Tracy was stunned stiff. It was only after Bertha told her to call an ambulance that she snapped out of her daze. She thought maybe Arnold was back downstairs, and this woman she was losing so much blood. If Arnold found out that sheâd stabbed someone, heâd certainly abandon her.
In desperation, Tracy decided to go all in. She began threatening Bertha and her daughter with the knife. âBack off! Nobodyâs leaving this house today!â
âHave you lost your mind?!â Bertha exclaimed frantically. âDo you know what could happen if she loses too much blood?!â
Tracyâs face was a wash of panic. She knew the consequences of excessive blood loss, but the woman seemed fine for now, didnât she? Once Sheila managed to get Arnold out of the house, she planned to take the woman to her fatherâs clinic to stop the bleeding. She wasnât stupid; she didnât want a needless murder on her conscience.
As Tracy hoped for Sheila to return after getting rid of Arnold, a sudden shriek came from downstairs.
The attic door wasnât soundproof, so some noise from downstairs could still be heard.
What happened? What was going on?
After hearing Sheilaâs scream, Tracyâs already panicked state became even more unsettled. She held the knife threateningly at Bertha and Lea, backing away slowly and locking the attic door behind her.
Then she hurried downstairs to check on Sheila.
Back in the attic, only the injured Marlinie, Bertha, and her daughter were left.
Leaâs tears were flowing freely. âMom, what do we do? Is Ms. Marlinie going to die?â
Marlinie didnât want to scare the child. She forced a smile despite the pain. âDonât worry, sweetheart; Iâll be okay.â
âBut⦠but youâre losing so much blood!â Lea was getting a bit frantic. Her tears couldnât stop.
At this point, Bertha needed to stay calm. She quickly looked around the room, then said to Lea, âStop crying, darling. Go get the bed sheets. Weâll tear them into strips and use them to stop Marlinieâs bleeding.â
Upon hearing her motherâs instructions, Lea quickly wiped her tears on her sleeve and hurried to do as told.
Meanwhile, downstairs.
As Sheila opened the door, she was startled by a row of tall men in black suits and sunglasses.
Their towering figures cast large shadows over her, creating an oppressive atmosphere. She instinctively took a step back, stammering, âWhoâ¦who are you guys? Why are you ringing our doorbell?â
The man leading the group was bald with sunglasses and the only one wearing a tie. He stepped in with a domineering stride past the Mendoza familyâs threshold. He glanced around the living room, not finding anyone, then turned to Sheila and asked, âWhereâs the lady and young miss?â
Sheila was utterly baffled. âI donât know you, and I donât know who youâre looking for. Youâve got the wrong house!â
With that, Sheila tried to close the door, intending to shut these intimidating men out.
Of course, the leader wasnât going to leave without finding who he was looking for. He forcefully pushed the door, knocking both the door and Sheila down.