35. I messed it up all #2
I didn't know why.
Maybe because Adrian had always spoken badly about me in front of him, so perhaps, in his mind, I was the villain of his friend's story.
Nevertheless, I replied curtly,
"I have no idea where he is. Earlier, he was outside."
He nodded.
"Oh... okay. Then he might be coming."
After a brief pause, he asked,
"By the way... when will Lily be discharged? What did the doctor say?"
I sighed remembering what doctor told us.
"Not anytime soon. The doctor is going to run a few more tests."
I hesitated before continuing.
"He says Lily might have Dissociative Amnesia."
Evan's face instantly turned pale.
"Amnesia?"
His voice rose in shock.
"If I'm not wrong... that's when a person forgets everything. That means Lily forgot everything?"
The disbelief on his face was unmistakable.
Just then-
"WHAT??!!"
A loud voice came from the doorway.
It was June.
I hadn't even realized when she had entered.
Apparently, she had only heard Evan's last sentence.
She rushed towards me.
"Sophia!! Why didn't you tell me?"
She looked horrified.
"Lily forgot everything? Like... everything? You? Me? And... and..."
She paused dramatically before pointing at herself.
"Me and you leave... the other unnecessary people."
Despite everything, I almost smiled.
"Calm down, June. Lily hasn't forgotten us. And she hasn't forgotten everything."
She immediately pointed at Evan.
"But he just said Lily forgot everything!"
Before I could answer, Evan quickly defended himself.
"Sophia, you only said that the doctor told you Lily has amnesia."
I rubbed my forehead.
"Can both of you calm down first?"
They looked at me.
"The doctor said Lily might have Dissociative Amnesia."
I deliberately emphasized the word Dissociative.
June frowned and again interrupted.
"What does that even mean?"
I let out a tired huff.
"Can you just let me finish first... quietly?"
She immediately nodded.
"Yes, yes. Continue."
So I explained everything.
How Lily had woken up in the morning.
How she had forgotten the kidnapping completely.
How the doctor believed the trauma had caused her brain to block that memory.
And how they still needed to conduct several tests before confirming the diagnosis.
By the time I finished, both June and Evan had gone completely silent.
Evan finally spoke.
His expression was serious.
"Even then... it's still a serious condition."
He looked at Lily.
"She's too small to go through something like this."
June folded her arms.
"All thanks to your best friend."
Her tone was clipped and cold.
Evan looked down before speaking quietly.
"I know."
He sighed.
"Vanessa... was Adrian's mistake."
Then he looked at me.
"And the way he treated you, Sophia... it was wrong."
"Very wrong."
"But..."
He paused.
"Trust me... he never wanted anything bad to happen to Lily."
"He always wanted the best for her."
"Everything."
"From a phone... to a doll... even a simple pencil."
"I've personally seen him spend hours choosing just one school bag for her."
I looked straight at him and said.
"Yes."
"You're right."
"Your friend literally wanted the very best for his daughter."
My voice dripped with sarcasm.
"That's exactly why he decided to get the best mother for her too."
"That's why he told Lily that Vanessa was just like her mother."
A bitter smile appeared on my lips.
"But I genuinely have one question."
"You just said he spent hours checking whether the things he bought for Lily were good enough."
I held his gaze.
"So..."
"Didn't he check Vanessa too?"
"Didn't he ever bother finding out what kind of person she really was before making her a part of Lily's life?"
Evan's face fell.
"Sophia... that's not what I meant."
"I agree."
"What he did to you was wrong."
"Very wrong."
"But I'm just saying..."
"He never wanted anything bad for Lily."
"He genuinely loved her."
I didn't have the strength to argue anymore.
He had no idea what I had lived through.
Nor did he know what Lily had suffered because of those choices.
So I simply nodded.
"Yeah..."
"You're right."
My tone carried enough sarcasm for everyone in the room to understand that I didn't believe a single word.
June then spoke up.
"By the way, Sophia."
"I brought your clothes."
She handed me a bag before rummaging through her handbag.
A moment later, she took out two envelopes and placed them in my hands.
"They came in your name."
I looked at them in confusion.
"Mine?"
She nodded excitedly.
"Yes."
"They're from the companies where you gave interviews."
"They might be your offer letters."
My heartbeat instantly quickened.
Without wasting another second, I tore open the first envelope.
Then the second.
My eyes rapidly scanned the pages.
For a few seconds...
I couldn't even believe what I was reading.
I had been selected.
In both companies.
My vision blurred as tears filled my eyes.
Finally...
Finally, I was going to become financially independent. Finally I can take care of my daughter myself.