Hadley found Linda’s accusations absurd; to her, they sounded so twisted it was almost laughable.

At this moment, she took a deep breath, fighting the urge to fire back. There was no point. Linda hadn’t finished yet.

At last, Hadley spoke. “And what about Elissa?”

“Elissa?” Linda’s eyes went blank for a second, then she let out a scornful laugh. “Oh, right. Elissa. Ernest is no better than the rest. That man’s a coldhearted brute. He tossed me aside the moment he lost interest.”

As she continued, her voice rose with every word, heavy with spite. “Did he really think that just because he gave me money, I’d be content? I’m not someone he can just cast aside! And Elissa, that witch!”

Every word from Linda dripped with deep-seated hatred. “She had the gall to chase after Ernest, got herself pregnant, and now even tried to worm her way into becoming his wife. I won’t stand for it!”

Linda’s eyes were rimmed red. Her hands pressed against her chest, and her body shook with fury. “Ernest’s mine. I’ve waited over ten years for this. She could never replace me. Never!”

A harsh, broken laugh spilled from her lips, twisted by pain and rage. “I was so close, but then she came into the picture and ruined everything! She and that bastard child… Both of them deserved what they got!”

Hadley stayed quiet, her fingers tightening around the knife. The blade dug deeper into the apple’s flesh. But when she spoke again, her voice was gentle yet cutting. “So, you used Ayla to pull the strings?”

“Ayla?” Linda let out a laugh that sounded empty and crazed. “She’s nothing but a fool. But it worked out so well, didn’t it? She already despised you. All I had to do was stir the pot a little, and she was eager to play along.” Her laughter pitched higher, spiraling out of control.

“Isn’t it perfect? With Ayla’s hands, Elissa is gone. I’m pleased. Ayla’s pleased. And you…” Linda’s eyes locked onto Hadley with an unwavering gaze. “Hadley, don’t ever forget this:”

“Elissa died because of you. If not for Ayla, none of this would’ve been possible. You wanted the truth so badly. Now you have it. Tell me, how does it feel?”

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Hadley met her gaze in silence. Her eyes were pools of sorrow, her lovely face carved with grief so deep it seemed it might never fade.

“Not saying a word?” Linda sneered. “Oh, well. Your face tells me everything. Do you really think you’ll be happy now that you’ve got Eric?”

Hadley closed her eyes, choosing silence over a fight. There was no use arguing with someone like Linda. What mattered was gathering proof and waiting for the law to do its job. In Hadley’s mind, a woman this deranged belonged behind bars. She needed to be locked up and left to rot.

“No! You won’t find any happiness! Guilt will haunt you every second for the rest of your life. Elissa died because of you!” Linda sank back into her wheelchair, looking strangely relieved, as though unburdened at last. Then her eyes narrowed, and she studied Hadley with her brows pulled together. “Hurry up! I told you to peel an apple, and you’re taking forever! Get on with it! I’m hungry, you know!”

As she spoke, Linda rolled her wheelchair closer. Her eyes landed on the pile of bright red peels, and she exclaimed, “Such lovely apples. They must be so sweet.” Then she leaned forward, plucked up a strip of peel, and popped it into her mouth. “Mmm. Sweet as I thought.”

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