Chapter 2
I saved the video and photos and reached out to Bernice for Edward and Charlotte's whereabouts.
She promptly replied with the address of a photography studio.
Taking a deep breath, I put on a smile and looked at Dwight.
"Dad, I'm not tired," I said, keeping my voice steady.
I added, "I just remembered, ever since Mom passed away, we haven't taken a family photo together.
"When Edward comes back, let's all go and get one taken. I know a pretty good place."
Dwight's gentle face suddenly twisted up, his whole body stiffening with tension.
He asked, "Lydia, how do you know about this studio? Do you have a friend who works there?"
His suspicious look stung me so sharply that I almost wanted to snap at him.
Why did he have to side with Charlotte and hurt me like this? Was I not his daughter, too?
But even though I knew the answer, what did it matter now? The moment I made up my mind to leave, I stopped caring.
"No, I just stumbled on it online and thought it looked pretty decent," I replied.
Dwight gave me a searching look, making sure I seemed normal, and then he finally relaxed.
He tucked the blanket around my legs and gave me a loving look.
"You should get some rest," he said gently. "The doctor said you needed lots of sleep to recover fully."
He added, "We'll take the family photo after Edward comes back."
His attention to detail was evident in everything, but I no longer felt any affection for him.
I was escorted back to my bedroom, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't fall asleep.
*****
Time dragged on, and it was late at night before Edward finally came back.
I moved myself into my wheelchair and reached out to open the door just a crack.
Dwight and Edward were speaking quietly, but I could still hear their conversation.
"Edward," Dwight said, "Today, Lydia suddenly mentioned taking a family photo. I'm worried she might have figured something out. Honestly, it's about time Charlotte and Bella joined us as one family."
Edward pressed his lips together, thinking hard. "I doubt Lydia knows anything yet. But you're right. We should move up our plans. Bella should be starting school now, but she still doesn't have her official papers. We can't let this stretch on anymore.
"But how are we supposed to make Lydia willingly give up her mother's inheritance?"
Dwight went quiet, seeming deep in thought. After a long stretch, his eyes suddenly sparked with an idea.
"Remember how we purposely didn't cure her back then?" he murmured. "Part of it was to keep her too sick to stir up trouble for Charlotte, but the real reason was so we'd have leverage when the time came."
Edward giggled. "Right, we'll just say we've found some miracle doctor who could actually treat her condition. Of course, it'll cost an arm and a leg.
"Whether it actually helps her, well, we'll just leave it to fate. If it doesn't work out, we can always keep her around for life."
When I heard Edward's eerie laugh, it felt like I was being thrown straight into hell, my heart freezing with bitterness.
It turned out that I could be cured. They were dangling my health like bait, trying to use it against me.
Even though they got their way, they still planned to keep me trapped and crippled for life—easy to push around whenever they felt like it.
Too bad for them, they didn't even realize they'd already been found out.
I was not the sacrificial lamb they were hoping for anymore.
I wiped away the silent tears sliding down my cheeks, braced myself, and crawled back into bed.
*****
After finishing their discussion, Edward pushed the door open and set the caramel apple on my nightstand.
"Babe, how did you sleep? I got you your favorite caramel apple. Come on. Sit up and have a bite," he said.
His tone was soft, and his eyes were full of tenderness, just like the man who once promised he'd love me forever.
If I hadn't witnessed their little family reunion, if I hadn't caught every word of their scheming, maybe I'd still fall for it and thank him.
But now, all I could see was that phony smile on his face.
He was my husband, but the one he truly loved was my half-sister, Charlotte.
Just for her and the inheritance my mother left me, he was more than willing to keep me tied down in this crippled body by marrying me.
Edward lifted me into my wheelchair, placed the caramel apple in my hand gently, and wheeled me into the dining room.
Dwight was busy putting the dishes on the table. When he spotted the caramel apple in my hand, a distant, wistful look flashed through his eyes.
"You and Charlotte both had such sweet teeth as kids," he said. "Edward was always coming up with new ways to spoil you girls with treats. But now, Charlotte will never get to taste them again."
As he spoke, he hung his head and quietly wiped his tears.
Edward glanced at me, making sure I wasn't about to blow up, before speaking gently. "Dad, it's all in the past.
"Charlotte did make a mistake, but she paid the price. I know you must miss her a lot. Her memorial day is in three days. Why don't we go pay our respects then?"
A wry, bitter smile tugged at my lips.