Chapter 216
Chapter 216
“Yes, Dierdra?” I coaxed, “Got something to confess p>
Down the table, Gideon’s head shot up, and he fixed his ‘mate’ with an amber-eyed stare.
“… need to go to the ladies’ room,” Dierdra said primly, though there was white showing around the edges of her mouth, and she dropped her napkin on the floor when she stood.
Perhaps, I thought, it was because her ‘stomach’ wasn’t really hers.
“I’ll go with you,” Camila jumped up. For a moment it looked like Dierdra might protest, especially when I chimed in with, “Me too,” but she set off for the bathroom with her fists clenched and both of us in tow.
When she emerged from the single stall washroom, she seemed more put-together, as though she’d had a chance to regain her composure.
When Camila closed the door between us, she hissed, “I won’t be bullied by you any longer!” at me. I just raised my eyebrows at her and waited, hoping it made her nervous.
“What’s that?” Camila stepped back out a few minutes later, “Did you say something about Avery bullying
you p>
Dierdra’s mouth gaped open. I guess she had underestimated Camila’s hearing.
“Avery was just celebrating your pregnancy,” Camila frowned, “You’re the one who’s been acting so strangely p>
Bright spots of pink appeared on Dierdra’s cheeks. I shot a look at Camila, trying to figure out what h goal was, but she was busy drying her hands. We all returned to the luncheon table together.
Shortly afterwards, Dierdra began complaining of pain. I should have expected it, when she had left for the bathroom, that she was trying to find a way to plot her next move, but she must have been thwarted when Camila and I had come along with. No doubt she had planned to dramatically collapse in the stall
or something.
Still, she gripped at her midsection, scrunched her face up, and pointed at me.
“Avery has done something to harm my baby!” she moaned.
Chaos erupted at her accusation. I raised my hands in innocence.
“I would not do such a thing,” I said firmly.
“How would Avery have done that?” Camila questioned, looking exasperated, “That doesn’t make sense p>
I was grateful for her comments, even more so when Dierdra said, “She must have poisoned my food somehow!” and doubled over with a moan.
Camila and Gideon’s mother shared a look of surprise, then grim expressions as Gideon’s mother said, But dear, we were the ones who put the luncheon together at Gideon’s request, not Avery p>
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Confronted with this inconvenient truth, Dierdra looked pained, beyond what her imaginary cramps might confer.
“I’ll help take Dierdra for a full medical checkup,” I announced, standing up, “Better to be certain that nothing’s wrong p>
“I’ll come with you,” Gideon stood as well, moving quickly to Dierdra’s side. His face was concerned, his movements considerate, but there was also a small tic pulsing at the corner of his jaw.
Perhaps Gideon had his doubts as well.
With the two of us with her every step of the way, Dierdra was cornered. She seemed as though she wanted to downplay her actions, and say it was a false alarm, but Gideon wouldn’t hear it and she had no choice but to follow through with her charade.
We drove to the hospital in tense silence, and once there, Gideon demanded the best doctor the hospital had in such matters. When she arrived, I saw it was a different doctor than the person Dierdra had attending her the first time. Dierdra looked white-faced as we all trooped up to her room and the doctor took some bloodwork and did some exams behind the curtain.
I guessed that with a new doctor, and Gideon in the room the entire time, Dierdra didn’t have any opportunity to try and bribe the physician to follow along with her false narrative any longer.
We were all sitting in her hospital room, mutely, when the doctor returned. Gideon was pacing, Dierdra was laying looking pale and tragic in the bed, and I was full of nervous energy.
The woman entered with a frown, flipping through the papers in her hand as though she hers believe what she was seeing.
“I’m so sorry, Alpha,” she finally said, shaking her head in disbelief, “But I regret to inform you that t woman isn’t pregnant p>
Gideon swung to stare at her in disbelief, as the doctor continued.
“In fact, according to this bloodwork, she never was…” 1
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