I stared at her.

“What’s in the basement?”

She closed her eyes.

For several seconds, I thought she had lost consciousness.Then she whispered four words.

“Everything he stole.”

My heart stopped.

Her eyes openedI felt the room become strangely quiet.

Even the machines seemed distant.

“Nolan stole something?”

She looked toward the door again.

Then she whispered:

A shiver traveled through me.

Her lips moved.

But this time no sound came.

I leaned closer.The monitor beside her suddenly changed rhythm.

I pressed the emergency button.

Within seconds, nurses rushed into the room.

I stepped backward, still holding the silver key.

A nurse moved between us.

“Mrs. Mercer, please step aside.”

I couldn’t move.

I was staring at Evelyn.

Her face had become pale.

Her hand slowly released the blanket.

The nurse shouted for the doctor.

I stood against the wall, trembling.

My husband was in Maui with another woman.His mother had just told me he had stolen something from her.

And somehow, she had hidden the evidence beneath a hospital floor.

But I didn’t yet understand the most frightening part.

Evelyn had not looked surprised when the other woman answered Nolan’s phone.

She had looked devastated.

As if she already knew.

As if this wasn’t the first betrayal she had discovered.

As if she had been waiting for the right moment to tell me.

Twenty minutes later, the doctor finally stepped outside.She’s stable for now.”

“She’s extremely weak. Her body is exhausted.”

“Can I see her?”

“Yes, but keep it calm.”

I returned to the room.

Evelyn was awake.

I sat beside her.

She looked at the key.

Then at me.

Her voice was almost inaudible.

“Don’t trust Nolan.”

My eyes filled with tears.

“I don’t know what to believe anymore.”

She shook her head.

She squeezed my hand.

“Not because of the woman.”

Evelyn looked toward the window.

“Nolan has been lying to you for much longer than you know.”

I felt something inside me crack.

I couldn’t speak.

Seven years ago, Nolan had told me he was opening his first private investment company.

Seven years ago, he had started traveling more.

Seven years ago, he had convinced me to refinance our house so he could invest in a new commercial property.