Flora had died because of her. Even if Ynda were truly innocent, he could never bepletely without resentment. And he knew she wasn''t innocent.


    "Bet," Ynda said, her hand frozen in mid-air, her expression filled with hurt.


    "Bet, can we please not break up?" She lowered her arm and clutched the hem of his shirt instead.


    "I can overlook your affair with Ms. Jones. After we''re married, you can even see her privately. As long as you don''t unt it in my face or have any illegitimate children, I can tolerate it."


    "Bet, I really, truly love you. I don''t want to be apart. Please, can we not break up?" Ynda begged, her voice choked with sobs.


    Bet silently pried her fingers from his shirt. "Ynda," he said, his voice t, "you know I''m in the military. I can''t be involved in any scandals."


    "So you''re determined to be with her, is that it? What''s so special about her? Is it because she''s young and pretty, because she''s good in bed? Are all you men so shallow?"


    Ynda lost control, her voice rising to a shriek as she began swiping everything she could reach off the nightstand.


    The floor was instantly littered with debris. A ss shattered, sshing water onto the cuff of Bet''s pants.


    Bet didn''t say a word, merely watching her with a cold smirk. The gentle, dignifieddy had finally shown her true colors.


    Themotion was so loud that Mrs. Walker and Emma rushed back into the room, thinking something was wrong.


    They were both startled by the mess on the floor.


    "What happened? Ynda, are you hurt?" Mrs. Walker asked worriedly.


    "I''m fine. I just identally knocked over a ss," Ynda replied, her face sullen.


    "I''ll get an orderly to clean this up," Bet said before turning and walking out of the room.


    He went to the nurses'' station, and soon after, a custodian arrived with cleaning supplies.


    Patients in the private wing were all wealthy and influential, so the hospital staff was quick to respond.


    The room was spotless in minutes, but Bet didn''t return. He had clearly used the opportunity to leave.


    "Ynda, did Bet upset you again? Don''t you worry, I''ll give him a good talking-to," Emma said


    "I''m fine. I''m just a little tired. I want to rest," Ynda said, her voice devoid of emotion.


    "Alright, you get some rest. We''lle see you another day," Emma said with a nod, and then she too left.


    After the door closed, a heavy silence fell over the room.


    Mrs. Walker sat down by the bed and let out a deep sigh.


    "You know your health is fragile, yet you still let yourself get this worked up," she chided gently.


    "What kind of spell has that bitch cast on him? He''s dead set on breaking up with me!" Ynda shrieked, unable to contain her fury.


    As the only daughter of the Walker family, she had been spoiled her entire life. Her chronic illnesses had only made her more willful and demanding.


    In public, she maintained a facade of grace and kindness, but in reality she was emotionally vtile over the years, countless servants had been dismissed for failing to please her


    The only reason no unpleasant rumors had ever surfaced was


    because the Walker family spor


    kept the lower-ss staff from ever daring to speak out of turn,