No. This couldn’t happen. Her future couldn’t be destroyed over this.

Lise forced a shaky smile, her tone shifting rapidly. “Katelyn, it was just a joke! How could you think I’d ever want to kill you? I’d never do something so reckless.” Her expression flipped from fear to a forced cheerfulness, desperation leaking through every word.

But Katelyn didn’t respond. Instead, she turned her gaze to Neil, her expression unreadable. She wanted to see how deep his loyalty to Lise truly ran.

Even now, after witnessing Lise’s true colors, would Neil still believe in her? His face was dark and conflicted. Lise had always been the picture of sweetness and innocence in his eyes—the girl who never complained, no matter the circumstances. But now, that illusion was slipping away.

Even with the evidence right in front of him, he didn’t want to believe it.

“Lise, tell me this isn’t true. Did you actually—”

“No! Of course not!” Lise interrupted, her voice shaking as her earlier confidence crumbled. “Why would I do something so awful? Don’t you trust me, Neil?”

Katelyn remained silent, her eyes fixed on the unfolding scene. Regaining enough strength, she reached for the emergency call button.

The doctor and nurses hurried in moments later, relief flashing across their faces. “Miss Bailey, you’re finally awake.”

Katelyn spoke with a hoarse, weary voice. “This woman just tried to kill me. There’s evidence. Please, call the police.” Follow current nov?ls on Find1Novel.net

“No!” Lise’s eyes widened in panic, her voice breaking. “I told you—it was a joke! Can’t you take a joke?”

“A joke?” Katelyn’s tone was calm but laced with exhaustion. “Attempted murder isn’t a joke. Or if you truly believe it is, explain that to the police.”

g?ν. –

The doctor’s eyes widened at the severity of Katelyn’s words and wasted no time alerting the authorities. Within minutes, the police arrived, escorting Lise out in handcuffs.

As they led her away, Lise struggled, desperately turning to Neil with tear-filled eyes. “Neil! Please! You have to trust me!”

“Neil, please, you’ve got to believe me! Katelyn did this on purpose to frame me! Neil…” Lise’s voice cracked, trembling with desperation.

Neil remained silent, his fists clenched, as he watched the police lead Lise away.

If any of what had just unfolded was real, then everything about this woman he thought he knew—Lise—had only been an illusion all along. Did he even know her at all? What did that mean for her love for him if all of it had been a lie? Had that been nothing but a deception too?

Katelyn’s eyes sparkled with a taunting glint, as if she could sense Neil’s every thought. With a sharp tone, she said, “Now do you get why your grandma always told you that you’ve got a problem with your eyes? You can’t even see people for who they truly are. Neil, if nothing else, this whole mess should show you that you’ve been mistaken from the very beginning!”

.

.

.