Gone was the arrogant boy I once knew. In his place was a broken figure, a shadow of his former self, doomed to a life of hiding and insignificance.
I listened as the officer recounted my case and looked at my father, now pitiful and haggard, sitting at the defendant’s table.
Silently, I thanked the officers who had worked on my case.
To my surprise, I learned it was the butler who had reported them to the police.
He wasn’t an exceptionally kind man, just an ordinary one. He spoke about how seeing my body had left him deeply unsettled, how the image had haunted him with nightmares.
He admitted he couldn’t bear the guilt any longer and finally made the call to the authorities.
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Chapter 11
425 BONUS
Though it had taken him time, I was still grateful
Instead of letting me vanish without a trace, he ensured I received justice.
I couldn’t help but smile when I heard the verdict
My father was sentenced to death row, and Wendy would spend decades in prison.
As the guards led them away, an immense weight lifted from my shoulders. My spirit felt lighter, and the world seemed brighter.
**
With everything resolved, I had nowhere else to go. I returned to where my body lay.
My bones had been carefully arranged, and the forensic had dressed me in a beautiful gown.
The kind officers who had discovered my remains arranged for my cremation and even prepared a small funeral for me on the outskirts of town.
They were thoughtful and sweet.
After my urn was buried, I lingered for a while, drifting to where the officers stood. I followed them as they left the graveyard.
Though I couldn’t thank them now, I vowed I would in my next life.
It was a bright, warm day.
I closed my eyes, letting my spirit drift with the wind.
When I opened them again, I heard my mother’s soft voice.
A
“Let’s go to Grandpa’s house tomorrow, Jenny,” she said, handing me a glass of milk.
