Sweet Subterfuge

Chapter 42

As soon as Larissa left Travis‘ room and went by the nurses‘ station, she was stopped by the nurse who’d given her the ice packs earlier.

“Oh, perfect timing.”

The nurse beckoned. Confused, Larissa walked over to her.

“Here!” The nurse handed her a bill. “You can pay downstairs.”

Larissa looked at the bill in her hands. It was yet another five–thousand–dollar bill.

“I think you’ve made a mistake.” She smiled at the nurse. “I’m not related to Travis. I think it’s better if you have his parents pay for this.”

“What?” The nurse was evidently surprised. “Aren’t you his wife? I heard his parents say he’s married, but his wife-” She hesitated, looking embarrassed.

Even though the nurse did not say anything else after that, Larissa was well aware that whatever the Hardys had said about her, it couldn’t have been flattering.

besides his parents to visit him in the hospital, and you’re a woman too, so I

“Oh, and-” She prepared herself to voice the question she’d been harboring in her mind since she heard of Travis‘ accident. What

was in the spinal surgery ward, Larissa supposed there was a problem with his spine. And problems related to the

parents. They took care of him, and, speaking of his parents, they look like good, honest people–they really do, but their tempers are simply unbelievable! They would start fighting in the ward, almost never for good reason, and they even got physical a few times. Sometimes, the commotion would be so great that the other patients in the ward who aren’t bed- bound would get out of bed to watch. One

have any other available beds.”

did not pay much attention to what the nurse said next. Her attention was entirely focused on the phrase “paralyzed for the rest of his

had been so adamant about getting her to

paralyzed. His life was

Hardy’s reaction to Amber, Larissa guessed that Amber was either the reason why Travis had been in an accident, or she’d completely ignored Travis

her because she had hoped that Larissa

coldly. It looked like they’d really

smoking and returned to the ward, Larissa

gone.

still unconscious, and the ice pack on her forehead had slipped

was shocked. “Where’s Larissa? Where did she go?” he asked Travis

hurriedly.

motionless, his lifeless eyes staring

ceiling.