The Unlucky Turn by Mark Twain 129
“After all… if you have to choose between us, I still want you to be happy.”
Milford remained silent, moved by Tamara’s direct and selfless love. After about three minutes of silence, he suddenly spoke. “Tamara, regarding Yvonne’s fall back then… are you truly certain it was Leilani?”
Tamara’s heart skipped a beat. Her grip on the glass tightened involuntarily, but she kept her composure. “Why do you ask that all of a sudden?”
“Yvonne is recovering well and has remembered bits of the past.” Milford’s gaze was sharp, looking straight into Tamara’s eyes. “Although she hasn’t recalled the exact moment of the accident yet, she is very certain that the person who pushed her wasn’t Leilani.”
But only Leilani, Yvonne, and Tamara were at the scene that year. If it wasn’t Leilani, it could only be Tamara.
Tamara’s eyes reddened instantly, her voice choking up. “Are you doubting me, Milford? The police closed the case years ago; the evidence was conclusive.”
“I just want to confirm it one more time.” Milford’s tone was calm but carried an unavoidable
pressure.
Tamara certainly wouldn’t admit she pushed Yvonne. But seeing Milford questioning the truth, she didn’t dare pour dirty water on Leilani as recklessly as before. Instead, she went along with him, suggesting maybe the culprit really wasn’t Leilani.
Tamara bit her lip and suddenly sighed. “Actually… I’ve been thinking about it too. Maybe it really wasn’t Leilani.”
Milford’s eyes narrowed. “What do you
mean?”
Tamara looked up with teary eyes, sounding sincere. “We were all too panicked back then. We only saw Leilani there and assumed it was her… But thinking back now, maybe the culprit was someone else?”
Milford stared at her. “Then who do you think it was?”
Tamara shook her head, looking lost. “I don’t know. Maybe the person ran away after pushing Yvonne? It’s been so long, the evidence is gone, and Leilani has already served her time. What’s the point of chasing the truth now?”
Tamara held Milford’s hand, her voice gentle. “Milford, if you feel sorry for Leilani, we can double our compensation to her in the future, okay?”
Milford pulled his hand away, his tone cold. “Compensation?”
Tamara nodded, her eyes earnest. “Yes, we can give her money or help her restart her career.
19.54T
As long as she’s willing to accept it, we’ll do our best to make it up to her.”
Milford suddenly felt it was ridiculous. Four years in prison, a destroyed life-how could money make up for that?
He put down his water glass, his voice low. “We’ll talk about this later.”
Seeing his attitude soften, Tamara relaxed slightly and quickly changed the subject. “Milford, our engagement party is next week. Do you have any ideas?”
Milford lacked interest. “You decide.”
Tamara’s smile froze slightly, but she quickly returned to her gentle demeanor. “Okay, I’ll arrange it.”
As night deepened, the neon lights at the restaurant entrance cast ambiguous shadows on Tamara’s face. Her steps were unsteady, and she swayed, leaning limply into Milford’s arms.
“Milford… I feel so dizzy…” Tamara’s voice was soft and sweet, laced with intoxication, her fingers brushing lightly against his chest.
Milford frowned and steadied her by the shoulders. “You drank too much. I’ll take
you
home.”
18:54
Olivia Harris
Olivia Harris is an emerging author celebrated for her captivating romantic and steamy novels. With a talent for crafting deep emotional connections and fiery chemistry between her characters, Olivia’s stories offer readers an escape into worlds filled with passion, intrigue, and heart-stopping drama.