Kimberly's hands clenched involuntarily, though her smile remained upon her lips as she addressed Benjamin, "Mr. Martin, do speak your mind."
Without dwelling on formalities, Benjamin dove straight into the matter at hand. "Do you happen to know if Mrs. Mitchell paid a visit to Eleanor at the hospital today?"
He emphasized the term "visit".
Kimberly's brow furrowed slightly. "I'm not certain. When would this have occurred?"
Her surprise was palpable.
Given Kimberly's understanding of the dynamics between Jennifer and Eleanor within the Mitchell family, it seemed highly unlikely that Jennifer would have visited. Benjamin's frigid and discontented tone only reinforced her suspicions.
Without awaiting Benjamin's response, Kimberly hastened to inquire, "Has my mother done something to upset Eleanor?"
"Ha, do you really think an old lady who has no say in your family would care about that?" He was skeptical about it.
Kimberly bit her lip, her silence echoing in the tense air.
He pressed on, "Your family's take on Harper and Eleanor doesn't matter much, whether it's good or bad. They've been indifferent for so long. I can stay out of it, but the rule here is you guys don't make things worse for them."
"Benjamin...Mr. Martin, I'm not sure what you're getting at. Did my mom do something? If she said something to upset Eleanor, I can apologize on her behalf. My mom might talk tough, but she genuinely cares about Eleanor..."
"Do you believe what you're saying yourself?"
Benjamin's smirk bore a mocking undertone, evident in the glint of his eye.
Kimberly's brow furrowed deeper as she attempted to explain, but Benjamin said first, "Your mother pushed Harper into a bed railing, causing her to injure her waist. Has she not told you about her actions at the hospital?"
Kimberly regarded Benjamin incredulously, but his demeanor betrayed no falsehood.
"Why would my mother do that? Could you perhaps be mistaken?"
"While Harper hasn't disclosed this directly to me, could so many witnesses at the hospital be mistaken?" Benjamin pressed.
Kimberly fell silent, her expression now laced with concern. "Is Harper alright?"
"What constitutes 'alright'? And what does 'not alright' entail?"
"My apologies, Mr. Martin. If it's indeed true, I shall extend apologies on behalf of my mother. However, I am inclined to believe there must be some misunderstanding. Otherwise, how could my mother commit such an act against Harper? Although..."
"Whether plausible or not, a simple phone call would clarify matters, would it not?"
Benjamin's gaze turned cold, his face devoid of warmth.
He summoned Kimberly to the office with a purpose in mind, which was to have her make a call to Jennifer right in front of him.
What for?
Naturally, it served a purpose.
Kimberly, with her lips lightly pressed together, remained motionless as Benjamin's voice grew hoarse. "Why aren't you dialing?"
Her hands clenched tightly, a hint of reluctance mingling with her uncertainty.
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