Chapter 4

Seven days later, despite the doctor's protests, I was dead-set on leaving the hospital. Grace's ashes had lingered in our home, awaiting proper burial.

After all, Grace had passed with so many unfulfilled wishes. It would be a tragedy if I, her daughter, couldn't see to her final rest.

Rolling out of the elevator in my wheelchair, I caught sight of the half-open door.

Instantly, a chill of unease ran down my spine.

I rushed inside in my wheelchair, only to find the whole place trashed, like someone had broken in and turned everything upside down.

But the real nightmare? The urn I'd left on the table—Grace's ashes—was just gone.

It hit me like a punch in the gut.

I scoured the entire house, but it was nowhere to be found.

If it was a burglary, why skip the cash in the nightstand and go for the ashes?

Thieves were supposed to be freaked out by stuff like this, weren't they?

Unless it was someone who really had it out for my mom.

However, given her kind and gentle nature, she'd never made any enemies. The only suspects were Henry and his lover. They'd always resented my mother and me, and maybe they took the ashes out of spite since they couldn't find evidence against me.

With a sliver of hope, I dug through the trash cans downstairs.

In the backmost one, I spotted the familiar urn.

But inside, it was already empty.

The fine ashes were scattered on the ground, the trash bags, mixed with all the junk. No matter how carefully I gathered them up, there just wasn't as much as before.

I clenched my fists, fury boiling inside me.

I roared, "Henry, you can question me, look into me all you want. But why be so damn cruel to my only family?

"Even at the very end, Mom still pined for you.

"Was her love really something you despised so much?

"If your whole family wants to push Mom and me out, then don't blame us for making your lives miserable."

Clutching Grace's ashes, I stormed into the biggest news station in Riverside City.

"I'm here to blow the whistle on Henry Lawson, the chairman of Carter Group. He's been abusing his power. He strong-armed Riverside City High into taking in Sophia Hughes, a lousy student, into the top class. And on top of that, he cheated on his wife, dumped his family, and shacked up with his lover, Rebecca Hughes!"

After blowing the whistle, I marched into the police department, clutching Grace's ashes.

I yelled, my voice trembling with anger, "I'm here to report a crime!

"Henry Lawson from Carter Group hired a ringer for Sophia's SAT exam at Riverside City High! And that's not all—he paid thugs to kidnap me, and they hurt me so badly that I'm now crippled!"

That evening, Henry and Rebecca started banging on my door like they were about to break it down.

I opened the door and stared them down through the security door.

Henry jumped in first, his voice thunderous. "Emily, you actually reported me to the police?

"You ungrateful brat! All those years I put you through school, and this is how you repay me? If I hadn't given birth to you and raised you, you wouldn't even have this life!

"Most kids at that high school are just street punks or waiting to grab a diploma and slog away on a factory line. And you managed to get into Northbridge University? Of course people would be suspicious! I'm just making sure, so when the shit hits the fan, it doesn't land on me!" he snapped.