Chapter 189 The Truth of That Year

Chapter 189 The Truth of That Year

Hazel was floored by the news, her voice bubbling with excitement. "Are you kidding me? That's amazing! Now we can finally get the truth about the fire from him."

She was genuinely thrilled for Lawrence.

Maybe now, they could uncover the real story behind the death of Lawrence's parents from Garth.

"Want me to come with you?" Hazel asked over the phone.

"Nah, I got this."

Lawrence's refusal didn't dampen Hazel's spirits. "Alright, I'll be waiting for the good news."

Respecting Lawrence's decision, she let him handle it.

"Okay, I'll fill you in once I know more."

Lawrence replied warmly, and as he pulled up to the villa, he said goodbye to Hazel and hung up.

Inside, Jason and Manuel were waiting.

Manuel had lost a noticeable amount of weight recently, looking visibly worn out.

Seeing Lawrence enter, Manuel's eyes lit up immediately. He quickly spoke, "Mr. Johnson, Garth is awake now. You can go see him."

He had worked tirelessly to bring Garth back to consciousness, proving his professional skills.

Lawrence nodded slightly, "Thanks for all your hard work, Dr. Barnett."

Manuel quickly responded, "No trouble at all."

Lawrence had treated him well, providing food and drink, and promised to invest in his own lab if he succeeded in waking Garth. This was a great opportunity for Manuel.

Jason stepped forward and pushed Lawrence's wheelchair into the room where Garth was.

Garth was sitting at a desk, reading a book on psychiatry.

He had cleaned up, shaving his messy hair and beard, and now sported a neat buzz cut, wearing a t-shirt and shorts, looking thin.

Hearing the noise at the door, Garth turned his head.

His gaze paused briefly on Lawrence before returning to a calm expression, as if he had expected Lawrence to come.

"Dr. Barnett said you'd come to see me, Mr. Johnson."

Lawrence hadn't expected Garth to speak first.

"Seems like you know what I'm here to ask."

Garth nodded in response.

"Jason, stand guard at the door."

Lawrence instructed Jason, who nodded and left the room, closing the door behind him.

Now, only Lawrence and Garth were left in the room.

Suddenly, Garth's eyes widened in shock.

"You!"

Lawrence smoothly stood up from the wheelchair, his tall figure adding a sense of pressure to the room, making it feel more confined.

"You can stand?"

Garth's eyes were wide with disbelief.

Since waking up, Garth had tried to learn about the outside world. Lawrence, being a well-known figure, was someone Garth had looked into. He knew that Lawrence had been in a car accident six months ago, leaving him paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair for life.

People often ridiculed Lawrence, insisting that a cripple like him was in no position to handle the Johnson Group.

Lawrence looked down at him coolly, "Looks like you've done your homework. Now, spill everything you know."

Garth felt a wave of intimidation, realizing Lawrence wasn't actually crippled.

With a sigh, Garth nodded, "Ask me anything, Mr. Johnson."

Lawrence sat across from Garth, placing one hand on the table, lightly tapping it.

"Was there anyone else who survived the fire at Elysium Psychiatric Hospital besides you? Who started the fire? And is there any connection between the Johnson Family and Elysium Psychiatric Hospital?"

After asking these questions, Lawrence stared at Garth.

The ticking of the clock on the wall added to the room's oppressive silence.

After a while, Garth finally spoke.

"There might have been one other survivor, but it's just a guess."

Garth paused, seemingly recalling painful memories.

The fire had come suddenly, and when he returned to the place, everything was burnt to ashes.

"What do you mean? Did you see another survivor?"

Lawrence's eyes narrowed, catching the crucial detail in Garth's words.

"Yes, I did."

Garth nodded slowly, "When I returned to Elysium Psychiatric Hospital, I saw the fire. I rushed in to save people but was hit by a beam. Someone saved me, pushing me away. He told me he had hidden something in his old house and asked me to keep it secret. Then, two men came in and killed him. I hid and survived. Later, when they cleared the bodies, one was missing, so I guessed he might still be alive."

Lawrence frowned.

"Didn't they notice you were missing when they counted the bodies?"

Garth explained, "I was just an intern at Elysium Psychiatric Hospital, not yet on the roster or employee system, so they didn't know about me."

"Watching him get killed in front of you, then finding his body missing, and the fire killing everyone else except you, drove you mad, didn't it?"

Lawrence asked, his eyes fixed on Garth, ready to catch any emotional change.

"Yes, I didn't know what happened next until I woke up and Dr. Barnett told me you saved me. If it weren't for you, I'd still be a madman wandering around. Thank you."

Garth's voice carried gratitude, having learned about Lawrence's help from Dr. Barnett.

Lawrence acknowledged with a nod, "Do you know who started the fire?"

"I do."

Garth's face showed hatred, "It was Gerald! Isn't it strange, Mr. Johnson, that the powerful Johnson Family would resort to arson? Elysium Psychiatric Hospital was old and had no surveillance, so even if Gerald ordered the fire, there was no evidence. But he didn't expect someone to survive all these years!"