The Silent Witness Chapter 4

Everyone turned to look.

I slowly turned around and saw Lily standing behind me, accompanied by family members and a doctor from the hospital.

She'd lost so much weight. Her cheeks were sunken, making her eyes look huge—but they'd lost their former brightness. Dark circles ringed them.

The oversized hospital gown hung off her frame like she might collapse at any moment.

It was heartbreaking to see.

Mrs. Reed saw Lily and immediately ran over, crying, pulling her into an embrace.

But Lily just stared at me. Tears filled her eyes and began streaming down her face.

Her voice was barely a whisper.

"Jason, I loved you so much. I was so good to you. Why would you say those things about me? Why would you call me filthy?"

Looking at her like that, something lodged itself in my chest. I couldn't speak.

I wanted to turn and walk away, but my feet felt nailed to the ground.

When I didn't respond, Lily cried harder.

"That night, someone dragged me into the alley. I saw you—I thought you'd come save me. But you didn't!"

She paused, wiping her tears, her voice breaking with despair. "And I saw you... I saw you recording it on your phone!"

"Jason, you have evidence on your phone. Why won't you admit it?"

Her words hit like a thunderclap.

"Jason, you'd better hand over that phone right now!"

"Lily's condition is that bad and she can still remember details? You still want to deny it?"

"I bet he did it on purpose—he's got the video but won't say anything because he's protecting whoever did it!"

I clenched my jaw, staring at Lily. Finally, I forced the words out. "She's talking nonsense! She's mentally unstable. You can't believe what she says."

But the doctor who'd accompanied her immediately spoke up.

"Lily has intermittent mental instability. She's not completely incoherent."

"When she's lucid, her logic and memory are both normal. What she just said has a high degree of credibility."

The doctor's words completely undermined my excuse.

Mr. Reed charged at me, trying to grab my phone. "Jason! Give me that phone!"

I instinctively stepped back, shoving him away.

Lily's relatives immediately surrounded me, their eyes full of fury.

"If we don't teach him a lesson today, we'll be failing Lily!"

Someone's fist connected with my face. My nose exploded with heat, blood gushing out.

"Hit him! Make him talk!"

"A monster like this deserves everything he gets!"

More and more people closed in. Fists and feet rained down on me.

I wrapped my arms around my head and curled up on the ground. Everything hurt. It felt like my bones were breaking.

Blood kept pouring from my nose, filling my mouth with a bitter, metallic taste.

I tried to cry out, but someone kicked me in the stomach. The pain stole my breath. All I could manage were muffled groans.

Blood pooled on the ground around me. My consciousness began to fade.

Eventually, Mr. Reed managed to grab my phone.

He forced my finger against the screen to unlock it.

But as soon as he saw what was inside, he froze.

His face went completely white.