Chapter 104 She Is a Snake!
Jaxson was speechless. If the sons and grandsons back home ever heard what Madam Stella said, they’d probably cry themselves to sleep.
“Madam Stella, are we still visiting the patient?” Jaxson asked cautiously.
“You’re asking me?” She turned to him, suddenly irritated. “Have you even found the way?”
Startled, Jaxson looked around, then quickly pointed to a path leading toward the independent convalescent area. “Over there!”
Meanwhile, back at the other ward, Madam Crawford had calmed down, but the fear in her eyes hadn’t faded completely. She clutched Athena’s hand like a child clinging to her anchor.
Eventually, after taking her medicine, Madam Crawford dozed off peacefully.
But the moment of peace didn’t last long.
The Crawford family arrived.
Athena rose instinctively to greet them—but the moment Lola saw her, she stormed forward and slapped her across the face.
Smack!
The sharp sound echoed in the hallway.
Athena staggered slightly. Her cheek flamed with pain.
“How did you take care of Madam Crawford?” Lola shrieked. “If anything had happened to her, could you afford the consequences?”
“Mom!”
Athena blinked. Her ears were ringing.
Byron’s voice cut through the haze. She hadn’t even noticed him arrive.
“What are you doing?” he demanded, stepping between them and shielding Athena with his body.
“She almost got your grandmother killed!” Lola shouted.
“Mom, stop it! Miss Newton didn’t do it on purpose,” Heather interjected, trying to defuse the situation. “Let’s first check on Grandma!”
Lola glared at Athena. “I’ll deal with you later.”
With that, she stormed into the ward. The rest of the Crawford family—uncles, aunts, cousins—filed in behind her, their faces full of fury and judgment.
As they passed, Athena could hear the murmured insults: “Troublemaker.” “Schemer.” “Snake.”
Her cheek burned. But her mind remained cold and clear.
Something wasn’t right.
Lola had offered her the opportunity to visit Madam Crawford today. Two unknown children had appeared just as she stepped away. The family had arrived shockingly fast. At this hour, traffic from the city would take nearly two hours—yet it had only been one since the incident.
It felt… planned.
“Let me see your face.” Byron reached for her chin.
“I’m fine,” Athena replied flatly, turning her face away.
“Go check on Grandma.” His tone was grim. Then he looked to Liam. “Get an ice pack for Miss Newton.”
“Yes, sir.”
Liam hurried off, glancing nervously at Athena.
Byron followed the others into the ward.
Liam returned shortly with the ice pack. “Miss Newton…” he said quietly, distressed. “Mrs. Lola Crawford was way out of line…”
“Shhh,” Athena warned softly. “She’ll hear you and you’ll be next.”
Liam’s mouth snapped shut. He handed her the ice pack in silence.
From inside the ward, voices began to rise.
“She’s jealous! That’s why she did it!” Lola’s voice was shrill. “Byron and Heather are about to get married, and she wants to ruin it! If anything had happened to Madam Crawford, the wedding would have to be postponed! That’s what she’s after!”
Athena leaned against the cold wall, pressing the ice pack to her cheek.
If Jaxson hadn’t shown up in time… If that wheelchair had tipped over… If Madam Crawford had fallen…
The best-case scenario would have been a few broken bones. The worst… she didn’t dare finish the thought.
Was that Lola’s plan?
Use Madam Crawford’s life as a pawn? Create an “accident,” frame Athena for it, and give Byron a reason to hate her once and for all?
Her stomach churned. Her skin crawled.
That woman was capable of anything.
“Apply it quickly,” Liam urged softly. “Mrs. Lola’s accusations are ridiculous. You’ve always been kind to Madam Crawford—everyone here knows that…”
Athena didn’t respond. She kept pressing the ice against her cheek, but the cold couldn’t numb the fury growing inside her.
Unforgivable.
To put an old woman’s life at risk, just to push her out?
How could someone calculate something like that?
And what if it hadn’t gone as planned?
What if Madam Crawford had died?
A shiver ran down Athena’s spine.
Her eyes darkened. There was steel behind them now.
She couldn’t let this go.