Leslie had never felt so embarrassed in her life. She tried to swallow her panic, yanking the blanket up to her chin and wrapping it tightly around herself. “Ma’am, what are you even talking about? I think you’ve got the wrong idea.
“When have I ever done anything to hurt Mr. Ratcliff?
“And I really was in a car accident today. My leg’s broken. I can’t even get out of bed right now…”
“Mistaken?” Jane barked out a cold laugh and stormed over, grabbing Leslie by the collar and yanking, trying to haul her out of bed. “He said it himself. Did you really think your little tricks could fool us all?
“If it wasn’t for you, why would my daughter-in-law be so desperate to divorce my son?
“You’re nothing but a jinx. You lost your own mother, sent your father to prison, and now you can’t stand to see anyone else happy!”
Jane’s grip made it hard for Leslie to breathe. She tried to fight back, but the casts on her arms and legs, which she’d insisted on just to make her story seem real, left her completely helpless.
“Please, ma’am, let me go. I honestly don’t know what you’re talking about…
“Sebastian and I are just friends. I would never ruin his family, and I would never hurt his grandfather.
“Yeah, my dad did go to prison for drunk driving, but that wasn’t my fault. He answered to the law.
“My mom only got sick because she was taking care of me. How can you say things like that…”
Leslie looked so pale and fragile that a few bystanders began to whisper.
“Isn’t that old lady going overboard? The girl’s badly hurt. How could she have killed anyone?”
“Seriously, maybe it really is just a misunderstanding. This is getting ugly.”
“Look how pitiful she is. How could anyone go after her like that?”
People who’d just been feeling sorry for her now watched her with suspicion.
If this was all a misunderstanding, would she really call the police and accuse her of murder?
Leslie’s hands shook as she clung to the blanket. Her face was tight with effort; she hadn’t thought Jane would actually make the call.
Jane hung up and glared coldly at her. “Still keeping up the act? Let’s see how long you can keep pretending when the police get here. I swear, you’re going to pay for this.”
It wasn’t long before the sound of hurried footsteps echoed in the hallway, followed by the officers’ voices. “Who made the call? Someone reported a murder?”
Jane rushed to meet them, pointing straight at Leslie in her hospital bed.
“Officers, it’s her! Leslie! She killed my father-in-law. Please, arrest her right now!”

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