From his wheelchair, Addy looked up at Elissa, his lips moving without sound. “Ah, ah…”

He was clearly anxious. He didn’t know who this woman was or what was happening.

“Grandpa…” Elissa bent closer to him. She couldn’t explain—not here, not now. His recovery had just begun. “It’s nothing. Just wait here, okay?”

She faced Linda again and lowered her voice. “Can we talk over there? Please?”

“Over there?” Linda raised an eyebrow. Her eyes flicked toward Addy. “Why? Scared he’ll find out what kind of filth you’ve been hiding?”

Elissa’s eyes widened. “Linda! Don’t start.”

“Don’t start?” Linda let out a cold laugh. “You weren’t this shy when you were seducing my fiancé. What’s wrong? Playing innocent now?”

“Ah…” Addy shifted in his chair, clearly distressed. He tried to speak, but the tracheotomy left him voiceless. His body tensed in alarm.

The airflow from Addy’s throat turned uneven.

He stared at Elissa, lips trembling. “Ah… ah?”

She understood. He was asking her what was happening.

“Grandpa, it’s not what you think!” Elissa shook her head, then faced Linda, her chest rising and falling with anger. “Stop twisting everything! Ernest and I were the ones engaged. You’re the one who came between us!”

She stepped forward. “I didn’t want to fight you over a man like him, so I let it go. But don’t you dare make it look like I was the one who stole anything!”

“So what?” Linda shot back, lifting her chin, not the least bit ashamed. She didn’t care if she had taken someone else’s fiancé.

“We’re the ones getting married now. You said you didn’t want to fight? Please. Then why are you clinging to him? Why won’t you let him visit me—even when I’m sick?”

Elissa blinked, at a complete loss for words.

The accusation struck her like a slap. Ernest hadn’t gone to Linda last night? She had thought he had…

“Answer me!” Linda snapped, her eyes bloodshot. “What? Nothing to say now?”

She pointed straight at Addy, her hand trembling. “Tell your grandfather. Last night—were you with my fiancé?”

“Eli…” Addy’s hand shook as he clutched her sleeve with one hand and reached toward his tracheotomy with the other, trying to cover it. He forced out a broken, hoarse word. “It’s… true?”

“Grandpa!” Elissa shook her head frantically. “No! Don’t listen to her—it’s not true!”

“Yes, it is!” Linda’s voice cracked as she shouted. “I’m telling you the truth! Addy Holland, listen to me—your granddaughter is shameless. She seduced my fiancé!”

Her voice rose higher and higher, every word more hysterical. “And look at me now! I’m stuck in this wheelchair, waiting to die—and it’s her fault! She ruined my life! She did this to me! Your granddaughter turned me into this—a living corpse!”

“Linda!” Elissa gasped. Was she losing her mind? None of it was true—how could she say that?

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