Chapter 276:
Kristian stood, confused by her abrupt accusation.
“If you no longer trust me, then it’s best I leave,” Ashley declared, her tone resolute and defiant.
She began to pack her belongings, her movements deliberate and indifferent, as if preparing to sever ties without a backward glance.
Throughout the process, Ashley’s demeanor echoed that of someone whose heart had been shattered, utterly disillusioned by a lover’s betrayal.
Kristian advanced toward her room, pausing at the doorway to pose a chilling inquiry. “You’ve yet to explain why you deceived me and returned. What was your real motive?”
“If you harbor doubts about my sincerity, why bother asking?” Ashley’s response came after a brief hesitation, her voice lowering. “Regardless of my explanations, you’ll suspect they’re lies, right?”
This straightforward remark caused Kristian’s eyebrows to knit together slightly, his grip on the phone intensifying.
He reflected on Freya’s words.
“Do you extend your trust to everyone but me?”
“Believe it or not, I’m innocent of those accusations.”
Her voice, delivering these denials, now mirrored Ashley’s current tone. How had he responded to her? His replies had been dismissive. “I don’t trust a single word you utter or any evidence you present.” He had also said, “Freya, I can’t fathom how I could have misjudged you so terribly.”
Kristian dwelled on these memories, his feelings swirling in turmoil.
Ashley had achieved the exact reaction she desired.
From the recent developments, it dawned on Kristian that he might have inadvertently harbored feelings for Freya. Only she had the power to unsettle him so profoundly.
𝓒𝒉𝒆𝓬𝓀 𝓮𝓭𝓲𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷 𝓳𝓾𝓼𝓽 𝒉𝓮𝓻𝑒: 𝓰𝓪𝗅𝗇𝗈ν𝖊𝗅𝓈.𝓬𝑜𝓂
Ashley could no longer maintain her charade, and Kristian would surely reject marriage now.
Her only recourse was to depart before he completely uncovered her deception. Perhaps then, a faint glimmer of hope might exist if their paths crossed again someday.
“I’m leaving.” Ashley finished gathering her possessions and, brushing past Kristian, murmured, “Believe it or not, I’ve never actually lied to you.”
With those words hanging in the air, she turned to go.
Just as she reached the threshold, Kristian’s voice halted her retreat.
“Wait.”
“Anything else?” she asked, her back still turned.
“Who helped you falsify the hospital records?”
“My cousin.” Ashley had rehearsed this explanation meticulously. “He works at that facility. I didn’t want my friends agonizing over my health, so I asked him to create a fabricated version for me.”
Kristian’s gaze bored into her. He found her explanation utterly implausible.
Yet when he reflected on her earlier words, Freya’s image materialized unbidden in his mind.
“I underwent surgery at a different hospital three months ago, but due to exceptional circumstances, that institution maintains no record of my stay.” Ashley displayed more conviction in this performance. “The Evergreen Hospital, from May 3rd through June 7th. Feel free to verify it. As for why I returned to you, my reasons remain unchanged from before.”
Having addressed his question, Ashley wiped away a nonexistent tear, her eyes remaining dry.
Kristian struggled to identify his emotional state.
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