My voice shook, every syllable catching in my throat as I tried, desperately, to reach whatever conscience he had left.
"We changed locations so many times that night. So why was it that specific man? Why did he just happen to show up at the club? Alexis knows the answer better than anyone!"
Bertram's gaze darkened, his eyes turning glacial.
Before he could respond, the door to the hospital room swung open.
Alexis rushed in without a word and dropped to her knees in front of me, tears streaming down her face like spring rain.
"Prudence... I'm so sorry... I know what I did was wrong. Please, I'm begging you, just let me go!"
I was completely blindsided by her sudden performance.
The woman cried harder, her sobs growing more agonized by the second.
"I know what happened hurt you terribly, but... but why would you send my photos to the group chat just to get back at me?"
Bertram reached over and took the phone from Alexis's hand.
One glance. That was all it took. I could feel the temperature around him plummet.
"Prudence Henson, I never realized you could be this vicious!"
The next second, he hurled the phone straight at me.
It struck the bridge of my nose dead-on. Pain exploded through my face, sharp and blinding, my eyes stinging as my entire face went numb.
Through blurred vision, I could see what was on the screen: photos of Alexis with her clothes in disarray.
My brow twitched hard.
"That wasn't me..."
I tried to explain on instinct, but Alexis had already collapsed into Bertram's arms, her face chalk-white.
He cradled her, calling her name over and over, his eyes wild with panic.
He roared toward the hallway. "Doctor! Someone get a doctor!"
Bertram scooped her up and turned to leave, his frigid gaze landing on me one final time.
What came out of his mouth next hit like a bolt of lightning.
"Someone hold her down. She likes sharing other people's photos so much? Then strip her bare and take as many as you want!"
The instant he turned away, I saw the woman in his arms open her eyes.
That taunting look she gave me was a silent, savage mockery of my helplessness.
I froze. A wave of ice crawled up my spine and coiled around my heart.
By the time I found my voice, I was screaming at his retreating back. "Bertram! I didn't do this! She's faking it!"
Over a dozen men surged forward, drowning out my cries. I fought with everything I had, eyes burning, but it was useless.