Shocking Lie for His Sweetheart

It wasn't just me, but the police officers were also stunned.

I found it hard to breathe, feeling like a boulder crashed into my chest.

Before I could say anything, James doubled down.

"I can vouch for her. We had dinner together tonight, and there was no alcohol," he said. "The smell on her was fermented fruit from dessert. My team rushed the report, and it didn't go through my hands. If you don't trust me, you can have another doctor redo it"

Five hours later, a second report came back identical. The case was dropped as a regular accident, and Sarah walked free.

The police told us to settle it privately and bailed.

I collapsed onto the ground, feeling like all the vitality had been sucked out of me.

I couldn't accept it. Her dazed look and the reek of booze both screamed drunk driving. Yet the report said otherwise.

Margaret was still in the ER, her life hanging by a thread.

The pain wrecked my guts. I itched to rush over and tear Sarah into pieces.

But as I zoned out, Sarah threw herself into James's arms and hugged him tightly.

"I knew you'd have my back," she said excitedly. "You don't know how scared I was."

James had a fetish for cleanliness. At work, he only allowed his patients to get close in his scrubs.

When I had visited and tried to get close, he had snapped at me. "This is a hospital. Quit hanging all over me with everyone watching."

We'd been married for six years. Intimacy should have been a problem. I figured he just cared about his professional image.

Now, with Sarah clinging to him, he just frowned a little and had no intention of pushing her away.

It brought me immense pain and made me feel like a clown.

"It's nothing," he said. "I promised Rick I'd look after you."

"It wasn't my fault," she whined, refusing to let go. "That old lady darted into the road. You know I've got night blindness. I freaked out and mixed up the gas and brakes. I know you're worried about the victim, but I swear I only had a tiny bit to drink. She can name her price, and I'll pay. It's just a shame my new car is stained with blood."

James's cold face softened. He patted her head and reassured her, "I believe you. Go home and take a rest."

After soothing her, he finally glanced at me with mixed feelings.

Not happy about it, Sarah tugged at his sleeve. "I'm scared. You didn't see how aggressive Emily was earlier. She looked like she wanted to kill me. Her mom didn't watch the road, and Emily blamed it on me. I'm afraid she'd blame you for producing the report for me. That would be a headache."

I stayed silent, staring at James. The answer was clear as day.

"She won't," he said, shredding what little dignity I had left.

Everyone at the hospital knew I was his simp. I'd crushed on him for ten years.

When his company tanked, I gave him every penny I had to get him back on his feet. When he made it big and women swarmed him, I never let go.

When he proposed, I said yes without a second thought, thinking my devotion had finally paid off.

But when Margaret lay dying, he sided with Sarah and helped her dodge justice.

Maybe that was because he never loved me.