Chapter 4

Lionel stood frozen, a flash of guilt flickering across his face. He opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by the sound of the doorbell.

He opened the door and found Maisie standing on the other side.

Surprised, he asked, "Maisie, what are you doing here?"

Maisie smiled faintly. "That necklace I left with June, it's very important to me. You gave it to me back then..."

She then gave me a soft, meaningful glance, her eyes speaking volumes.

I didn't respond, pretending I hadn't seen it, and silently went back to packing my things.

Lionel cleared his throat and stepped forward, halting my movements. "Give me the necklace."

I shook my head.

It was the only evidence that could prove Maisie had a hand in Toto's death.

I couldn't let him have it.

Lionel's patience was clearly running thin. "What do you want with that necklace?"

I looked at him coldly. "It's the evidence that Maisie killed Toto. Why should I give it to you?"

Maisie, standing to the side, spoke softly, "June, it was all just a misunderstanding. Why won't you trust me? Besides, do you have any other proof that I killed Toto? It's just a necklace… what could it really prove?"

I didn't even glance at Maisie. I closed the suitcase and began to pull it toward the door.

But Lionel grabbed my hair, his voice low and firm. "Give it to her."

His face was dark, his anger barely held in check.

The pull on my scalp was excruciating, but my pride kept me from crying out.

I bit down on my lip, enduring the pain. Turning my head sharply, I sank my teeth into Lionel's arm.

I heard him hiss, and in the next moment, his grip loosened.

Off balance, I stumbled forward, my body crashing into the corner of the dining table due to an unknown force.

I tried to dodge, but the momentum of my fall was unstoppable.

I could only watch helplessly as my forehead collided with the sharp edge of the table. The ringing in my ears was followed by a rush of warm blood.

As my vision blurred from the blood, I could faintly hear Lionel calling out in a panic.

"June!"

I let out a bitter laugh. Was Lionel really concerned about me now?

But it was too late. Did he ever think about me when he caused Hope's death, when he took Toto away, and when he was defending Maisie? Did he ever think about Hope, who had always adored and trusted him?

The world around me went from blurred to completely dark.

When I woke up again, I was lying in a hospital bed.

I stared blankly at the ceiling, instinctively reaching up to touch my head.

The pain was still sharp.

The door opened, and Lionel entered with another doctor.

When Lionel saw that I had woken up, his face lit up with relief. "June! You're awake!"

He sat down beside me, his voice soft. "How do you feel?"

I didn't answer, but the doctor spoke, his tone curious. "Dr. Cress, is this your wife?"

Lionel had never publicly acknowledged our relationship at the hospital, and I rarely visited him there, so not many people knew about us.

Lionel nodded, but before he could introduce me, the doctor sighed.

"You should be more concerned about your wife's mental state," the doctor said. "After all, her sister just committed suicide yesterday."

I felt Lionel freeze, and his voice shook as he asked in disbelief, "What did you just say?"

"You didn't know? Yesterday, your wife called 911, but by the time they arrived, it was too late. She couldn't be saved."