Elodie POV:
Bronson' s grip on my wrist was crushing, pulling me along, almost dragging me through the sterile hospital corridor. My teeth gritted, a silent vow that I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of a whimper.
He yanked open the door to a private room. Bridgett lay on the bed, looking utterly frail, her hair fanned out on the pillow, eyes half-closed. The moment she saw us, her eyes snapped open, welling up with tears.
"Bronson!" she wailed, her voice weak, trembling. "You came! I thought... I thought you wouldn't." She reached out a trembling hand.
"She... she told me to kill myself!" Bridgett cried, her voice rising to a frantic pitch. "She threatened me! She said I should just end it all!"
"That's a lie," I stated, my voice calm, flat. "I simply stated that those who do wrong must face the consequences. I never suggested suicide."
Bridgett began to tremble more violently, her body shaking. "She's trying to manipulate you, Bronson! She always has! She wants me gone!" She looked at the door. "Nurse! Doctor! I need help!"
Dr. Evans, a harried-looking psychiatrist, rushed in, clutching a clipboard. He glanced at Bridgett, then at us. "Miss Bentley's condition is extremely delicate," he said, his voice grave. "She's prone to extreme reactions under stress. Any strong stimulus can trigger a crisis."
Bridgett, with a dramatic flourish, grabbed a small, sharp letter opener from the bedside table, holding it dangerously close to her wrist. "If Bronson doesn't believe me," she whispered, her voice trembling, "I'll just prove how serious I am. I'll just end it all." Her eyes, wide and desperate, fixed on Bronson. "Bronson, you have to choose! Believe me, or I'll do it!"
Bronson' s voice was a hoarse whisper. "Bridgett, no! Just tell me what you need. How can I make this better?"
"She needs to pay!" Bridgett shrieked, her voice suddenly strong, venomous. "She needs to be humiliated! Like she humiliated me! I want her to sign a public apology, admitting she lied about me! I want her to apologize to my family! I want her to beg for my forgiveness! In front of everyone! And if she doesn't, I will die, Bronson. And it will be her fault!"
I let out a short, incredulous laugh, the sound harsh and alien in the sterile room. I turned my gaze to Bronson, my eyes cold. "Do you believe this, Bronson?" I asked, my voice dangerously soft. "Do you truly think I'm in the wrong?"
He avoided my gaze, his fingers clenching, turning white. "Elodie, please," he said, his voice strained. "It's just a formality. A way to calm her down. She's unstable right now. We can't risk another incident." He looked at me, his eyes pleading. "Please, just... cooperate. For now."
Before I could respond, two orderlies, summoned by Dr. Evans, entered the room. They gently, but firmly, led me to the adjacent room, where another bed was waiting. They restrained my wrists, just enough to ensure I couldn't leave.
I bit down hard on the pillow, stifling a scream, a sob, anything that would give them satisfaction. Not a single sound escaped my lips.
Later, Bronson came in, his face etched with exhaustion. He carefully unstrapped my wrists, then gently lifted me, carrying me back to Bridgett' s room, laying me on the bed I had previously occupied.
"I' ll get the doctor to give you something for the pain," he said, his voice soft, apologetic.
I didn't respond, burying my face deeper into the pillow.
"I know you're upset, Elodie," he continued, his voice heavy with guilt. "And you have every right to be. This is unfair. But Bridgett... she's so fragile." He reached out, his hand hovering over my hair, then withdrew, unable to touch me.
"Once she's stable," he murmured, "we'll go away. Just you and me. Anywhere you want. I promise."
The bed remained still. I remained still.
He pulled the blanket up to my chin, a final, tender gesture. Then, with a heavy sigh, he left, presumably to check on Bridgett.
The moment the door clicked shut, my eyes snapped open. A single, silent tear escaped, tracing a hot path into the pillow.
The next morning, I rose stiffly, the phantom pains from the restraints still lingering. I finalized Finley's transfer papers, ensuring every detail was in place for his move to Colorado.
When I returned to my room, Ava was waiting outside the door, her face etched with worry.
"Elodie," she said, her voice soft, "you look awful. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," I replied, my voice flat, dismissive. I pulled a sealed manila envelope from my bag, handing it to her. "This is for you. Don't open it until I'm gone. And then, once you do, post it everywhere. Online. To the press. To every single person who needs to see it."
Ava took the envelope, her eyes scanning the plain brown paper. Her pupils dilated, a sudden shock washing over her face.
Inside, were copies of the detailed medical report and financial records I' d copied from Bronson' s laptop. Everything confirmed Bridgett's calculated manipulation, her fabricated illnesses, her extravagant spending, all while feigning fragile dependence. Alongside them were the incriminating messages and bank transfers proving she orchestrated my college assault.
"Elodie," Ava whispered, her voice trembling. "What is this? What are you doing?"
"I'm collecting a debt," I said, my voice cold, resolute. "A debt that's long overdue." I glanced at my watch, then picked up my small suitcase. "I have to go. Finley's ambulance is waiting."
Ava grabbed my arm, her eyes red-rimmed. "Let me take you. Please, Elodie."
I gently pulled my hand away. "No. I need to do this alone. Thank you, Ava. For everything."
Outside the hospital, Finley' s specialized ambulance idled by the curb, a silent promise of a new, safer future.
