Chapter 82 The Truth Revealed
Kayla's heart skipped a beat.
She had thought about being honest with him, but now she had no choice left.
If she didn't marry Charles, if she didn't do what that person instructed, she would be plunged back into a living hell.
"I didn't lie to you." Kayla steeled herself mentally, searching for sympathy, "I know you're still upset about Daphne and Rex, but I swear, I'm not lying about this. If you don't believe me, you can check for yourself."
"I really don't know this person."
Given that person's capabilities, Charles would find nothing even if he tried; after all, he was even less inclined than she was to have these secrets uncovered.
Charles didn't push the matter further.
The photograph wasn't faked, Kayla was lying—an irrefutable fact.
"Charles..." Tears welled up in Kayla's eyes, and for once, they weren't feigned. She was truly panicked.
"Mm?" Charles's gaze was unfathomable.
"Do you believe me?" The unexpected belief threw Kayla off balance.
"You've said as much. How could I not believe you?" Charles's hand rested on the files, a bittersweet comfort before he drew the knife again, "However, there's something else I need you to clarify."
With a trembling heart, Kayla took a sip of water to calm her nerves, "What is it?"
"I handed over your medical records from abroad to your primary doctor." Charles spoke deliberately while opening the folder, "After reviewing them, he told me he has never seen a patient with your name. How would you explain that?"
Crash!
The glass dropped from Kayla's hands.
If she was flustered or scared before, now she was bordering on despair.
She was pale, her lips turned white, and her eyes betrayed utter shock.
Charles... had investigated her.
"It might be because they see so many patients, they probably just forgot," she asserted feebly.
"They checked the computer records." Charles continued to corner her, his dark eyes fixed on her, "They reviewed all the patients treated in the past two years. You weren't among them."
This time.
Kayla was at a loss for words.
From her reaction, Charles surmised the truth. The expected anger didn't come; he merely asked indifferently, "Why lie to me?"
Tears fell as Kayla's gaze dropped.
Charles sat there, offering no comfort.
For ten minutes, it was silent except for Kayla's muffled sobs.
During that time, she scrambled for an excuse. Finally, taking a deep breath and wiping away her tears, her eyes still red, she mustered a sad smile, "Since you already know, there's no point in hiding it any longer. I did lie to you—I was never treated at that hospital."
A frown creased Charles's brow.
"It's not just this, but there's something else... I've been deceiving you." Kayla's eyes welled up with tears, yet she managed a painfully forced smile. "The truth is, my stomach cancer was never cured."
Charles's gaze darkened, weighing the truth of her words.
Sniffling, Kayla continued, "I had surgery at another hospital before. The doctors gave me a year to live. If you don't believe me, I could strip right now and show you the scars from the operation."
No sooner had she spoken than Kayla began to shrug off her jacket, her fingers moving to the buttons of her blouse. She bet Charles wouldn't actually let her strip.
And just as she had predicted, after she undid a button, Charles spoke in a deep and steady voice, "That won't be necessary.”
"If you think I'm lying, you can go to the hospital and check the records," Kayla said through her tears, "It's the private clinic next door that I told you about. Just look for records under 'Kayla.'"
For the first time, Charles questioned whether her words were true. "I'll check," he finally said.
"Okay." Kayla nodded, her expression serene.
The clinic was owned by a company linked to that man. Charles could dig all he wanted, but he would only find the truths they chose to reveal.
Watching her composed face, Charles asked, "If that's the case, then why lie about being cured?"
"Because I love you; I want to be with you," Kayla said, her voice half-truthfully. She then continued the lie, "Since I only have a few months left, I want to marry you, to leave this world without any regrets."
"Kayla," Charles's voice softened, his emotions indescribable.
"I know you don't believe me. I'll wait for you," Kayla said, handing back his phone, her eyes sincere, "Come find me after you’ve checked everything."
Charles took the phone, his eyes glancing at the still-lit photograph.
As if reading his mind, Kayla spoke again: "The picture is real. I thought about quietly waiting for death, but he urged me to go through with the surgery and was there for me during that time. We dated for a week, but it didn't work out, so we broke up."
"If it bothers you that much, I can leave right now," Kayla offered, employing a strategic retreat.
It was a clever move, indeed.
Even Charles was clearly entangled in the web, caught in a complex dance of deception and truth.
Had Kayla insisted that the photo was fake, Charles might still harbor doubts. But her candid confession threw him off, leaving him unsure how to proceed.
"If it's true, then why claim it was photoshopped?" Charles's scrutinizing gaze locked onto her face.
Kayla remained silent.
In that silence, Charles realized he was facing a deeper issue.
He knew how his own words and actions toward Daphne could shape the perceptions of those around him. His previous mistreatment had painted her as an easy target in Kayla’s eyes.
“I only have five months left,” Kayla shifted the topic abruptly. “I don't have to marry you, but I really want to be with you, even if it's just for five months of romance.”
“I'll get to the bottom of this,” Charles said, standing up with the document bag in hand, offering no further explanation.
Kayla’s gaze lingered on the bag. After a moment of contemplation, she spoke, “The medical records in your bag are fake; you should just toss them.”
“This is company stuff,” Charles disclosed without deceit, “not medical records.”
And with that, he left her place.
He didn't ask her how she managed to falsify medical records, nor did he want to know.
The moment the door closed behind him, Kayla’s facade crumbled. She collapsed onto the couch, her back slick with cold sweat, her lips drained of color.
No one knew the toll it had taken on her to endure through their conversation.
Just the thought of sitting across from Charles—of facing someone who could see right through her—filled her with an overwhelming fear of being exposed.
After regaining her composure, she pulled out her phone and dialed the number she had been holding back on calling. It was a last resort she was forced to use prematurely, and she knew she’d be in hot water if she didn't give that person a heads-up.
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