Chapter 87 – The Price of Truth and a Spark of Hope
Julian’s eyes darted between my phone and his sister’s panicked face. The hospital room fell silent except for Giselle’s rapid breathing.
“Play it,” he said finally, his voice tight.
I tapped the screen, and the security footage began to play. The restaurant scene unfolded clearly–Giselle checking to make sure I was distracted, then quickly dropping something into my drink. The evidence was undeniable.
“Stop it!” Giselle screamed, tears streaming down her face. “That’s not–that’s not what happened!”
Mrs. Landon gasped. “Giselle, what did you do?”
Julian’s face hardened as he watched his sister’s actions play out. When the video. ended, he turned to Giselle, his expression a mixture of fury and disbelief.
“You drugged her drink?” His voice was low, dangerous. “You told me Hazel switched them when you weren’t looking!”
Giselle’s tears turned to angry sobs. “She deserved it! After everything she’s done to our family-”
“What exactly has she done?” Julian demanded. “Other than donate blood to keep me alive for five years?”
“She’s always been in the way!” Giselle shouted, her composure completely shattered. “She was never good enough for you! I was trying to help you see that!”
I crossed my arms, feeling a strange calmness wash over me. “By drugging me? What was your plan, Giselle? What would have happened if I’d drunk that?”
Julian stepped closer to his sister’s bed, his face pale. “Answer her.”
Giselle looked between us, trapped. Mrs. Landon put a protective hand on her daughter’s shoulder.
“She’s been through enough,” Mrs. Landon said. “Whatever happened was clearly a
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misunderstanding-”
“No,” Julian cut her off sharply. “I want to hear it from Giselle. What was in that drink?”
Giselle’s chin lifted defiantly. “It was just something to make her more… agreeable. I had it all planned out. Julian would find her, take care of her, and maybe-” she faltered, then continued with venom, “maybe something would happen that would force her to stay in this marriage.”
The implications hit me like a truck. “You were trying to get me pregnant against my will? By drugging me and sending Julian to find me incapacitated?”
The room spun around me. The level of calculation and cruelty was breathtaking.
Julian staggered backward as if he’d been struck. “You were going to use me to- He couldn’t even finish the sentence. “You never told me any of this!”
“Because you’re weak!” Giselle spat. “You’ve been moping around for months instead of fighting for what you want! I was helping you!”
I’d heard enough. I stepped forward, looking directly at Julian.
“Here’s what’s going to happen,” I said, my voice surprisingly steady. “You’re going to cooperate fully with the divorce proceedings. No more delays, no more excuses. Or this video goes to the police, and your sister faces charges for attempted drugging with intent to facilitate sexual assault.
Mrs. Landon gasped. “You wouldn’t!”
“Try me,” I challenged, meeting her gaze. “Your daughter just confessed to planning what amounts to reproductive coercion. I have it all on my phone.”
Julian ran his hands through his hair, his world clearly crumbling around him. “Giselle, how could you do this? Did you even think about what would happen if your plan worked? Forcing a child into a broken marriage?”
“I was saving your future!” Giselle cried. “She was going to leave you with nothing!”
“She was going to leave me with my dignity,” Julian shot back. “Which is more than I can say for you right now.”
Mrs. Landon stood
, her face flushed with anger.. “Julian! How dare you speak to your sister that way? After what she’s been through-”
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“What she’s been through is entirely her own doing” Julian sald coldly. “And now I understand why she was so insistent on going to that specific restaurant, why she arranged everything…” He turned to me, “Hazel, I—”
My phone rang, cutting him off. Damien’s name flashed on the screen. I stepped back toward the door.
“I need to take this,” I said, not waiting for a response before answering and stepping into the hallway.
“Hazel. Damien’s deep voice washed over me like a soothing balm. “How are you holding up?”
I leaned against the wall, suddenly aware of how tense my entire body had been. “I’m okay. I just showed Julian and his family the video of Giselle drugging my drink.”
There was a brief silence. “And?”
“And Giselle confessed everything. She was trying to drug me so Julian could find me he was trying to drug me so Julian could find me incapacitated and… well, the goal was to trap me in the marriage.”
Damien’s sharp intake of breath was audible. “That’s despicable. Are you pressing
charges?”
“I’m using it as leverage to make Julian cooperate with the divorce,” I explained, watching the Graysons argue through the glass window of the hospital room. “Thought maybe I should.”
“Whatever you decide, I’ll support you,” Damien said. “Speaking of the divorce, I’ve instructed my lawyers to clear their schedules. They’ll be at the courthouse today to
assist if needed.
My heart skipped. “You didn’t have to do that.”
“I want to,” he said simply. “Hazel, I-” he paused, and I could almost feel him choosing his words carefully. “I hope you know that what I feel for you goes beyond gratitude for what you did for me in childhood.”
My breath caught in my throat. “Damien-”
“You don’t need to say anything now,” he continued gently. “I just wanted you to know. When this is all over and you’re free, I’d like to show you exactly what you mean to me.”
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Heat rushed to my cheeks. “I… I should go. They’re waiting for me.”
“Of course. I’ll see you at the courthouse.”
I hung up, my heart racing not from the confrontation with the Graysons, but from the promise in Damien’s voice.
Two hours later, I stood in the courthouse hallway, surrounded by reporters and spectators who had somehow gotten wind of the hearing despite our attempts to keep it quiet. Julian approached me, looking haggard.
“Hazel,” he said quietly, “I’ve asked for a closed hearing. No press, no spectators.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Afraid of what might come out?”
He sighed. “Can we just get through this without destroying each other further?”
Before I could answer, the courtroom doors opened and the bailiff called our names. I turned to the disappointed crowd.
“I’m sorry, everyone. This will be a private proceeding
As Julian and I walked into the courtroom, he leaned toward me. “My lawyer will agree to all your terms. Just… please don’t mention what Giselle did.”
I stopped, looking him dead in the eyes. “You’re still protecting her, even after what
she tried to do to me?”
“She’s my sister,” he said weakly.
“And I was supposed to be your wife,” I replied coldly. “Remember that when you wonder why we’re here today.”
The judge entered and we rose to our feet.
“Court is now in session,” the judge announced. “Ashworth versus Grayson, divorce proceedings.”
The moment had finally arrived. My freedom was within reach, and somewhere in the back of my mind, Damien’s words echoed like a promise of what might come after.
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