Chapter 96

Dad said goodbye to Ann's family and went to the hospital with Chase. Walking down the hospital corridors felt like entering another world. Doctors and nurses hurried past; ambulances wheeled in critically ill patients; the air thrummed with the anguish of grieving relatives. This was critical care, where the odds were stacked against hope.

Dad arrived, looking exhausted. "Mom, I'm back."

Grandma lay in her bed, oxygen tubes in her nose. Her usually delicate face was gaunt and pale.

"She was fine just days ago," he said, bewildered. "How did this happen so quickly?"

Nicole rushed over, bursting into tears. "Dad, it's all my fault. When you went to the airport, I checked on Grandma. She was upset; she yelled at me, blaming me for driving my sister away. She even threw things. I dodged, and she fell."

"It's my fault for dodging," she sobbed. "If I hadn't, Grandma wouldn't be like this. Dad, you should punish me."

I wondered if she'd taken acting lessons; her tears seemed effortless.

Instead of focusing on Grandma, the family consoled Nicole. It was her usual tactic, and it worked.

Grandma lay there, eyes closed, while everyone fussed over the one who'd caused the incident. If Grandma were conscious, Nicole's performance would surely infuriate her. Perhaps that was the plan—to stir the pot without lifting a finger.

"It's not all your fault," someone reassured her. "Grandma wasn't well to begin with. Stop crying and take care of her. She'll get better."

"Okay," she sniffled.

Nicole reached for Chase's hand. "Chase, have you found Amanda?"

With tears still on her cheeks and that innocent smile, she appeared anything but the architect of my potential demise. Chase's expression was stormy as he pulled his hand away.

"No," he said curtly.

Mom, after tucking Grandma in, turned to them. "The silly girl wasn't there?"

"No," Chase replied.

"Where else could she be? Oh, what if something terrible happened? Honey, maybe we should go to the police. I have a bad feeling about this."

"No, we can't. I'm having friends look into it discreetly. Going public will only cause more trouble. Besides, this all started with Nicole, and there's already a lot of online chatter."

Chase's runaway wedding had already been a scandal, tanking stock prices and infuriating his grandfather. More bad news would only exacerbate the situation.

But I was his daughter, too. Why did it seem like Dad only cared about Nicole? Would he still protect her even if he knew about my death?

Unlike him, Mom's harsh words hid a gentler heart. Her worry showed in her eyes. "What if something really happened to Amanda, honey?"

"It's not possible. She's still in the city. We'll find her. Everyone, keep this quiet."

"Alright," she agreed, though reluctantly.

Disappointment washed over me as I looked at the man I'd called Dad for over twenty years. Was this really how he felt about me? Suddenly, my brother shouted, "Grandma's awake!"

All eyes turned to Grandma. I rushed to her side. Her cloudy eyes seemed to focus on me. Was it my imagination? Did she really see me?