When They Beg I Rise (Lemira) novel Chapter 967

She honestly hadn't expected to see her here.

But running away was never going to solve this.

The woman sitting in the back looked entirely drained. Her radiant complexion was gone, replaced by a sickly, fragile pallor that made her look like a completely different person.

It was Mrs. Amanda.

Amanda muffled a dry cough with a handkerchief before offering a weak smile. "Ms. Langston, would you mind joining me for a moment? I promise I won't keep you long."

Lemira hesitated, but the sheer vulnerability in the older woman's voice was impossible to ignore.

Before the horrific truth about the crash had come to light, Lemira had genuinely respected the Everharts. Amanda had always treated her with nothing but warmth.

Even if that warmth was now utterly tainted by their hidden agenda.

She decided this would be the final time. She needed to close this chapter for good.

Sliding into the plush leather seat, Lemira was immediately hit by the sterile scent of heavy medication.

The driver and the assistant discretely exited the vehicle, leaving them completely alone.

"What did you want to discuss?" Lemira asked, keeping her tone strictly professional.

"I just wanted to say that you're still the same kind-hearted girl. You knew exactly why I came, yet you still got in. You saw how sick I am, and your empathy got the better of you."

Lemira shifted uncomfortably. "Flattery won't change where we stand."

"I know. I'm not here to beg for your mercy in court. I just want to tell you exactly what happened that night. The pieces you've put together might not be the whole truth."

Lemira studied the frail, exhausted woman sitting across from her.

A choked sob tore from Amanda's throat. "For years, I was completely convinced that my panic caused the crash. When it happened, Orion managed to drag you out of the wreckage. But before he could reach your parents, the fuel tank ignited."

The horrific imagery painted a visceral picture in Lemira's mind.

She swallowed hard, struggling to force the words out. "And then?"

"The Sinclair driver was unconscious. Your family's car had taken the brunt of the impact. After pulling our driver to safety, Orion realized your driver had fled the scene in a panic. He ran toward your car and ripped you out of the backseat. Right after he got you clear, your driver tried to rush back for your parents, but the explosion... it was instantaneous. Your parents were killed on impact."

Lemira squeezed her eyes shut, desperately trying to dredge up the memory, but the trauma had locked it away entirely.

He really had pulled her from the flames.

"It was complete chaos," Amanda continued, her voice trembling. "His father was fighting for his life in the hospital. If Orion had been dragged into a massive negligence lawsuit, his position as the primary heir would have been entirely jeopardized. So, I used our family's influence to scrub him from the police reports. I paid the right people to classify it as a tragic accident, ensuring the investigation would hit a dead end before it ever reached him."