The Truth They Lied About
When 29-year-old Lila dies in her sleep from a preventable illness, her parents are left reeling. Not just from grief, but from the shocking discovery that they never truly knew her as their daughter.
The Truth They Lied About is a profound, emotionally charged novel that uncovers the invisible battles of a young woman named Lila, a beloved daughter, dutiful citizen, and silent sufferer, who dies in her sleep from aspiration pneumonia, a condition linked to her long-ignored health and a deeper, unseen despair.
To her conservative, domineering father, Lila was a model daughter who was obedient, reserved, and homebound. At her funeral, strangers arrive claiming to be her friends, and condolence messages coming from unfamiliar colleagues and company they never heard of. All because Lila has lived a life she never spoke of. Her father is forced to confront the fact he had refused to see. Lila had led a double life with so many divided realities. Behind the faade, she was a dedicated Customer Support, a seeker, a quiet rebel. She worked remotely, rented a hidden flat, and cultivated secret relationships with people, constructing an identity her family never truly knew.
Her scarred childhood, shaped by emotionally distant parents and incompetent nannies, left her longing for stability and self-definition. As a child, she often lied to her schoolmates just to sound normal. One of her earlier friends who caught her in a spinning web of lies was Phairoj.
Growing up, she was bruised by a close friend, Decha, a kind, aspiring doctor who left her behind to chase his career in a bigger city, even though they could have a future together if things remain the same for a while.
During her years in university, she was also betrayed by a peer, named Siree, who mocked her for being poor just because she could not afford to have her own resource to support her college assignment. Finally, a pivotal turning point comes when she meets a girl, called Ploy, who lives boldly in her own flat, showing Lila what independence could look like.
Despite her fractured identities she had been dealing with throughout her life, Lila finds moments of refuge in the voice of a kind psychologist who lets her tame her feelings rather than reject them, and in a distant colleague from her remote job, Lin, someone she only met once in person but who offered genuine connection throughout deep-talk sessions and Buddhism.
After Lilas death, her mother, once complicit in silence and submission, slowly begins to unravel her daughters hidden world. She begins her own journey through Lilas hidden world for anonymous therapy sessions, a secret rented flat, and long-forgotten dreams.
Visiting Lilas rented flat, she traces the rituals of a life she never truly witnessed, from the desk and drawers arranged with precision, packed bags and suitcases in case of running away, and other little symbols of autonomy and pain. In learning the truth, her mother doesnt just mourn. She begins to remember and honor the real daughter she has no idea of.
Told through pieces of memories, posthumous revelations, and searing inner monologues, The Truth They Lied About is a multi-generational tale of emotional inheritance, justified rebellion, and the suffocating cost of living a life edited for approval. This is a novel for anyone who has ever been asked to shrink themselves for love, and who dares to imagine a life beyond the heartbreak.
laelanfadHer name is Lila. She passed away on an ordinary Friday. She died in her sleep and was found by her mother, who checked on her early that morning. Typically, she would respond with a slight but audible hum whenever someone knocked on her door. Other times, her mom would have to enter the room and call out, and Lila would reply with a grumble, "Yeah, yeah, I’m already awake."
Lila did not like being disturbed when she was asleep. Who does?
She had this odd superpower of waking up just two to five minutes before her alarm. She hated the sound of alarms, but they were still useful on important days. On regular mornings, she would wake up just enough to check the time and plan her day. So when her mom called out that day, she should have heard it. It should have been a gentle tap, a light push.
But that day, her body had to be shaken, hard, just to get a response.
It was too late. She had already turned blue.
Her face was pale. An eerie contrast to her usual golden-brown skin. Her hands and feet were cold, something Lila could not stand. Would she have sensed a slight chill the night before, her bedtime routine would include cajuput oil and socks to keep her warm.
It was beyond shocking for her parents, but they had to pull themselves together. It feels like her mother still could have saved her.
“Buriram Centre. What is your emergency?”
“My daughter... I think she needs help.” Her mother’s voice trembled.
“What is the address of your emergency?”
“I’m at Huai Rat.”
“Okay, ma’am. Can you explain the situation?”
“She’s not waking up. I’ve tried calling her multiple times.”
“All right. We need you to stay on the line. Is your daughter still breathing?”
“I... I can’t tell. Her lips are turning blue. Purplish.”
The call was made around three in the morning. Lila was pronounced dead shortly after the medical team arrived. Cause of death: aspiration pneumonia.
Acid reflux was found in her throat. Doctors found no signs of foul play, but Lila had a history of severe gastrointestinal disease. At times, she struggled to sleep through the night when her symptoms flared. Skipping meals made it worse.
Thursday night, one day before her death, it rained hard, making it nearly impossible to go out. Lila did not eat. The power went out just as she tried to heat leftovers, so she grabbed a snack and went to bed early, trying to ignore the hunger.
Her parents could not make sense of it. It usually took more than a skipped dinner to trigger a serious relapse. Her father, especially, was full of questions. Her mother was quiet, still unable to accept the truth.
“The stomach acid likely traveled up into her throat and larynx," The doctor explained gently. “She inhaled it in her sleep. This can lead to a fatal condition, especially when the person has an existing medical issue. Is there a trigger for this condition?”
“Lila didn’t eat dinner." Her mother said softly.
“A single episode wouldn’t normally be fatal. Was anything else going on?”
“She was stressed from work. I saw her crying last night, but... I didn’t think much of it.”
“Did she talk to you about work often, or about how it made her feel?”
Her mother hesitated. “I... I can’t say.”
“You don’t know how many times?”
“I don’t know what she felt. She never told me.”
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