“No…it can’t be…your mom’s really dead?”
“How…how can she look exactly like her?”
I glared at her.
“Did you think I’d joke about something like
this?”
“Sarah, this is your fault. I’ll never forgive
you.”
Sarah’s knees buckled. A bodyguard caught
her.
Г
“Miss Preston, don’t listen to him. He’s
lying.”
“After you left, I saw that woman get up and leave the island. She’s fine, probably watching this whole show right now. Don’t let him fool you with a fake body!”
I stared at him, stunned. I’d never seen this
man before. He wasn’t there that day.
Sarah, still crying, looked up.
“What? Are you sure?”
The bodyguard nodded firmly.
“I swear, it’s the truth.”
wabter She
wurned to angry laughter
<
Sarah’s tears turned to angry laughter. She
wiped her face and stood up.
“Wow, Michael. You really had me fooled.’
She snapped her fingers.
“Throw that body in the dumpster! And find some stray dogs! Make sure they’re hungry!”
They ripped the body from my arms. I fought,
but there were too many of them.
I watched, helpless, as they tossed her like
trash, next to a stinking dumpster.
A truck pulled up, cages full of snarling dogs.
They surged out, tearing at the body.
Within minutes, it was a mangled mess.
<
unrecognizable.
My head roared. Veins bulged in my neck and
face.
“Sarah! Why are you doing this to me!”
“If you hate me, take it out on me! Why
desecrate my mother’s body!”
“I broke up with you! We’re done! Why won’t
you leave me alone!”
I sobbed, tears blurring my vision. I couldn’t
look at the dogs, I would be sick.
Sarah sat down calmly, admiring her
manicure.
“Leave you alone?”
く
“Everyone knows we were supposed to get
married. The Preston heiress and the broke
nobody. It’s the talk of the town.”
“How can I let you go? If I cancel the wedding
now, there will be even more gossip. What
about my parents‘ reputation?”
She looked at me, a flicker of disappointment
in her eyes.
“Michael, you weren’t like this before. You
always cared about me.”
“You broke two ribs protecting me in that car
accident. You gave me your life jacket when
our boat capsized. What happened to you?”
I trembled, trying to block out the sounds of
the dogs. But they burrowed into my brain.
Г
I knelt, banging my head on the ground,
begging.
“Please, leave my mom alone. Do whatever
you want to me, but not her! She’s dead! Let
her rest in peace!”
Sarah paused, her hand hovering over her
nails.
“Michael, when did you become such a good
actor?”
“You almost had me convinced I actually
killed your mom.”
“Fine, let’s play this out. You don’t think
there are cameras at the docks? I’ll get the
footage, show you the proof that your mom’s
olive”
L
She pulled out her phone.
“Get me the security footage from the island,
the cruise ship too.”
“And find the best private investigator. Track down Michael’s mom, bring her to me.”
Minutes later, the video arrived.
Sarah watched it, checking every frame.
She scoffed, shoving the phone in my face.
Her long nails tapped the screen, pointing to
a woman who looked almost exactly like my
mom.
The woman crept onto the docks in the dead
of night, boarded a departing ship, and hid.
Г
“See? Still want to lie?”
“This is from the next morning. Your mom
left! She’s fine!”
I stared at the screen, shaking my head.
“No…this is fake! I brought her back myself!
This video’s been edited!”
Sarah laughed coldly.
“Don’t be ridiculous. Alex got this footage
himself. Would he lie to me?”
Alex. My heart sank.
He hated me, always had.
If he was involved, I’d never clear my mom’s
L
name.
I closed my eyes, despair washing over me. I
should have listened to everyone. They said I
wasn’t good enough for Sarah, that I had
nothing to offer her. I was stupid to think it
would work.
Now, she could destroy my entire family on a
whim.
Defeated, I mumbled, “What do you want?
Just leave my mom alone. I’ll do anything.”
Sarah frowned.
“Michael, we love each other, right? Don’t
make it sound like I’m forcing you.”
“I told you, just apologize, both of you, and
we’ll forget this whole thing.”
“My Pl is good, he’ll find her soon.”
Her phone rang.
“Did you find her?”
A pause. Then, a hesitant voice.
“Miss Preston, we haven’t been able to locate
the woman you described.”
Sarah’s brow furrowed.
“Aren’t you the best in the city? You claim
you can find anyone, as long as they’re alive.
What’s going on?”
She stopped, a flicker of fear in her eyes.
Г
“Is she…dead?”
