Hitched & Hitched Again: A Comedy of Marital Mayhem novel Chapter 527

Tarquin felt cornered, but to put Elysia completely at ease, he pulled out his phone and dialed Josiah, keeping it brief, "Some folks are spinning yarns about me breaking out of the precinct on my own. Mind clearing the air, Josiah?"

As soon as Elysia heard it was a call from the police, she straightened up, "Hello, Josiah."

Josiah, ever the smooth operator, quickly caught on and reassured with a chuckle, "Ms. Thorne, no need to worry. We've wrapped up the investigation. The deceased jumped on his own; it wasn't your boyfriend who pushed him, nor did he coerce the jump. Your boyfriend's in the clear, and we'll be making a formal announcement shortly."

With every mention of 'your boyfriend,' Elysia seemed to grow accustomed to the reference, "Okay, thank you so much."

After hanging up, Tarquin asked, "Believe me now?"

Elysia nodded, "Yes."

Just as Tarquin was about to change the subject, Elysia suddenly burst into tears again.

Tarquin jumped, confused, "You believe me, so why the tears?"

Crying her eyes out, Elysia said, "When they showed up today, it nearly scared me to death. They said you were going to die, and they wanted to take Elijah away... They brought so many people, looking so menacing. I was terrified, sob sob sob..."

Unable to control herself, Elysia wept bitterly. She seemed like a girl who'd just survived a life-or-death ordeal, overwhelmed by fear and relief, yet also feeling wronged.

Only now did Tarquin understand the reason for her tears. Seeing her so distressed, he pulled her into his embrace, offering his shoulder and chest for her to lean on.

He thought she'd stop crying after a while, but she cried all the way to the hospital. The car had already pulled into the hospital parking lot, and she was still crying.

Tarquin pursed his lips, "Did your mom take something to stunt your intelligence while pregnant with you? How can you be so naive?!"

"You..."

"Give them a chance to blackmail me? They wouldn't dare. They attacked you, which is a crime. Me fighting back is self-defense, which is not against the law."

"Right! We shouldn't let them off easy. They must pay every last dime for the medical bills."

Elysia swung the car door open and strode towards the clinic. Her mind was solely focused on the medical bills, oblivious to the fact that she had been sitting on Tarquin's lap the entire ride, nor did she notice they had arrived in a luxury car.

For Tarquin, the difference was palpable. The moment she left, his arms felt instantly empty, transitioning from a comforting weight to a feather-light absence. The last time she was drunk, he carried her, noting how light she felt—almost as if he was neglecting her, not providing enough for her to eat.