Outside the emergency room where Bernice was being treated, Tiffany and Anita paced to and fro as they waited to receive word from either of the doctors who were attending to her.
Anita was yet to return Lisa's call to inform her of what was going on. She didn't want to alarm her and get her worried until she was sure that Bernice was alright.
How could Bernice attempt to take her life? Was any of this worth it? If she was feeling so frustrated couldn't she have just walked out of the marriage or something? Why do something like this to herself?
"I'm never going to forgive Benny if she dies! Never!" Tiffany blurted out as she stopped outside the door fighting back her tears.
"Why would she do something so stupid? It's stupid! It's all stupid! So, what if she slept with Jackson? I would have been mad, but I would have forgiven her for it. I never would have held it against her!" Tiffany cried as she covered her face with her palm and sobbed into it.
"She told you she had sex with your husband?" Anita asked, turning to look at Tiffany.
"Don't judge her, okay? You may not understand Benny, but I do. I knew how unhappy she was. I know it's crazy for me to be defending her when she slept with my husband, but I'd rather have her alive than dead. She is my best friend!" Tiffany cried, and Anita looked at her not knowing what to say.
"Did you go to her house to see her because you knew she was going to try to take her life?" Anita asked, and Tiffany shook her head as she sniffled.
"No. I was actually going to yell at her and pull out her hair for doing something like that," Tiffany said as she wiped her face with her hands.
"I wasn't going to do it because I'm still in love with Jackson or because I'm jealous. I was going to do it because she deserves better than Jackson. Why run from Adam into the arms of a scum like Jackson when she can do better?" Tiffany asked, and Anita sighed inwardly wondering what madness had possessed everyone in her family. Well, excluding Lisa thankfully.
Anita waited until some people who were heading in their direction had passed before she spoke again, "Seeing how you don't have a problem with her having an affair with your scum of a husband, I guess you are also cheating on Jackson?" Anita asked, and Tiffany eyed her with displeasure for a moment.
"You can judge us all you want, but you would never understand what it means to walk in our shoes," Tiffany said, and Anita scoffed.
"Your shoes? Why aren't you taking off the damn shoes if it hurts so much?" Anita asked, feeling both disgusted and disappointed.
She wasn't sure she could judge or blame Tiffany and Bernice since she might have ended up exactly like them if she had not paid heed to Lisa's words or overheard the conversation between their mother and Bernice.
"Easy for you to say. Why don't you wait until you are married? And then you can find the answer for yourself?"
"Married? I'd rather die single than end up like the lot of you," Anita spat out with disgust, but Tiffany ignored her and glanced at her wristwatch instead.
"Why isn't mother or Adam here yet?" Tiffany murmured with a sigh as she looked around for somewhere to sit since her feet were beginning to ache and she was tired of talking with Anita.
"You called them?" Anita asked, and Tiffany looked at her like she was being ridiculous.
"I texted them on our way to the hospital. Am I not supposed to let her husband know where she is? And shouldn't mother know...."
"No! You shouldn't have! Why would you tell her stupid husband anything? Does he look like he cares about her? I told you not to get mother involved either! Are you just dumb or stupid?!" Anita snapped at her.
"Watch your tone, Anita! You are the one being stupid right now. Both mother and Adam has every right to know...."
"NO, THEY DON'T! Not when they are the reason she almost took her life!" Anita hissed at her.
"Don't be ridiculous!"
"What do you mean by that?" Rebekah, who had just arrived asked, and Anita turned to look at her.
"You don't know? Do you really not know what I mean? You have to be even more shameless than I thought for you to show your face here," Anita said, shocking both Rebekah and Tiffany.
"Don't you dare speak to mother in such a disrespectful tone! What has got into you?" Tiffany asked in dismay.
"I see you have spent too much time in Lisa's company and you have completely lost your manners," Rebekah said with disapproval.
"Lisa is definitely the one influencing her negatively," Tiffany said, and Anita snorted.
"I'd rather be influenced by Lisa, than either of you," Anita said, and Rebekah looked away from her to Tiffany.
"Did Bernice tell you why she tried to take her life? Did she leave a note?" Rebekah asked ignoring Anita.
"Don't you know why already? Or are you asking merely because you are scared she must have tried to expose you?" Anita asked, and Tiffany glared at her, while Rebekah looked at her, wondering if she knew anything and how much she knew.
"What is your problem? Why do you keep attacking mother? Is it because she said you are no longer welcome on Eric's show?" Tiffany asked angrily.
"Why don't you ask your mother why Bernice attempted to take her life?" Anita asked, and Tiffany looked at her like she was mad.
"Are you stupid? What has that got to do with mother? I already told you the reason...."
"What reason?" Rebekah cut in before Tiffany could finish.
"Go on and tell her," Anita urged Tiffany.
Tiffany glared at Anita, not wanting to tell their mother about Bernice's mistake. Their mother would be mad and disappointed with Bernice if she found out that Bernice had done something so immoral, especially with her husband.
Thankfully, Tiffany didn't have to answer because her phone started ringing and she received the call when she saw it was her husband.
Tiffany moved away from her mother and Anita, "Hey, babe!" She greeted, sounding completely normal like nothing was wrong.
There was no reason for her to fight with her husband because he had slept with her sister. That would be unnecessary since Bernice wasn't the first woman neither would she be the last woman Jackson was having an affair with since they got married. She was past caring now.
She wasn't mad at Jackson in the same way she wasn't mad at Bernice. As far as she was concerned they were both in an open marriage now and were free to do whatever they pleased to whoever they pleased.
"I stopped by the house to pick up some documents and I was told you left to visit Bernice. Is she alright?" Jackson asked, trying not to sound very worried since he had been worried about Bernice all night and all morning because her number was not connecting and she wasn't responding to his tests.
"No, she is not fine. She attempted to take her life and is in the hospital right now," Tiffany said, and Jackson's heart skipped a beat.
"She did what? What is the name of the hospital?" He asked, sounding very worried now, and Tiffany tried not to be affected by how worried he was sounding as she gave him the direction to the hospital.
Rebekah on the other hand who had moved away from Anita, dialed Adam's line, "Why are you not in the hospital?" She hissed at him immediately after he received her call.
"I have work to do," Adam said quietly.
"What work could be more important than your wife's life? Set aside whatever you're doing and come here...."
"Is that necessary? She knows now that I'm in love with you and not her. There is no reason for me to pretend to be a doting husband. Bernice is just doing this to get our attention. She is an attention seeker, and if she really meant to take her life she would never have been found until she was dead," Adam said reasonably and Rebekah gritted her teeth.
"Quit speaking like a fool and come here right away, else whatever is between us is over! You hear me?" Rebekah threatened and hung up.
She was slightly startled when she turned and saw Anita standing beside her, "What are you doing? Were you eavesdropping on my call?" She asked, trying not to look flustered.
"Yes, I was. I suppose that was Adam?" Anita asked even if she already knew.
"What has gotten over you?" Rebekah asked Anita just as Tiffany joined them.
Anita shook her head, "Nothing. I've just seen you for what you are. A shameless old slut," Anita said and caught Rebekah's hand before she could hit her.
"Don't you dare!" Anita warned as she held on firmly to Rebekah's arm.
"What are you both doing? People are watching," Tiffany muttered under her breath when she noticed the curious gazes being directed at them, and Anita let go of her mother's hand.
"Don't you ever try to raise your filthy hand on me again," Anita warned her harshly.
"Anita, I think you should leave. I will stay back to make sure Bernice is fine," Tiffany suggested, wanting Anita to leave so she wouldn't keep picking a fight with her and their mother.
"No. I think you and mother should leave instead," Anita said, and Tiffany scowled.
"Don't be ridiculous. You have to be at the office," Tiffany reminded her.
"No, I don't. I submitted my resignation letter already....."
"You did what?" Rebekah asked angrily.
"....I'm not leaving. I can't trust her not to try to hurt Bernice," Anita said, and Rebekah glared at her.
"What do you mean by that? You have made quite a number of insinuations in the last couple of minutes. Do you care to share what you mean?" Tiffany asked with a displeased frown.
"Bernice confessed to Tiffany that she has been having an affair with her husband," Anita informed Rebekah and didn't miss the surprise that flickered through her eyes.
"Is that true?" Rebekah asked Tiffany who was glaring at Anita for being a loudmouth.
"Mother, please don't be mad. Don't be too hard on Bernice...." Tiffany stopped talking when Anita suddenly laughed dryly.
"Oh, Tiffany! You don't have to explain to mother. She is aware of it already and she understands perfectly what Bernice did," Anita said, and Tiffany looked from Anita to their mother in confusion.
"How can you say mother is aware? That doesn't make any sense," Tiffany said with a shake of her head, not believing Anita.
"Anita," Rebekah called in a warning tone, but Anita ignored her.
"Oh, yes! She is aware, and she sees nothing wrong with it because she is also having an affair with Adam, Bernice's husband," Anita revealed, shocking Tiffany whose lips fell open in surprise, while Rebekah tried to maintain a blank expression.
"What are you talking about? Mother, what is she talking about?" Tiffany asked Rebekah who was looking at Anita with so much anger in her eyes.
"Don't ask me such senseless questions, and quit listening to the nonsense she is saying. She doesn't know what she is talking about...."
"Is it really nonsense? Are you sure I don't know what I'm talking about? Cause Bernice may not have left a suicide letter but I did overhear your conversation in the guest room yesterday," Anita revealed, and Rebekah's brows pulled together.
"What conversation are you talking about?" Tiffany asked Anita, unable to wrap her head around the fact that their mother was having an affair with Adam.
"Your precious Mother is Adam's lover. Bernice confronted her, and she threatened and blackmailed Bernice into not doing anything about her affair with Adam, that was the reason Bernice was out of sorts yesterday, and that is the reason she tried to kill herself after telling you the truth!" Anita informed Tiffany before turning to their mother.
"The truth is out in the open now, you have nothing more to use against Bernice. You almost killed her, but I won't let you have your way anymore. You've done enough harm to us in the name of wanting what's best for us," Anita said, while Tiffany remained where she stood lost for words as she stared from Anita to their mother.
This content is taken from fr(e)ewebn(o)vel.𝓬𝓸𝓶