Chapter 129
Chapter 129:
Anson woke with a start. “Azalea, keep it down. She needs rest p>
Azalea ignored him completely. She pulled back and looked at Eliza. “I was so scared. Daddy is —” She stopped, biting her lip.
“How is Dallas?” Eliza asked, gripping Azalea’s arm. “Is he all right? Why hasn’t he come p>
“He’s sick,” Azalea said, tears spilling over. “Really sick. Liam is at the apartment. He says it’s severe pneumonia from the water p>
Eliza froze. “The water?” She looked at Anson. “You said he stayed on the dock. You said he paid the debt and left p>
Anson stiffened. He stood and straightened his wrinkled jacket. “I said he was safe p>
“Safe?” Azalea spun on him. “He jumped in! He fought Jared underwater! He cut the ropes! He gave her CPR on the dock while you — you stood there and watched p>
Eliza turned to Anson. The betrayal settled in her stomach like ice.
𝖭𝗲𝘸 c𝗁аptе𝗿𝗌 𝘦𝘷𝖾𝗿𝘆 𝗐𝗲е𝘬 𝗈𝗇
“You let me believe he didn’t care?” she whispered. “You let me believe he left me p>
“I helped!” Anson said, his voice rising. “I drove there! I was there p>
“But he jumped,” Eliza said.
The realization washed over her. The silhouette she had seen through her blur of concussion and cold. The strong hands. The desperate voice pleading, Don’t leave me.
It was Dallas. It had always been Dallas.
“Get out, Anson,” she said. Her voice was low and shaking with rage.
“Eliza, I’m your family,” he pleaded, reaching for her.
“Get. Out.” She pointed a trembling finger at the door. “Now p>
Anson glared at Azalea, his jaw tight. He grabbed his coat and stormed out.
Eliza took Azalea’s hand. “Why hasn’t he come? If he saved me — if he cares p>
Azalea looked down at the linoleum. “Aunt Auggie says he thinks you don’t want him p>
“What? Why would he think that p>
“He came here. Yesterday. Before he got sick.” Azalea’s voice was small. “And then he went home and drank until he passed out. He kept saying — he kept saying you chose Anson p>
Eliza’s breath caught. The memory surfaced: waking up, the hand she had reached for, the words that had slipped out of her before her eyes could focus.
I love you.
“Oh my God.” Eliza covered her mouth. “He heard me. He heard me tell Anson I loved him. But I thought it was him — I was half-blind p>
“I need to see him.” She swung her legs toward the edge of the bed. A sharp, blinding pain tore through her chest and she cried out, falling back against the pillows.
“You can’t walk,” Azalea said gently, easing her back. “You have a concussion and cracked ribs. You’ll pass out p>
“Then call him. Please,” Eliza begged. “I need to tell him p>
Azalea pulled out her phone, dialed, and put it on speaker.
It rang. And rang. And rang.
You have reached the voicemail of Dallas Koch.
“He shut everyone out,” Azalea said, hanging up. “Weston took his phone p>
Eliza sank back into the pillows, tears streaming down her face.