Exposing the Charade of Deep Affection (PDF)
Chapter 38

Chapter 38 The Dying Wish

I wasn't sure about my guess, and I wouldn't jump to conclusions.

But even if I was right about how Ashley had approached Walter, I couldn't change anything. They were together, and I could tell Walter loved her. It didn't matter how Ashley had got him to love her five years ago. I couldn't deny the truth that we were in love.

Even I forced myself to forget what had happened five years ago. How could I expect Walter to remember any of it?

***

The next morning, my phone kept ringing.

I was awakened by it. Drowsy, I answered the call. "Hello."

"Tabatha, come to the Hinton's house now!" Carley said sharply. It sounded like a cold order.

When I recognized the voice, I was completely awake. She hung up on me before I could say anything.

What happened?

I stared blankly at the phone for a while. Then I tried to get out of bed, planning to go there after washing up.

Before I got out of bed, my phone rang again. It was Rachel. I answered it and heard her saying anxiously, "Tabatha, where are you? Are you alright?"

I got more confused and asked over the phone, "What happened?"

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Rachel paused to think and then answered, "Looks like you don't know yet. Read today's newspaper. Someone told the media about what happened five years ago. And it's now one of the trending topics. The news is all over the place online. I just learned about it from the editor of our newspaper, and he called to ask if it was true."

I frowned and checked the news on my phone. As Rachel said, the story was public. And with those speculations online, my reputation was ruined.

"A bunch of trolls. They judge you without knowing the truth," Rachel said angrily.

I read the comments below. Some said that I eloped and I didn't have self-respect, so I deserved it; others said I was the victim, and I almost lost my life, so people online should feel pity for me instead of blaming

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Anyway, the opinions were mixed.

With my lips compressed, I flipped through the comments. Then I said over the phone, "Ignore them. Let them talk. We can't stop them. anyway. Just go back to work. I have to go."

Rachel was still worried about me. Soon, Eileen's call was coming in, so I hung up on Rachel.

I answered Eileen's call and I heard some noise over the phone. Then her choking and anxious voice came, "Tabatha, come to the hospital now. Your dad... He's dying."

My mind went blank, and my body went limp. I hung up immediately and rushed to the hospital.

I waited outside the emergency room.

Ashley and Walter were there. When I saw them, I started to wonder

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when they had come.

I walked up to Eileen and asked, "Mom, how is dad?"

Eileen held my hand tightly, and tears welled up in her eyes. She sobbed, "He was fine when I went out this morning. But when I came back, I saw him vomit a lot of blood. I don't know what happened."

Tears flowed down Eileen's cheeks.

Several hours later, the door of the emergency room opened, and a female doctor came out. She looked at us and asked, "Who is Tabatha? The patient's daughter. Come with me." Confused, Eileen looked at me and then at the doctor. "Doctor, how is my husband? Is he all right?"

The doctor said with a sigh, "The patient got too emotional, and his liver is ruptured. There is hemorrhaging. We've done everything we could."

The news made Eileen stagger a few steps backward. She slumped down into the seat, her face pale. She had lost hope.

I caught Eileen by her arms. I wanted to say something comforting, but I couldn't.

The doctor was probably used to such a reaction. She sighed and said, "The patient asked to see Tabatha for the last time. Come with me." Then the doctor looked at us.

After telling Eileen that I would soon be back, I looked at the doctor and took a deep breath. "I'm Tabatha."

The doctor nodded and took me into the emergency room.

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III

Inside the emergency room.

The skinny Rudolf was lying on the operating table. There were so many tubes on his body. The several doctors, who had been rescuing him, stood aside silently. They looked helpless. The doctor let me stand by the table and said, "Mr. Conner, your daughter came."

Rudolf opened his eyes with some difficulty and looked at me. I walked up and bent over. "Dad!" I sobbed, tears streaming down my face.