NOVEL NEXT Chapter 490.
Chapter 490. A Bloody Date with Wisteria. (2/4)
“Aurelia…”
“What is it?”
“I didn’t ask you here just to watch a movie… there’s something I have to talk to you about.”
I was naturally confused. But… if he’s planning to talk to her about something it might be a good idea to record their conversation. I stuck my hand into my pocket, pulled out my phone, then started recording.
“What did you want to talk about?”
“The truth. You know that I love you.”
“Yeah. I know. But I can’t return your feelings.”
“Even now... you still love him?”
“Yeah…”
“When are you going to move on? That part of your life is over already.”
“I can’t... move on.”
“Why?”
Aurelia took a deep breath in and calmed herself down before she spoke.
“The truth is… I’ve never told anyone about this before… I’ve always been too ashamed of myself to let anyone know this secret… I have... a daughter… I abandoned.”
“What!” The doctor exclaimed in shock.
“Shhh. Don’t make a commotion.”
“You had a child with him!” He whispered back frantically.
“Yes. I planned to take this secret with me to my grave but… recently… I met my daughter I hadn’t seen once for almost two decades. She was… all grown up. She was even with a boy she seemed fond of.”
“I thought... she’d hate and resent me. That she’d be disgusted and despise me for running away on my own. But… she wasn’t. It turned out she’d always wanted to see me. She wanted nothing more than for her mom and dad to get back together…”
“We talked... about a lot of things. So many things. And… I don’t want to keep running away. Once I’ve finished all my scheduled surgeries, I plan to resign from our hospital. Which is why… I’m sorry. I know you’ve done a lot for me, but I can’t see you the same way you see me.”
“You… had a child... with him… What… have I… done?” He sounded devastated. I thought he’d be furious, but I could hear his deep sense of remorse.
“What... are you talking about?”
“Why didn’t you tell me! Weren’t the three of us close friends?”
“It was hard for us to tell you back then… and after I ran away... I felt so ashamed of myself I couldn’t bring myself to tell anyone about the daughter I ran away from.”
“If I knew… I w-wouldn’t have…”
“You wouldn’t have what?”
“Haaaaaaaaaah…” it was the longest despairing sigh I’d ever heard. “Aurelia… the truth is… I was going to… tell you everything today. It’s… already over for me… Aurelia. Over…”
“Tell me what? What do you mean it’s over for you?”
“About what happened. About me. About my family business. Everything… is my fault. Everything… It’s all... my fault.” Those were the words of a man drowning in sorrow and regret.
“What’s your fault?”
His hushed words, voice cracking hysterically, “Everything, Aurelia! Everything! I... betrayed my best friend just to keep you close. I destroyed his life and tore apart everyone in his family. For you. For the family business.”
“What the hell are you talking about? You had nothing to do with why I ran away. The one who ruined everything was me.”
“Aurelia… I’ve been hiding many things from you. The disasters that befell his farm had nothing to do with you. I was the one who organized everything. It was all part of my plan to get you two to split up and have you return to the city by my side.”
“Why… would you-”
“Part of it was the young me blinded by love, the other was for my family’s business. Ever since... I was young... I was expected by my family to become a surgeon, but... I didn’t have the ability. My hands... always trembled uncontrollably at the sight of blood.”
“You... were different though. You didn’t bat an eye at grotesque scenes. Your eyes were always tranquil, composed. You always looked unphased by everything. You were awful when it came to large machinery, but when it came to fine precision tools, I saw your true potential. You had the steady unwavering hands required of a surgeon. You were the perfect candidate. Rather than squandering your ability on things you weren’t good at on a farm, you should use it where it had value. Those were my earnest thoughts. Only I could provide you with the opportunity to flourish and blossom. He couldn’t put your talents to good use.”
“You spaced out a lot, you didn’t question things too deeply. You were an airhead. If it was you, I didn’t have to worry about anything. As long as I had you, I could take over the family business without worry. You wouldn’t question the origin of the organs.”
“The origin of the organs? You mean…”
“They’re all… illegally harvested and imported from overseas. Certain groups of ethnic minorities are butchered and their organs are forcefully taken. My family has a long history and deep connections with that country and their organization.”
“Why… are you revealing all this to me now?”
“I said it before, didn’t I? It’s already over for me.”
“What do you mean it’s over for you?”
“A few days ago… two trespassers broke into the facility where we kept everything stored. I don’t know who they were but I’m sure the police are involved. It’s only a matter of time before I’m caught.”
“If that’s the case, why would you meet with me instead of running away?”
“Run away? Haha. To where? Nowhere’s safe for me. Even if I run away... I’ll… be killed.”
“You’ll be killed by who?”
“Who does not matter, you need not know. All you need to know is that the people I deal with are very dangerous. Because I know too much, I’ll be disposed of soon enough.”
“What’s the point in telling me all this?”
“This is… the only way I can… no… never mind.”
Can what? Escape? Survive? I don’t get it. What is he trying to accomplish here? Why is he talking just loud enough for us to hear everything? What is his objective in all of this?
“Was everything… you said in the past a lie?”
“I love you. That’s not a lie.”
“Not that! The children. Were you just trying to make yourself look good?”
“That… was not a lie. It wasn’t to make myself look good. Aurelia, I’ve never once enjoyed partaking in my family’s business. I do it out of my own guilty conscience. Even if I don’t partake in this business, those organs are still going to be forcefully harvested and used. By squeezing out large sums of money from rich people in need of organs, I was able to supply children who weren’t so fortunate who needed them.”
“However, I’m no saint, I’ve dirtied my hands many times, too many to count. I’ve even used these organs as leverage to get the things I desire. Even the time with you.”
“With me? When?”
“When do you think? Remember how things went awry with the suppliers on the farm?”
“Yeah…”
“A big farming supplier’s CEO had a young daughter in urgent need of multiple organs after an accident. The waiting list was too long for the organs required to save her life. I took that opportunity to blackmail him. If he cooperated with me... I’d save his daughter by supplying the organs she needed. If he didn’t… I’d let her die. Naturally... he had no other choice than to agree.”
Slap!
I didn’t see it directly, but I saw the tall shadow of Aurellia on the back wall cast by the light from the movie playing. She was standing up in front of him. Her arm swung from right to left.
I heard it loud and clear, crisp, and distinct. Not just me... everyone in the movie theater heard it. That resounding slap to the face in the middle of the movie. There was no covering it up.
Aurelia had heard enough and couldn’t hold it back.
To even listen up to this point and remain her composure was already impressive.
“You… idiot… why? I trusted you… all these years… just to be... told this?”
“I’m… sorry.”
“Sorry doesn’t do anything! If it was going to be like this, you shouldn’t have told me anything!”
“But I had to…”
“Why!”
“Because… ss uh oee a oo o ect uh eron I uv.”
It’s the only way to protect the person I love.
His whisper was so low I almost couldn’t make out his words. It seemed he didn’t want anyone to hear them.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Her shadow moved as her arms flailed about.
Aurelia was silent, not knowing what to say. All she could do was throw weak, frustrated pained punches at the doctor.
I stopped the recording and put my phone back in my pocket. I’d gotten his confession for just about everything.
It was best for us to get out of here now.