Chapter 4

Matthew glanced at me but didn't say anything. "I'm going to settle the bill," he said, then looked at Jennifer. "Stay with Annika."

"I'll take care of her, Don Matthew," Jennifer said.

He didn't ask if I felt better, or if my burns still hurt. He just walked away.

Cora stood beside me. "Donna Annika..."

"I'm fine."

I wasn't, but I didn't want to say it anymore. What was the point?

A few minutes later, an angry woman forced her way into the ward. Security tried to stop her, but she pushed past them and pointed at me.

"You! You killed my daughter! You're going to pay!"

I stepped back the second I saw the knife in her hand.

"Donna Annika!" Cora shouted.

I tried to dodge, but the woman rushed at me. Before I could react, Jennifer grabbed my arm.

"Annika!"

She shoved me again. I stumbled toward the woman, who lost her balance and fell. For a second I thought Jennifer had pushed me by accident, but she wasn't stopping the woman or calling security. Instead she wrapped both arms around me.

"Annika, don't be scared! Stay close to me, I'll protect you."

I froze. Why was she hugging me? I could see the woman getting back up, the knife still in her hand. Jennifer could've moved away. She could've pulled me back.

She didn't.

The woman charged again. Jennifer screamed. The knife went into her shoulder, blood soaking through her clothes.

"Jennifer!"

Matthew's voice thundered from the hallway as he ran in with several of his men. They grabbed the woman, but he went straight to Jennifer.

"Jennifer! Where are you hurt? Tell me where it hurts."

She clutched her shoulder and shook her head. "M-matthew, I'm okay. D-don't worry about me."

"You need a doctor! Someone get the medical team here now."

He held her, his face full of panic.

I stood a few feet away, my arm still burning from the fire, cuts on my skin from broken glass. Matthew didn't look at me. Didn't ask if I was hurt. Didn't seem to notice I was there at all. His whole attention was on her.

Cora moved beside me. "Donna Annika, are you hurt anywhere else? Should I call someone to check?"

"I'm fine." My voice was calm. Too calm.

While Matthew was busy calling for help, Jennifer leaned closer to me, her voice low enough that only I could hear.

"You still don't understand?"

I stared at her.

She smiled. "I planned everything. The leak, the fire, and this too. I wanted you to lose everything. And you did."

My fingers tightened around my cane. "You—"

"You lost your career, your place beside Matthew, and even his trust because of me," she whispered. "And the best part is you still can't do anything about it."

"Why?"

"Because I love him. Now he's finally looking at me the way he should've years ago."

She pulled away, and by the time Matthew looked over, she was already crying.

...

The hospital incident was all over the internet by morning.

Cora sat beside my bed and read the comments to me. She knew I could see them myself, but since I was still pretending to be blind, she had to say them out loud.

"Donna Annika, you don't have to listen to this if you don't want to."

"Read it."

She sighed. "Alright. #AnnikaTheBitch is trending. There's another one, #JenniferTheHero."

I almost laughed. A hero? Jennifer?

Cora kept scrolling. "Someone wrote, 'Wasn't Annika once a famous crime investigator? Now she's pretending to be a victim just to get attention. Disgusting.'"

My jaw tightened.

"Here's another. 'I feel sorry for Jennifer. She was stabbed protecting Annika. Hope she recovers soon.'"

I closed my eyes.

"There's more, Donna Annika. But I don't think you need to—"

"It's okay, Cora. Keep reading."

She hesitated. "'This comment said: How did Annika even get into the Brewster Empire? Wouldn't be surprised if she only got her position because she married Don Matthew. Someone should investigate her.'"

I opened my eyes. That one hurt. Not because of Matthew, but because I'd spent years earning my place. Before I married him I was already a respected investigator. I'd risked my life more times than I could count, solved cases no one else could touch, earned every award myself.

Now people were calling me a fraud.

Cora kept going. "Someone dug up your old records. They're saying you didn't deserve your awards."

Then Matthew pushed open the door and walked in. He looked tired, but I knew better than to feel sorry for him. He'd probably spent the whole night beside Jennifer's bed.

Not mine.

He stopped in front of me. "You've seen what's happening online. The only way to stop this is for you to publicly apologize to Jennifer and admit you made a mistake because you were confused when you hired someone to posted the operation details."

"I didn't post anything!"

"I know you don't want to hear this, Annika, but it's getting worse. The Brewster Empire's getting dragged into this, my people are being questioned, the investigation's being affected."

"So you want me to take the blame?"

"Just temporarily," he said, softer. "Once things calm down, I'll handle the rest."

I almost laughed. Handle the rest? Was that what he called destroying my reputation?

"Matthew, do you remember who I was before I lost my eyesight? I was a crime investigator. I spent years chasing criminals, protecting people, putting my life on the line. I didn't marry you and become useless. I didn't get stupid just because I went blind."

His jaw tightened. "I never said you were stupid."

"But you believe I'm guilty!"

"Annika, the evidence is against you. The IP address came from our home."

"And I'm telling you I didn't do it." I gripped my cane. "Someone framed me."

He sighed. "Then help me understand why you won't just apologize to Jennifer."

"Because I won't apologize for something I didn't do."

His face went colder. "Annika."

"I won't apologize to her, and I won't admit to leaking anything, because I know who did it."

He froze.

I lifted my chin. "Jennifer planned all of it. The leak, the fire, the attack at the café. She pushed me toward that woman with the knife, and she let herself get stabbed on purpose so you'd see her as a hero. She wanted you to blame me. And it worked."

Matthew stared at me, and for one second I thought he might actually listen.

Then screams came from the room next door.

"Jennifer!"