The next day was Sunday, and the house was unusually quiet with everyone off work.
Mrs. Jennie sat alone on the couch, lost in thought.
She had been carrying the same question in her heart for days.
She needed to tell Nicholas what she had discovered—or at least what she suspected.
She couldn't keep it to herself forever.
"I have to tell him," she whispered.
Just then, she heard movement upstairs.
Nicklaus stepped out of his room.
He looked irritated, his expression tense.
Jennie immediately stood.
"Nicklaus?"
He glanced at her.
"What?"
She walked toward the stairs.
"Are you okay? You seem upset."
"I'm fine."
He tried to walk past her.
Jennie followed him upstairs.
"Nicklaus, I'm your mother. If something is bothering you, you can talk to me."
"I said I'm fine."
He reached his bedroom door.
Jennie stopped in front of him.
"I know you're angry about everything that's been happening, but you shouldn't keep all of that inside."
"Just leave me alone."
"I'm worried about you."
Nicklaus's patience snapped.
"I said leave me alone!"
He pushed her aside.
Jennie lost her balance.
"Nicklaus—!"
Her hand reached desperately for the railing, but she couldn't catch it.
She stumbled backward and fell over the railing.
"Ah!"
She crashed down the stairs.
Her body landed heavily at the bottom.
Everything went silent.
Nicklaus froze.
"Mom?"
He stared down in horror.
Jennie lay motionless on the floor, unconscious.
Blood slowly appeared from a wound on her head.
Nicklaus's face went pale.
"Mom!"
He rushed down the stairs and dropped to his knees beside her.
"Mom, wake up!"
She didn't respond.
Nicklaus's hands trembled as he looked at the blood.
"Mom... please."
For the first time, the anger had completely disappeared from his face.
Only fear remained.
Nicklaus stared at his mother for a few seconds, panic taking over.
Then fear got the better of him.
He quickly stood and rushed out of the house, leaving Jennie lying unconscious at the bottom of the stairs.
A short while later, Elian arrived at the Haynes house to visit Cherry.
He stepped through the door.
"Cherry?"
There was no answer.
Then he noticed someone lying on the floor.
His eyes widened.
"Mrs. Jennie!"
Elian rushed over and knelt beside her.
"Mrs. Jennie? Can you hear me?"
He saw the blood coming from her head.
"Oh God..."
He immediately reached for his phone.
"Someone call an ambulance!"
Before he could do anything else, the front door opened.
Nicholas and Cherry had just returned.
Nicholas froze when he saw his wife lying unconscious on the floor.
"Jennie!"
He rushed toward her.
Then his eyes landed on Elian.
His expression changed instantly.
"You!"
Elian stood up.
"Nicholas, I just got here. I found her like this."
Nicholas's eyes were filled with rage.
"You son of a—"
He grabbed a nearby chair.
"Nicholas, wait!"
Elian stepped backward.
"I swear, I didn't do anything!"
Nicholas swung the chair at him.
Elian barely moved out of the way.
"Listen to me! I just arrived!"
"You expect me to believe that?!"
Nicholas raised the chair again.
"You were the one who attacked me at the hospital, and now my wife is lying here unconscious!"
"That doesn't mean I hurt her!"
Nicholas's voice broke with anger.
"You're the one who pushed her!"
Elian stared at him in disbelief.
"What?!"
"You pushed my wife down those stairs!"
"I didn't!"
Elian's voice rose.
"I wasn't even here when it happened!"
Nicholas lunged toward him again.
"You think I'll believe you after everything that's happened?"
Cherry stood frozen nearby, staring at her unconscious mother.
"Mom..."
Her voice trembled.
She rushed to Jennie's side.
"Mom, please wake up."
Elian looked toward Cherry.
"Call the ambulance again. Hurry."
Cherry immediately grabbed her phone with shaking hands.
Nicholas continued glaring at Elian, still convinced that he was responsible.
"Stay away from my family."
Elian shook his head.
"I didn't do this."
But Nicholas wasn't listening.
They rushed Jennie to the hospital.
The moment they arrived, medical staff took her into the emergency room while Nicholas and Cherry waited outside.
Nicholas was still furious.
He turned toward the officers who had arrived after his call.
"Arrest him."
Elian stared at him.
"Nicholas, you can't do this."
"I can, and I will."
"I told you, I had just arrived. I found her already unconscious!"
Nicholas pointed at him.
"You were at my house when we found her. You were the only person there."
"That's not true!"
Elian's voice rose.
"I didn't hurt her!"
The officers approached him.
"Sir, you're going to have to come with us."
Elian looked toward Cherry.
"Cherry"
Cherry stood there, shaken, her eyes moving between Elian and the emergency room doors.
"I..."
She couldn't even finish.
Elian was handcuffed.
"Cherry, please believe me."
"I didn't push your mother."
Nicholas glared at him.
"Save your lies for the police."
Elian was escorted away.
As he disappeared down the hospital corridor, Cherry remained standing beside her father, staring after him in disbelief.
She had no idea what to believe.
Behind the emergency room doors, doctors were still fighting to save Jennie.