Todos los capítulos de Everyone Knew but Me: Capítulo 1 - Capítulo 9

Once I found out which hospital my best friend was at, I went straight there without stopping.The second I pushed the door open, Lucas Wynn was bending down to kiss the woman in the bed, his whole face soft with it.Gifts for the newborn were stacked everywhere around them.The whole perfect picture cracked apart the moment I walked in.There were so many of our mutual friends in that room, including my best friend and several of the people I'd trusted most in the world.A hush went through the room, and I heard someone catch their breath.The woman in the bed looked at me, puzzled. "Who are you?"I opened my mouth, and then I caught Lucas's warning look."Just an old classmate. Haven't seen her in years."I almost laughed.Ten years together, and Lucas didn't dare admit who I was.My best friend, Hannah Pike, took my hand and pulled me toward the hall."Iris, don't upset Celeste while she's recovering. Whatever this is, we can deal with it another day."I stared at that

Lucas came to my hotel that evening.My eyes went hot the second I saw him."Why did you lie to me?"If he'd told me the truth years ago, I wouldn't have worked myself sick trying to buy a place, and I wouldn't have promised my mother I'd finally bring home with my boyfriend.Lucas held out a bank card."Iris, there's a quarter million dollars on this. The PIN is your birthday. Call it compensation."Celeste and I - it was arranged between the families. There's a lot I don't get to control."For years he'd kept up the broke act and never sent me more than a couple hundred dollars at a time. Now he handed over a fortune without blinking.I looked at the face I'd loved for ten years and felt every bit of that love come apart.Something like regret moved through his eyes. "If you want, you can still stay with me."You can act as if nothing happened. We can go back to how it was, as long as you don't take it to Celeste."My answer was a slap across his face.Lucas worked his ja

Somewhere in the fog I felt someone pick me up. It was probably Lucas.His voice had a panic in it I'd never heard from him before."Iris, stay with me. Please, stay with me."The irony of it. Ten years, and the first time I heard that tone out of him was when I was the one dying.When I came around again there was a white ceiling and the smell of disinfectant.I tried to move my fingers and pain tore straight through my chest.Lucas was asleep with his head on the edge of the bed.He jolted awake the instant I moved. His eyes went red when he saw mine open."Iris, you're awake. The doctors said you almost didn't make it. Do you have any idea how scared I was?"I turned my face away. I didn't want to watch him perform."My mother's funeral. Did it happen?"Lucas was quiet for a few seconds. "She was cremated. Her ashes are at the funeral home until you can come get them."I stared at the pale ceiling and the tears came without my permission.I never even got to see her one

The light in Lucas's eyes went out."Iris, don't say that. You're angry."I yanked my hand back. The wound in my chest tore at me, and it was nothing next to the wreckage I was carrying around.First thing the next morning, I checked myself out against medical advice and flew straight to the hospital where my mother had been treated.Walter Boyd, the hospital's records and compliance manager, couldn't keep his face straight when he saw me."Ms. Caldwell, your mother's chart has been sealed. If you want copies, there's a process you'll need to go through.""Fine. I'll go through it."I took out my phone and called the state health department's patient safety office right in front of him."My name is Iris Caldwell. I'm filing a formal complaint against this hospital for destroying patient surveillance records in a case involving a death, and I'm asking your office to step in."Boyd's face went white."Ms. Caldwell, please, there's no need for that. Let's just talk."I ended th

I turned and walked out, and somebody came after me. It was Hannah.She ran until she was out of breath and grabbed my sleeve."Iris, I'm sorry. I swear I didn't know Celeste would take it that far. I thought she just wanted to scare you."I stopped and asked her, "Was it you who twisted my wrist that day?"The knife should have gone into Lucas's chest. Instead, somebody had wrenched my arm around at the last possible second and turned the blade back on me.Hannah wrestled all through high school. Fast hands were never a problem for her.I watched the color go out of her face, and I gave her back the exact words she'd given me."Hannah, even though we're close, I can't take your side just because you're my friend. You... helped them do it."Two weeks later the police formally arrested Celeste for reckless homicide and for directing others to destroy evidence.The Ashbury lawyers tried to argue it was a family dispute that got emotional, but the health department's involvement