“I said get out! What right do you have to apologize? Hallie almost died, and you think one ‘I didn’t mean it’ can make up for that?!”
Payton appeared then, standing in the doorway with a frown.
“Delane, Sherree truly regrets it. She cried the whole way here, bought her favorite flowers, and insisted on apologizing in person. You can’t just shut her out like this…”
A coldness spread through me.
“Payton, have you forgotten? Hallie is allergic to lilies! This woman’s bringing them here now—what else could she mean but to try to kill my daughter again?”
Payton fell silent.
Sherree, however, took a few delicate steps toward me, her eyes glistening as if she were holding back tears.
“I only bought the flowers I like… I didn’t think about it. Delane, I truly meant no harm. Please… forgive me, alright?”
She reached out to take my hand.
Instinctively, I stepped back, shaking her off.
Her foot slipped. She fell to the floor, her skirt pooling around her as a wounded expression crossed her face.
“Delane!” Payton’s brows knit tightly. He hurried to help her up. “You’re being too impulsive! Sherree came here to apologize—why would you hurt her?”