I couldn’t help but laugh, circling him as though he could sense me. Of course, he couldn’t, but it made me feel better.
‘Oh, my darling father,‘ I thought mockingly, ‘I’m already dead. Didn’t you see yourself? Why don’t you take a closer look, hmm?
‘You wanted me to apologize to Wendy too, right? Go on! Drag my body over!‘
“Hahaha!” My laughter echoed in the room, but deep inside, I felt like crying.
The butler, trembling but resolute, climbed to his feet. “Mr. Stiles, Miss Jennifer is already dead. The dead cannot come back to life-”
Before he could finish, my father struck him down again with another kick, this time more forceful. The butler yelped in pain, cold sweat beading on his forehead.
“That brat cannot be dead!” my father bellowed, his tone icy and unyielding.
“She’s staging her death to escape, but she won’t get far.
“And when I find her, I won’t forgive her!”
With that, he slammed the storage closet door shut, locked it, and stormed off.
The butler staggered to his feet, still in shock. Without so much as a glance at the closet, trailed behind my father, leaving the room.
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Chapter 7
+25 BONUS
When they returned to the living room, Wendy approached, her steps light and deliberate, her sweet voice chiming.
“Did Jennifer upset you again, Dad? It’s okay, it’s okay. Calm down. Don’t hurt yourself.” She tugged gently at his arm, her eyes wide with feigned concern.
“I can’t believe her! We’re supposed to be a family, and yet she treats us like this. You never see Wendy doing anything like that!” Ian chimed in, his voice brimming with self–righteous indignation.
Dad’s anger softened as he kissed Wendy’s cheek and forehead, wrapping an arm around her and Ian. “Both of you are good kids.
“Don’t worry, Wendy. I’m fine. That brat found some rats and a dead body to stage her death and escape!
“I can’t believe this! I won’t let her get away with it. I promise, Wendy, I’ll make her kneel and apologize to you.”
The absurdity of the scene was almost too much. I’d never witnessed anything as hilariously delusional as this mockery of a “loving family.”
My corpse was right there in front of him, and yet he ignored it.
I couldn’t tell if his refusal to acknowledge the truth came from fear or a desperate need to maintain the illusion that I would eventually apologize to Wendy.
Watching the three of them so close together, a sudden realization hit me–Wendy was already eighteen.
And yet, there he was, being so intimate with his adoptive daughter. Tsk.
Somehow, I wasn’t surprised.
Ian’s hand rested casually around Wendy’s waist. He wasn’t a child anymore; my brother was already starting high school.
How had I been so blind to all of this before?
I leaned closer to the trio, pacing back and forth behind them. From time to time, I blew a cold gust of air just to see if they would react.
To think I’d get front–row seats to such a ridiculous drama.
Suddenly, being dead didn’t seem so boring anymore.
It was just a shame they couldn’t feel or sense a thing.
