The Silent Witness Chapter 6

Lily's love for me was real.

Her desire to marry me was real too.

In fact, she'd been the one to propose.

It was last summer, during our trip to a small town nearby.

One evening, we were walking along the river. She crouched down in the grass and picked a foxtail, clumsily twisting it into a ring shape before holding it out to me.

"Jason, pretend this is a ring. Help me put it on, okay? In this life, I only want to be your wife."

I'd stood there stunned for a long moment before smiling and slipping the ring onto her finger.

That night was also our first time together.

There was nothing dramatic about it—just her squeezing my hand and whispering "I love you" over and over in my ear.

So now, seeing her like this, those memories came flooding back. My nose stung with unshed tears.

Mrs. Reed saw Lily still defending me and rushed over in a panic, pulling her away.

"Lily! Stop being foolish! He did this to you—how can you still defend him?"

The doctor supporting Lily's shoulder turned to the police and the crowd to explain. "Officers, Lily's current state might be a form of post-traumatic stress response."

"Some victims, after experiencing trauma, develop a psychological dependence on their abuser. They can even mistake it for love."

"What she's saying right now doesn't represent her true feelings."

When Mr. Reed heard the doctor's explanation, his rage intensified.

He charged at me, pointing and shouting.

"Jason, you animal! Your phone is full of explicit photos of Lily!"

"You used those photos to blackmail her, to force her into a relationship with you, didn't you?"

Now the crowd finally understood what had been on my phone.

The verbal abuse crashed over me like a wave.

"I knew he was scum! Using photos to blackmail Lily!"

"Disgusting. Someone like him should be beaten to death!"

"Why haven't the police arrested him yet? Are they just going to let him keep hurting people?"

Soon, someone picked up a rock from the ground and threw it at me.

More people surrounded me, fists and feet flying once again.

The police tried to intervene but were pushed aside by the crowd.

And very quickly, they just stood there frowning, making no real effort to stop it.

Perhaps they thought I deserved it too.

But just when I thought I might actually die, someone threw themselves over me, holding me tight.

It was Lily.

"Stop! Please stop hitting him!"

Seeing her like that, the crowd finally backed off.

Lily lifted her head. Her face was covered in tears and my blood.

"I really do love him. It's not post-traumatic stress! Those photos aren't what you think they are!"

She paused, taking a deep breath, as if steeling herself for something enormous.

"And the person who attacked me... it wasn't him!"

The words hung in the air.

Complete silence.

Everyone stared at Lily in shock.

Mrs. Reed grabbed Lily's arm, her voice shaking. "Lily, what are you saying? You know who it was?"

Lily didn't answer her mother. Instead, she turned to look at me, her eyes full of guilt.

"Jason, I'm sorry. I couldn't remember before, and you suffered so much because of it."

"But I really do remember now!"