Charlie hadn''t slept all night and was too exhausted to waste energy. "If you have something to say, just say it."


    With people frequently passing by in the hospital hallway, Wayne hesitated and asked, "It''s something important, about your daughter''s fall into the river. Could we talk inside?" At the mention of Tiffany, Charlie''s body tensed. He immediately pulled Wayne into the hospital room


    "Quick, tell me," he urged.


    "Here''s what happened. Last night, during the fall, my phone dropped by the entrance to a cabin near the deck, and I identally captured the entire scene on video."


    Wayne hurriedly took his phone from his pocket, opened the video, and held it up to Charlie


    Thalia, lying in bed, opened her eyes when she heard themotion. "What''s going on? Did you find Tiffany!"


    Charlie had wanted to keep Thalia in the dark, seeing her pale face, but he steeled himself and decided otherwise.


    "When I asked you before, didn''t you say you saw Tiffany push Melody, and that''s why they both fell?" Charlie asked. "Fine. Here''s footage of what actually happened. Let''s watch it together Charlie''s fingers trembled as he spoke, and he pressed y


    The sound of howling wind came through the speaker.


    On the deck, Tiffany stood in a stunning red dress, graceful and noble, letting the wind blow around her. Then, Melody appeared.N?velDrama.Org content.


    They exchanged words that were inaudible, but then an argument ensued.


    Tiffany didn''t move a muscle the entire time. Melody was the one who started taunting her. Though the phone''s distance and the wind mulled the sound, a faint sentence could be heard "Don''t think acting all high and mighty will fool me. And you want to know the truth about my health? Well, guess what? It''s fake. I''m not sick at all."


    That was Melody''s voice, full of smug arrogance.


    Charlie and Thalia froze and thought, ''Is this really our sweet, innocent daughter!


    The video continued.


    Tiffany pped Melody, saying, "I didn''t want to deal with a rabid dog, but you, the one who ever schemes against her mother, deserve a p." Melody onlyughed and replied, "So what? Survival of the fittes, and I want what should rightfully be mine. What''s wrong with that?"


    It was then that Tiffany grabbed her by the neck in warning.


    But Melody leaned back, using the opportunity to pull Tiffany down with her.


    A loud ssh echoed as the water rose up.


    Thalia appeared in the viden, rushing over in a panic, then ultimately choosing to swim toward Melody...


    Everyone knew what happened after that.


    Thalia was dumbfounded, her lips trembling as she muttered, "So...everything I saw was a lie? So the choice I made...was


    wrong?"


    A wave of terror overtook her, and suddenly she screamed. "I kill Tiffany, my own daughter... I kill my child..."


    Eric, standing nearby, saw his mother''s breakdown and rushed tofort her. He was about to reveal that Tiffany was safe when a sudden stter of bloodnded on his face. "Mom!"


    "Honey!"


    Thalia had passed out.


    Panicked, Charlie pressed the emergency button, and doctors rushed in. After an examination, one of them said, "The shock was too much for her."


    They ced an oxygen mask on her and connected her to a heart monitor, instructing, "She''s stable for now, but she can''t handle any more stress. Press the button immediately if anything changes" "Understood, Charlie said, wiping the sweat from his forehead, feeling a lingering sense of dread.


    He hadn''t anticipated things to turn out this way.


    It was like unknowingly dealing another blow to Thalia.


    Eric, his face streaked with tears, stayed close by her bedside, unwilling to leave her side.


    Watching the scene, Wayne felt immense guilt. "Mr. Kelley, I''m so sorry."


    "It''s not your fault. Thank you for showing me the truth."


    Sometimes, even brutal truths needed to be faced.


    Wayne nodded, then added, "By the way, Mr. Kelley, I stopped by your home this morning but only met Miss Melody.


    "On my way here, I realized someone was following me. Once I got to the construction area behind the hospital, that person tried to kill me to silence me."


    Charlie pressed, "What happened then?"


    "Miss Kelley saved me. She kicked the guy away in one blow. It was incredible." Wayne''s ears turned red as he spoke, clearly


    in awe.


    Charlie was stunned, but he didn''t dwell on the thought that this could be another suitor of Tiffany,


    Hetched onto one crucial word and asked urgently, "What did you say? Are you sure you weren''t mistaken? Was it Tiffany?


    "Of course." Wayne nodded earnestly, "She''s too beautiful. There''s no mistaking it."


    Charlie''s body shook with a mix ofughter and tears.


    "Wonderful, just wonderful! That girl didn''t even bother telling us she was safe, making us worry needlessly," Charlie started to cry as he spoke -


    Wayne left with a feeling of satisfaction, as if he''d aplished something great.


    With a sense of relief, he left without asking for any reward or needing any thanks, departing without a word.


    Ten minutester, Melody arrived at the hospital.


    She''d been nervous and afraid the whole way.


    Melody thought. What could be on that video?!


    She regretted not forcing the server to stay when she saw him at the vi gate. If she had, then none of this would be happening now.


    Anxiety filled her heart.


    As she entered the hospital room and felt the tension in the air, she looked up to see Charlie''s ice-cold expression.


    Melody''s heart skipped a beat. She quickly walked forward, smiling as brightly as ever.


    "Dad, Mom. I brought m chowder from home for you both. Please have some while it''s still hot, Melody said.


    The atmosphere was strangely silent.


    After a long pause, Eric was the only one to speak. "What a hypocrite! Who knows if there''s poison in that m chowder, you scheming snake,"


    Melody looked at him, hurt. "Eric... I''m your sister. How could you say that about me?"


    "Shut up. I don''t have a sister like you" Eric turned his head away, his face full of disdain.


    he had truly been as innocent and pure as she appeared, he might not harbor such animosity.


    But now, he was absolutely done with her.


    Melody''s face was full of sadness as she turned to Charlie, pitifully holding out the thermos. "Dad, I had Lucy make it specially, and it''s still hot. Please, have a taste." Charlie didn''t take it. Instead, he held up his phone, and, with a cold expression, opened the video and asked, "Care to exin this?"


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