Chapter 16 Travis paced outside the hospital room, checking the time for the third time in ten minutes. Across from him, Van leaned against the wall, arms crossed, eyes scanning the corridor where nurses and patients slowly passed by. The smell of disinfectant clung heavily to the air. "Why won't she let us in?" Van muttered, annoyed. "She said she's tired from the chemo," Travis replied, but the hesitation in his voice was evident. Van scoffed and pointed his chin toward a young woman being wheeled down the hallway, her head completely bald, her skin pale, and a beanie covering what was left of her scalp. "That woman's just come out of treatment and she looks like death. And look at the others-some of them can barely walk. But Vanessa? She's glowing. Eating. Not even a hair out of place." Travis sighed. "Don't start." "I'm not saying anything," Van mumbled, though his jaw clenched. "It just… doesn't make sense." "She's our sister," Travis said again, but it sounded like a question now. Just then, Vanessa's nurse stepped out of the room. Travis stood up quickly. "Can we see he now?" The nurse shook her head. "She's still resting." Van rolled his eyes. "Still? She's been resting since we got here." Inside, Vanessa was lounging comfortably on her hospital bed, propped up by fluffy pillows. She wasn't tired-not even close. But the more she acted weak, the more attention she got, and that was exactly what she wanted. She picked up her phone and dialed Troy for the fifth time that day. Straight to voicemail again. "Where are you?" she whispered dramatically, blinking back fake tears. "Why aren't you answering me?" She waited a second longer before pressing the red button. Then, she called Travis. "Travis," she sobbed the moment he answered. "He's not answering… Troy's not answering his phone. I feel like I'm dying, and he doesn't even care…" "Calm down," Travis said quickly, already standing. "We'll find him." "Yes!" she cried louder, making sure the nurse heard. "Please find him. Tell him… tell him I'm scared. I'm sick… I just want him with me." "We'll handle it," Travis promised before hanging up. Van stood as well, shaking his head. "Let's go. If Troy's not answering, we'll make him answer." Within the hour, the two brothers stormed into Troy's home, expecting to find him lounging or ignoring calls. Instead, they found him throwing things into cardboard boxes. Vanessa's bags. Her makeup. Her shoes. Her framed photos. "What the hell are you doing?" Travis demanded. Troy didn't even flinch. "Packing." Van crossed the room in three long strides. "Are you throwing out Vanessa's things?!" "Yeah," Troy said, tossing another perfume bottle in the trash. "You should ask your sister why." "What the hell does that mean?" Travis shouted. Troy turned slowly, calm but cold. He picked up an envelope from the kitchen counter and held it out. "Read it." Travis yanked it from his hand. Photos spilled out. Vanessa-on a yacht, laughing in the arms of another man. Receipts. Hotel check-ins. Screenshots of text messages. A medical document stamped with a red mark: No signs of cancer. Patient not under treatment protocol. "What the fuck is this?" Van whispered. "She cheated," Troy said quietly. "Five years ago. That's why she ran. And now? She's faking everything-her illness, her emotions. All of it. She fooled you. She tried to fool me again." Travis's mouth opened, but no words came. Troy's voice cracked just a little. "I spoke to her doctor. The real one. I cornered him. He admitted they were paid to lie." "No…" Van shook his head, eyes darting from photo to photo. "Yes," Troy said firmly. "And I'm done. She's not sick. She never was. And if either of you believe her after this, then maybe you've been fooled too." stil Travis finally looked up from the photos, his brows drawn low in disbelief. The weight of the truth began pressing down on him. "We need to talk to her," he muttered. Van clenched his jaw, snapping the envelope closed. "If this isn't true… if there's even a sliver of a chance that you're lying-" he pointed at Troy, voice sharp- "then we won't let this slide. You understand that, right? If this turns out to be just another way to hurt her…" 'You'll make me pay?" Troy asked bitterly, cutting him off. "Fine. But ask yourselves-when has Vanessa ever told the full truth?" Neither brother answered. But the silence that followed wasn't defensive. It was uncertain. For a moment, they all stood still. Then, Travis exhaled sharply and rubbed the back of his neck. His tone lowered, more pained. 'You know what's crazy? I kept asking myself why this all felt familiar. The lying. The manipulation. The guilt-tripping…" Van didn't respond, but his gaze had shifted-softened. "….Taylor, Travis whispered. "She used to say things. Little things we ignored." Memories rushed in uninvited-Taylor's quiet eyes, her stifled voice whenever she was blamed for something Vanessa did. Her trying to defend herself, only to be shut down every time. Van swallowed hard. "She always said Vanessa twisted things. That she was tired of fighting just to be seen." "And we never believed her," Travis said quietly, his voice tinged with regret. "We always thought she was being dramatic. That Vanessa was just misunderstood." Troy leaned against the wall, his voice low. "Taylor never lied. She just stopped trying." A silence stretched between them-thick, uneasy, full of guilt. Then Van straightened, his voice harder now. "Let's go. We'll ask Vanessa face to face. And if this-" he held up the envelope, "-if this turns out to be the truth…" Travis nodded grimly. "Then we owe Taylor the apology of a lifetime." Back at the hospital, Vanessa was sipping soup and scrolling on her phone, waiting for more messages of sympathy. She was starting to think of another lie-maybe fainting next time? Collapsing would really seal the drama. Then a nurse came in, and Vanessa snapped her fingers. "Tell anyone who asks that I'm weak okay? Say I need full rest. That I can't be stressed. That any kind of emotional burden might push me over the edge." The nurse blinked. "Excuse me?" "I'm serious," Vanessa hissed. "Say I need full attention. No more talk of Taylor. I'm the one in the hospital bed. Not her. She's gone. I'm the one they should care about. If I have to fake this until die, then so be it!" She didn't notice the door opening behind her. She didn't notice the sharp intake of breath. Not until Travis's voice cut through the air, cold and quiet. "So it's true?" Jan was beside him, frozen. Vanessa spun around, face drained of color. "You faked it?" Travis asked, stepping into the room. Jan slammed the folder on the table beside her. "All of it? The sickness? The lies?" Vanessa opened her mouth. But this time, no words came out.