When Love is a Question Mark
Chapter 277: Truths That Haunt

Chapter 277: Truths That Haunt

Samuel and Zinnia were the first to enter the house. Lily and Timmy followed closely, their expressions serious. Everyone took their seats, the atmosphere thick with unspoken tension.

Zinnia’s eyes darted to each of them, sensing the weight of the conversation that was about to unfold. Samuel cleared his throat, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. His gaze never quite met hers, and Zinnia’s heart skipped a beat.

"I think it’s time I tell you everything," Samuel began, his voice low and hesitant. "About the man who looks like James... and what really happened."

Zinnia’s breath hitched. She’d suspected something for a while, especially after realizing the shoes Samuel was wearing were exactly the same as James’s. But hearing Samuel’s voice crack through the silence made her stomach churn.

"I’m sorry, Zia," Samuel continued, his voice quiet. "I pretended to be James. I was the one beside you during those times at the hospital."

Zinnia’s eyes widened in shock. Her thoughts scrambled as she tried to process the truth. The realization hit her like a wave, but it only left her more confused. "But... but how? The way you acted... how you saved me from being hit by the car, how you called my name after you woke up. Your every move—it felt like you were James. It was like... it was really him."

Samuel then told Zinnia about their discovery—that the man who looked like James was called No. 13—and about the plan to impersonate James for the missions. He explained how he ended up pretending to be James, taking No. 13’s place in the process.

Samuel flinched, unable to meet her eyes. "I’m sorry," he repeated. "I never meant to lie to you. But I couldn’t tell you the truth back then. I was afraid... I thought they might harm you if they realized I was just pretending."

Zinnia swallowed hard, her mind racing. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. "It’s okay, Sam," she said, her voice shaky but determined. "I understand. What happened next?"

Samuel took a deep breath before continuing. He seemed to gather his thoughts, then began explaining the series of events that led them to this point.

"After discovering the truth about the man who looks like James, things got out of hand at Lucas Realty Group," Samuel said, his voice tense. "Bart and Billy were forced to create chaos. Someone had them spread rumors—accusations of mismanagement, financial discrepancies, and even an internal coup within the company. My name was dragged through every headline. I was painted as the culprit for it all."

He paused for a moment, running a hand through his hair. "I was forced to step down from my position as chairman. It made it seem like I was guilty of the crimes, and that validated everything they were accusing me of."

Zinnia felt her chest tighten as she processed the words. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. "So, you weren’t really in control during that time?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"No," Samuel replied, shaking his head. "I wasn’t in control. I was pretending to be James. It was the only way to stay close to you, to make sure you weren’t in danger, while all of this was happening."

Zinnia’s mind swirled with confusion. Samuel had been pretending to be someone else during one of the most chaotic times in the company’s history. How had everything gotten so complicated?

"By the time I was pretending to be James, the damage was already done," Samuel continued. "The investors pulled out. We couldn’t keep Lucas Realty Group afloat after that. People were already talking about shutting it down, and it looked like I was the reason."

Timmy and Lily shared bits of crucial information while Zinnia sat, absorbing everything. It felt as though her mind was struggling to keep up with the overwhelming flood of details. As they spoke, she realized she had been the only one kept in the dark, and the truth was more shocking than she could have ever imagined.

Lily spoke up first, her voice calm but serious. "We traced everything back to Frank Hale. He’s been orchestrating everything from behind the scenes. We never thought he’d be capable of something so twisted."

Zinnia’s heart skipped a beat as she listened, unable to fully comprehend what she was hearing.

Timmy continued, his voice steady but filled with concern. "Frank wasn’t just after the company or the fortune. We found out that he was connected to James’s mother. He was obsessed with her, but James’s mother chose another man instead of him."

"When we raided Frank’s lab, it was filled with images of James plastered across every wall. Monitors displayed endless loops of video footage showing James in different scenarios—walking, talking, smiling. Instructions were scribbled on whiteboards and walls, detailing how to mimic James’s movements and mannerisms."

Lily then spoke, "He collected anyone who resembled James and experimented on them. It’s not just physical experiments; it’s psychological as well—torture, manipulation, forcing them to act like James. He’s breaking them mentally just to satisfy his own vendetta. He feels oddly satisfied seeing the face of the son of the woman he believed betrayed him, being tortured and living in horror."

Zinnia’s eyes widened in horror as their words sank in. Her breath hitched, and for a moment, it felt like the air had been sucked out of the room.

She couldn’t believe it—how could anyone be so twisted, so utterly cruel? Her trembling hands gripped the edge of the table as her mind raced, trying to process the weight of their revelations. Tears welled up in her eyes, blurring her vision, as an overwhelming sense of despair washed over her.

The thought of James—his memory being desecrated in such a vile way—was unbearable. The man she had loved, cherished, and mourned was being reduced to nothing more than an obsession in someone else’s twisted vendetta.

Her chest ached as the reality hit her harder than she could have imagined: James’s whereabouts remained unknown, and the memories of his return over the past week had all been a lie. It was just Samuel pretending to be James. A single tear rolled down her cheek as she whispered, her voice barely audible, "So... he’s truly gone, and someone is ruining his memory."