Emily Blair barely reacted, her voice calm as she turned to Elizabeth Wilson. “Is Andrew Lane still here?”
Elizabeth frowned. “That’s the odd thing. I just saw Andrew Lane outside on the phone, and you know what? He didn’t look the slightest bit upset. He had that same expression, like the world owes him a fortune. Isabella Austin is dead, and he, her husband, couldn’t even muster a single tear.”
Emily fell silent, her brow creasing in thought.
Elizabeth continued, “People are always saying how much Andrew Lane loved Isabella Austin, but honestly, I don’t see it.”
Emily’s gaze sharpened. “What about Benjamin Gomez?”
With a crooked smile, Elizabeth jerked her chin toward the hallway. “Did you hear that commotion earlier? The Austin family practically dragged Benjamin out, blaming him for Isabella’s death. The doctors and nurses had a hard time keeping things under control.”
Emily nodded thoughtfully. “I see.”
Elizabeth sighed. “The funeral home staff just arrived, too. I don’t even know how I feel right now. It’s all a mess.”
She looked at Emily, her brows drawn tight. “I overheard some nurses talking about Isabella. They said she was such a kind person—gave her life to save someone else’s child. And I just… I don’t know if I should say this, but it seems like all her past mistakes are suddenly wiped away because she died, and now everyone’s singing her praises. It doesn’t sit right with me, you know?”
Elizabeth grimaced. “Emily, am I a terrible person for saying that?”
Emily pressed her lips together. “It’s okay to tell me, but don’t say it to anyone else.”
Elizabeth gave a quick nod. “Of course. I know.”
Now, even Emily Blair, even Rose Ward, had no choice but to keep silent. To criticize or press further would only make them seem heartless. Nothing said or done would look right. Silence was the only option.
What made it worse was that Andrew Lane had saved Emily after she was kidnapped, and Alex White had played a crucial role in the Matthew Ross case—getting into a serious accident for his trouble. To both of them, Isabella Austin was someone who mattered deeply.
Elizabeth didn’t need to guess: no matter what Isabella had done, neither Alex nor Andrew would have ever wanted her to die like this.
Whether Emily tried to thank them or apologize, it would all ring hollow. She was caught in the middle, unable to do right by anyone.
Now Elizabeth truly wondered if Alex regretted helping Emily go after Isabella, especially in the last moments before Isabella’s death.
The whole situation was a tangled mess, impossible to unravel. For those caught up in it, confusion and heartache were all but inevitable. This was the kind of pain that lingered, raw and unresolved.

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