth was… part of him desperately wanted to believe her. 

“Mr. Judd.” The ICU doors swung open, and an exhausted doctor stepped out. “Ms. Sinclair is out of danger.” 

“Oh, thank God!” Beatrice sobbed, throwing her arms around Arthur. “I knew our girl was a fighter!” 

She glared sideways at Audrey. “Unlike some people, who violently assault her, refuse to take accountability, and then invent cheap tricks to frame her…” 

“Exactly.” Arthur patted his wife’s back, shooting Audrey a look of pure disgust. “Spend enough time in the trailer park, and you pick up all the low-class tricks.” 

Audrey let out a cold laugh, locking eyes with him. “I seem to remember you driving out to that ‘trailer park’ in the dead of night a year ago. You fell to your knees beside my grandmother’s bed, begging me to save you.” 

She tilted her head, her voice dripping with venom. “You said growing up in the country made me pure and honest, which was why you trusted me to marry Joaquin in Rainey’s place. But now that your precious daughter is back, I’m suddenly just a scheming piece of trailer trash?”