Chapter 856
Chapter 855:
He wanted desperately to accept their version of events, yet something about it struck him as absurd. How could any car accident produce such a specific and bizarre memory distortion, convincing him that his own mother had died? Eva had cursed him for believing his mother had died while she was likely still out there somewhere. How could he ever think of his mother’s fate that way?
Overwhelming self-reproach crashed over Cole like a suffocating wave. Yet moments later, inconsistencies began emerging in his mind. “If that explanation holds true, why didn’t you and Dad correct my misunderstanding immediately when I awakened on the island? Why did neither of you object to my proposal to Wanda p>
Ruben continued weaving his careful deception. “Our primary concern centered on protecting your fragile health. The attending physician warned us that during your post-recovery period, avoiding emotional shock was absolutely crucial. Therefore, we chose to accommodate your confused state, planning to address everything once your complete recovery was assured p>
His reasoning sounded perfectly logical and convincing. Cole found himself half-persuaded, unable to formulate additional challenges to the explanation. Soon, his thoughts circled back to Sophie’s mysterious disappearance. “What drove my mother to abandon our family p>
What had made Sophie leave so suddenly? Even now, no one had an answer. Not even Jarrett, the man she had married, had a clue.
Ruben understood even less, though a suspicion lingered in his mind that it had something to do with psychephrenia. Still, it was only a guess, and he knew better than to mention it to Cole. Bringing it up could unsettle Cole and risk slowing his recovery, so Ruben decided to hide the truth.
“Your mother and father were having problems,” Ruben lied, his voice low.
Cole’s eyes widened in disbelief. “That’s not possible p>
As far as he could remember, his parents’ marriage had been flawless. They had always treated each other with warmth and respect. The idea that his mother had walked away because of relationship problems felt absurd. Ruben avoided Cole’s gaze, unease coloring his tone as he spun the tale. “They seemed happy from the outside. But the truth is, things had been broken for a long time. They kept it from you because they didn’t want it to hurt you p>
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Yet, Cole caught the shift in Ruben’s eyes, the unease flashing there. “Grandpa, you’re lying p>
Ruben stiffened, caught in the moment.
“Why?” Cole demanded, his voice tight with frustration. “Why are you lying to me p>
For a brief moment, Ruben held his gaze before releasing a weary sigh. “Cole, just know I’d never do anything to hurt you. There are some truths you’re better off not knowing for now. For your health, please let it go p>
Cole’s brow furrowed as he tried to make sense of it. It felt as though his grandfather saw these lies as a form of protection. He felt like he was caught in a whirlpool, flailing for the surface while the people he trusted most stood on the shore, refusing to throw him a line. Not even his grandfather. It wasn’t only his grandfather. Paulina, the girl who had been part of his life since childhood, was keeping things from him as well. Every single one of them was hiding something, all insisting it was for his benefit.
Why? What explanation could ever be enough to warrant keeping something hidden like this? In his heart, he still trusted them. He knew they would never hurt him. Yet, was he supposed to simply follow along with whatever they decided? Was he expected to ignore the questions piling up in his mind and just “let it be p>