Chapter 415 Uncovering the Truth, Tearing Everything Apart
It was the same hospital where Scarlett had once spent three hundred days.
But this time, she was there as a family member, accompanying her mother.
And it was only at this moment that Scarlett learned that Diana had once suffered a severe mental shock, leaving her brain in a state of potential collapse. Any further stimulation could trigger this latent neurological disease, which was almost untreatable.
"Scarlett, Mrs. Taylor's condition has stabilized. There were the best neurologists, she'll be fine."
Kevin patted Scarlett's shoulder, wanting to offer her support, but Scarlett stood up from the chair, avoiding his arm.
"Daddy, what's wrong with Mommy?"
Scarlett knew nothing about Diana's illness; neither Leon nor Diana had ever told her.
Seeing that he could no longer hide the truth, Leon said to Kevin, "Kevin, you should go rest."
Kevin realized that Leon wanted to say something to Scarlett that he shouldn't hear. He glanced at Leon briefly and then walked out.
"If you need anything, just call me. I'll be outside."
After Kevin left, only the unconscious Diana, Leon, and Scarlett remained in the room.
Scarlett could no longer hold back. Regardless of whether Leon was willing to tell the truth, she had to find out.
"Daddy, there are many things I don't understand. I need you to explain." Scarlett poured a cup of tea for Leon, who was sitting on the sofa. Her tone wasn't forceful, but it showed her determination to get a response.
Leon felt the cup in his hand was heavy, weighing him down. If Diana hadn't fallen ill, perhaps many things could have continued to be kept hidden, but today it seemed that it was no longer possible to conceal them.
"I knew you would ask me sooner or later."
Leon's honesty and directness surprised Scarlett. Shouldn't he be trying to hide the truth as much as possible?
Scarlett sat in the chair opposite him, separated by a table, with Diana lying six feet away on the bed. The room was initially quiet.
"Tell me, who am I really? I'm not Scarlett, am I?" Her expression was calm, suppressing the turmoil in her heart, trying to appear composed.
Leon nodded, lifting his somewhat weary face. This night, his well-maintained face seemed to have aged significantly. "Yes, you are indeed not my daughter Scarlett."
Scarlett clenched her hands tightly. She had prepared herself mentally, but hearing Leon admit it still made her eyes dim. "Why did you lie to me?"
She wasn't Scarlett, which further confirmed that she was Brooklyn.
Leon looked at the unconscious Diana on the bed and sighed. "If I said it was for my wife, would you believe me?"
What else was unbelievable? After all, she had experienced so many incredible things.
"I believe you."
Leon put down the cup, his hand, marked with age spots, resting on his leg. His voice grew darker. "My daughter Scarlett was indeed a surgeon at Lincolnton University, but she died in an accident three years ago..."
"I was afraid my wife couldn't handle it, so I kept the truth from her. But she became overly so suspicious as to have hallucinations, and suffered a severe mental breakdown. Whenever Scarlett was mentioned, she would lose control. The most serious incident was when she jumped from upstairs and broke both her legs. As you can see, she's been in a wheelchair ever since."
Scarlett listened silently to Leon's low, helpless, and painful voice, recounting a distant yet heart-wrenching story.
"Later, I went on an expedition to Jabari and found you at the bottom of a cliff. At that time, your face was completely destroyed, making it impossible to recognize you. But your figure was very similar to my daughter's, and when I found you, you were wearing a white coat. I never expected you to be a doctor too."
Leon hesitated, not needing to elaborate further. He believed this smart Brooklyn already knew the rest.
Scarlett couldn't describe her feelings. Her throat felt dry and uncomfortable, her voice hoarse, and speaking strained her vocal cords, causing pain. "So, while I was unconscious, you had someone change my appearance to look like your daughter?"
Leon nodded. "Initially, I didn't plan to do that, but the doctor told me that your brain had suffered severe trauma and that you probably wouldn't remember anything when you woke up. At that time, The Taylor Group was facing a financial crisis."
He sighed. "In my life, I consider myself upright, but for the sake of The Taylor Group, I did something I can never undo. I used you and told Kevin that you were Scarlett."
Scarlett's fingers clenched her clothes, and she closed her eyes. A myriad of emotions surged within her, causing pain so intense it felt like spasms. Yet that pain was something she couldn't express to anyone. Facing Leon, she couldn't even bring herself to blame him.
"Kevin invested in The Taylor Group, saving it. In return, I promised him that Scarlett would marry him." Leon continued.
She was not his biological daughter, so Leon could be so willing?
"What about Kevin? Does he know my true identity?" Scarlett asked urgently.
Leon replied, "Kevin liked Scarlett, but Scarlett wasn't very interested in him. So, they didn't interact much. If there was any interaction, it was during the time after you woke up. So, I don't know if he knows."
Leon added, "Or perhaps, the person Kevin likes now is no longer my daughter Scarlett, but you."
Sitting in the hospital room, Brooklyn, with Scarlett's face, laughed. She felt like she was caught in the most absurd game of the year, so ridiculous it was laughable.
Leon stood up, supporting himself on his knees. "I'm sorry. I've told you the truth. I don't expect you to forgive me. You're a good person, but I'm not fortunate enough to be your father."
Scarlett's lips trembled, and when she closed her eyes, tears streamed down her face, quickly soaking half of it.
She had uncovered the truth, but she couldn't feel happy. The middle-aged Leon before her, with his sincere words and straightforward honesty, touched her deeply and made her heart ache.
"Then, who am I really?" Scarlett lifted her face, and as she looked up, tears welled up again, leaving streaks on her pale face.
Leon clenched his hands and closed his eyes. "I'm sorry, I don't know."
Scarlett frowned.
If she was Sebastian's wife, with Sebastian's influence, how could he not have issued a global search for her? How could Leon not know?
Scarlett also stood up and slowly walked to Leon's side. For so long, she had respected him and already considered him a father. But now, with everything out in the open, a chasm had formed between Scarlett and Leon, making it difficult to continue as family.
"I can tell you. I am Sebastian Kingsley's wife. Although I lost all my memories and passively accepted everything that belonged to Scarlett, my blood type cannot be changed. I am Sebastian's wife, Brooklyn Mitchell."
Scarlett reached out and held Leon's trembling hand. Their eyes met, and she saw the overwhelming shock in Leon's eyes. In an instant, his whole body stiffened!
Sebastian, a name like a thunderclap!
Leon was stunned into silence, unable to move for a long time.
He had thought she was just an ordinary woman. How could she be connected to Sebastian?
If Sebastian took action, the entire Taylor Group would likely face disaster.
"Don't worry, Sebastian won't do anything to the Taylor Group. But now that the truth is out, I can't marry Kevin."
Leon, still in shock, didn't react to Scarlett's refusal to marry. The veins on the back of his hand stood out, and his legs gave way as he collapsed heavily onto the sofa.
"Are you going back to Libertya?"
He should have known better than to let her return to Libertya.
Scarlett nodded, then shook her head. "You are not my father, but your kindness to me has been genuine. I won't abandon the Taylor Group, nor will I watch it go bankrupt. Don't worry, I will fulfill my duties as your daughter."
Leon looked at Scarlett in disbelief, too stunned to speak.
But Scarlett smiled, her heart suddenly clear and bright. "If I told Mommy that I wasn't Scarlett, what would happen to her? How could I be so cruel as to let her lose a daughter again?"
Leon's pupils suddenly dilated, and he sprang up from the sofa, tightly gripping Scarlett's hands. "You're willing to continue being my daughter?"
Scarlett closed her eyes. "At least until Mommy recovers, I will still be your daughter. But I must break off the engagement with Kevin. Don't worry, even without that relationship, I have ways to keep the Taylor Group safe."
Leon nodded, murmuring, "Yes, you are Sebastian's wife. If Sebastian is willing to help the Taylor Group, there won't be any more problems."
Scarlett wiped away her tears and took a deep breath. "You stay here and take care of my Mommy. I have something to discuss with Kevin. I'll be back soon."
Leon nodded. "Alright, thank you, Ms. Mitchell—no, Mrs. Kingsley."
Scarlett didn't want to pursue the matter further. As for the questions about changing her blood type and other details, she didn't want to ask anymore. She couldn't bear to blame Leon any further.
She walked out of the hospital room, and before she could steady herself, Kevin suddenly embraced her shoulders. "Scarlett."
In his arms, Scarlett smiled lightly. "Kevin, you knew all along, didn't you?"
Kevin paused, releasing her from his embrace and looking down at her. "What are you talking about?"
Scarlett broke free from his arms, half-smiling. "You knew I wasn't Scarlett. With your intelligence, you couldn't have failed to notice that the Scarlett you loved had changed."
Kevin's eyes flickered, and he suddenly understood. "You..."
"I know everything. If I'm not mistaken, you not only knew I wasn't Scarlett but also knew about my relationship with Sebastian, right?"
Without waiting for Kevin to answer, Scarlett continued, "Daddy said he didn't see any news about me in Averlake. I think you had a hand in that, didn't you? With your influence, hiding a missing person report wouldn't be difficult."
Kevin suddenly felt exposed.
Her gaze was like the scorching sun, piercing through his eyes and reaching his soul.
"I don't know why you helped create a new Scarlett or why you wanted to marry me even though you knew I wasn't Scarlett. But I'm sure your intentions in marrying Scarlett weren't pure."
She hit the nail on the head, showing no mercy. Kevin's well-composed face changed colors several times.
Kevin gently held her shoulders, his eyes bloodshot, looking at Scarlett's face with longing and even desperation. His voice was heavy, and she could hear the suppressed pain. "There's one thing you're wrong about. I love Scarlett more than anyone can imagine. Even if everything changed, as long as there was a shadow of her, I would love her to the end. Whether it was the old Scarlett or you, I can't tell who I love more. Promise me, don't leave me. Marry me, please?"
Kevin and Sebastian were indeed very different.
Kevin's pleading voice was like a hand reaching out from hell, waiting for her salvation. If she didn't reach out, he would fall into the abyss.
But she couldn't do it.
If she reached out, there would be no turning back.
"I'm sorry." Scarlett shook off his hand and removed the ring she had put on before the banquet. The dazzling diamond ring shone brightly, its light piercing both Scarlett and Kevin, especially Kevin.
His back suddenly tensed. "What are you doing?"
She placed the ring in Kevin's hand, curling his fingers around it. "Thank you for your love, but I am Sebastian's wife."
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