He Chose the So-Called Sister Chapter 362: The Lie Exposed

Useless Gilbert!

He had to black out at a time like this.

Julia gritted her teeth.

Selfishly, she didn't want to waste this chance.

Then a head poked over the deck.

Cathy had leaned so far over the edge she could barely see, and finally spotted them.

"Julia! Thank god you're okay!"

Another idiot.

Julia reluctantly dragged Gilbert back toward the boat.

As they left, Sherry said, "Not pretending you can't swim anymore?"

Julia stared at Sherry with pure hatred, as if she wanted to tear her to pieces.

But in the end, she pulled Gilbert away.

When she laid him on the deck, her face shifted right back to that innocent, worried expression—pure and delicate.

A man could fall for that act a hundred times and never catch on.

Even if he did, most men wouldn't care. Women's little games meant nothing to them.

But when she glanced down worriedly, she saw Gilbert wasn't fully unconscious. He was in terrible pain, dazed, but awake.

He'd actually regained consciousness before they reached the boat. His head throbbed too badly to speak, but he was aware.

Now he stared up at Julia, forcing out the words. "You can swim."

Julia froze.

He'd been awake the entire time. He must have figured everything out.

She quickly replayed the moment and relaxed when she realized she hadn't said anything suspicious.

"Yes. I can swim," Julia admitted.

For a split second, disappointment flashed in Gilbert's eyes.

In his mind, Julia was perfect.

And she had lied to him.

Why?

"What if I told you I just wanted to act weak, like other girls... so you'd care for me?"

Her fingertips trembled, as if she was terrified of his judgment.

"Don't I already care for you?" Gilbert snapped. "I gave you everything. The best of everything. Things Sherry could never even dream of."

He'd always told himself Julia was pure and perfect. Now that perfection felt stained.

It felt like a slap in the face—especially with Sherry watching.

Sherry's words echoed in his head, mocking him. He was completely stunned.

He never imagined Julia could actually swim. Everything she'd said when she fell...

Had she only wanted him to save her?

Sherry had clearly been in more danger. And he'd abandoned her without a second thought to save Julia.

If he'd saved someone truly helpless, he could have justified it to Sherry, to himself.

But now...

Julia actually admitted it.

A part of him still wanted to believe there was a good reason.

"But you were still going to leave me," Julia whispered, tears forming in her eyes.

"Can you honestly say you weren't planning to take Sherry back... and push me away? You might say you'd just see me less, but every adult knows what that means.

"You and I would be over. We'd see each other less and less... until we were nothing to each other.

"And if people kept talking, if someone kept trying to tear us apart, you'd be forced to choose between us. And you know I'd never want to put you in that position.

"In the end... we would've just become strangers."

Real tears rolled down her cheeks.

Gilbert had considered something similar, but he never wanted to drift apart from her.

He still had a family, after all.

He shouldn't run around with other women, even if he didn't see the harm in it.

But with Sherry acting the way she was... it might actually happen.

Sherry was getting bolder and more unbearable by the minute.

She'd end up doing exactly what Julia said—cutting them off completely, not even letting them eat a meal together.

She'd destroy everything between them.

"And I really do like acting weak. Strong girls aren't loved by anyone.

"I'm just a girl. I want to be cared for. I want to be cherished. I'm not perfect. I can't be good at everything.

"I can swim, but I'm not very good at it. And I fell backward. I may have exaggerated a little online, but that's all."