Brooke is convinced Bethany is responsible, while Bethany refuses to accept the blame.
And when Jade’s name enters the argument, a shocking truth threatens to destroy everything.
1. Brooke Refuses to Let Bethany Escape the Blame
The atmosphere was already tense as Brooke stood facing Bethany, her expression filled with anger and disappointment. Larry’s recent heart problems had shaken the entire family, and nobody knew what the future would bring. Everyone was worried about his health, but Brooke seemed more interested in finding someone to hold responsible than in keeping the family together.
Bethany had been trying to remain calm, but Brooke’s constant accusations were becoming impossible to ignore. She knew Larry was going through a difficult time, and the last thing she wanted was another argument. However, she could no longer stand there silently while Brooke blamed her for something she had never intended to happen.
“Brooke, you need to stop blaming me for everything. Larry’s heart problems are not my fault. I never wanted any of this to happen, and you have no right to put all the responsibility on my shoulders,” Bethany said firmly.
Brooke immediately looked at her with disbelief. Instead of accepting Bethany’s explanation, she folded her arms and shook her head. To Brooke, Bethany was avoiding responsibility, and every attempt to defend herself only made the situation worse.
“You keep saying that, but you still don’t understand what you’ve done,” Brooke replied angrily.
Bethany took a deep breath, trying to control her emotions. She knew Brooke was frightened about Larry, but she also believed Brooke was allowing that fear to turn into unfair accusations. What hurt Bethany most was that Brooke seemed to have forgotten how much she cared about Larry.
2. Bethany Brings Jade Into the Argument
Bethany finally decided to explain what she believed had really happened. She reminded Brooke that Jade, Larry’s old friend, had become involved in the situation long before his health problems became the center of everyone’s attention.
“If you really want to know what happened, then stop pointing fingers at me and look at Jade. She is the reason so much trouble started. Why aren’t you questioning her? Why is everyone acting as if she has nothing to do with this?” Bethany demanded.
Brooke’s expression changed immediately when she heard Jade’s name. She clearly did not appreciate Bethany bringing Larry’s old friend into the conversation. But Bethany was not finished.
“You cannot blame me for everything just because you’re upset. I didn’t force Larry to have heart problems. I never wanted him to get hurt. You need to understand that.”
Brooke stepped closer, her voice becoming louder. She believed Bethany was deliberately shifting the blame toward Jade to avoid facing her own decisions.
“Don’t try to change the subject, Bethany. We are talking about you and Larry, not Jade,” Brooke snapped.
But before Bethany could respond, Brooke’s phone suddenly vibrated. A message appeared on the screen from an unfamiliar number. Brooke glanced down, and the moment she read the first few words, her angry expression turned into confusion.
The message mentioned Larry’s cruise trip. It also included Jade’s name. Brooke quickly locked her phone and looked back at Bethany, realizing that there might be more to this situation than she had originally believed.
3. Brooke Reveals Why She Holds Bethany Responsible
Despite the unexpected message, Brooke refused to back down. Her emotions were running too high, and she was determined to make Bethany understand exactly why she blamed her.
“Do you think I don’t remember what happened? Larry was perfectly capable of making his own decisions, but you were the one who kept encouraging him to go on that cruise trip. You pushed him to go even when there were other things he needed to take care of,” Brooke said.
Bethany looked stunned. She had expected Brooke to bring up the cruise, but hearing her describe it as the reason behind Larry’s condition was something completely different.
“I did not force him, Brooke! Larry wanted to go too. He made that decision himself. Why are you acting as if I dragged him onto that ship?” Bethany replied.
Brooke immediately interrupted her.
“Because you were the one who encouraged him! If you hadn’t gone on that cruise trip, maybe none of this would have happened. Larry might not be lying in a hospital dealing with these heart problems today!”
Bethany’s eyes filled with frustration. She could barely believe Brooke was connecting the cruise trip directly to Larry’s medical condition without knowing the complete story.
“You cannot predict what would have happened. And you certainly cannot say that I caused his illness just because I went on a trip with him,” Bethany answered.
Brooke looked away for a moment, but her anger quickly returned. She was terrified of losing Larry, and instead of expressing that fear, she was directing all of it toward Bethany.
4. The Cruise Trip Becomes the Center of the Fight
The argument became increasingly personal as both women began bringing up details from the cruise. Brooke remembered how much she had worried when Larry decided to travel. She had concerns about his responsibilities and the people he would be spending time with.
Bethany, however, remembered a very different version of events. She insisted that Larry had been excited about the trip and had repeatedly said that he needed a break from his everyday routine.
“Larry was happy about that trip. He wanted to enjoy himself. You are taking something that was supposed to be a good memory and turning it into a reason to attack me,” Bethany said.
“A good memory? Look where we are now!” Brooke shouted. “Do you even understand how frightening this has been for everyone?”
Bethany went silent. For a moment, she had no answer. She understood Brooke’s fear, but she could not accept being treated as the person responsible for Larry’s health problems.
Then Bethany mentioned Jade again. She explained that Jade’s involvement during the cruise had created confusion and emotional tension. She believed Brooke was ignoring the most important part of the story.
“You keep protecting Jade, but you don’t even know everything she did. Maybe you should ask her what really happened before blaming me,” Bethany said.
Brooke stared at her. This time, she did not immediately respond. Bethany’s confidence made her wonder whether there was something serious that she had overlooked.
5. Jade’s Unexpected Message Changes Everything
Brooke finally looked at her phone again. The message was still there, and now she felt she had to know who had sent it. She opened it and read the entire conversation.
The sender claimed to have information about the cruise trip and suggested that Larry’s condition might not have been connected to Bethany’s decision to travel with him at all.
According to the message, Jade had been trying to contact Larry during the trip. There had apparently been a conversation that nobody in the family had discussed openly.
Brooke’s expression became increasingly serious. She slowly raised her eyes toward Bethany.
“What exactly happened between Larry and Jade during that cruise?” Brooke asked.
Bethany looked uncomfortable. She had not expected Brooke to ask that question so directly.
“I already told you that Jade was involved. But you never wanted to listen,” Bethany answered.
Brooke shook her head.
“No, Bethany. I want the truth. Did Jade contact Larry while you were together? Did something happen that you’re not telling me?”
Bethany hesitated. Her silence only increased Brooke’s suspicion. For the first time during their argument, Brooke began questioning whether she had been blaming the wrong person.
But Bethany still refused to reveal everything she knew. She believed some details were Larry’s private matters, and she did not want to expose them while he was struggling with his health.
6. Bethany Makes One Final Attempt to Defend Herself
Bethany finally stepped forward and looked directly into Brooke’s eyes. Her voice was no longer defensive; it was filled with hurt.
“Listen to me carefully. I care about Larry, and I never wanted him to suffer. You can be angry with me, but don’t make me responsible for something I didn’t cause. I went on that cruise because Larry wanted to go. Jade’s involvement is a completely different matter.”
Brooke remained silent, but her expression suggested that she was still struggling to believe her.
“You keep saying Jade’s name, but you haven’t explained what she actually did,” Brooke replied. “If she is responsible for all this confusion, then why didn’t you tell everyone earlier?”
Bethany lowered her eyes. She knew that revealing certain details could create even more problems, especially while Larry was recovering. But keeping everything hidden was also becoming difficult.
“Because I didn’t want another family fight. Larry has enough problems already. I thought we could deal with everything once he was better,” Bethany explained.
Brooke’s anger slowly turned into suspicion. She wondered whether Bethany was protecting Jade, protecting Larry, or hiding something that could completely change her understanding of the cruise trip.
Suddenly, Brooke’s phone rang again. This time, the caller ID displayed Jade’s name.
Both women looked at the screen. Bethany immediately became uncomfortable, while Brooke seemed determined to answer.
7. A Shocking Revelation Leaves Everyone Speechless
Brooke answered the call and immediately put it on speaker. She wanted Bethany to hear whatever Jade had to say. There was a brief silence before Jade finally spoke.
“Brooke, I know you’re probably angry, but you need to understand something. You are blaming the wrong person for what happened on that cruise.”
Brooke looked at Bethany and then back at her phone.
“Then tell me the truth, Jade. What happened? Why was Larry’s health affected, and what are you hiding from everyone?”
Jade took a deep breath. Her voice became quieter, as if she was preparing to reveal something she had been avoiding for a long time.
“Bethany didn’t tell you everything because Larry specifically asked her not to. There was something that happened before he went on that cruise, and it has nothing to do with Bethany forcing him to travel.”
Brooke’s eyes widened. She immediately turned toward Bethany, who had gone completely still.
“What are you talking about?” Brooke asked.
Jade continued, explaining that Larry had been dealing with personal stress even before the trip. She suggested that the cruise had only exposed problems that were already developing. But before she could explain further, she revealed that Larry had received a phone call during the trip that had left him deeply upset.
Brooke’s voice trembled.
“Who called him? And why didn’t anyone tell me?”
Jade paused. Bethany looked as if she wanted to stop the conversation, but it was already too late.
“Brooke, the person who called Larry was someone very close to your family. And there’s something else you need to know…”
Suddenly, the call disconnected.
Brooke stared at her phone in complete disbelief. She tried calling Jade back, but there was no answer. Bethany stood silently beside her, knowing that the situation had just become much more complicated.
Brooke slowly turned toward Bethany. Her anger was still there, but now it was mixed with fear and confusion.
“Bethany, tell me the truth. Who called Larry that night? And why does Jade believe someone in our own family is responsible for what happened?”
Bethany opened her mouth to answer, but before she could say a single word, another notification appeared on Brooke’s phone. It was a new message from Jade, containing one photograph from the cruise trip.
Brooke opened the picture, and her face suddenly went pale. What she saw could change everything she believed about Larry, Bethany, and Jade.
But who was standing beside Larry in that photograph?
TO BE CONTINUED…