Five Years Dead, She Still Wants Money

“Emily, please don’t do this.”

“Sorry. I’m a businesswoman—I only care about profit.”

She straightened her back, scanning the room as if searching for someone.

I knew she was looking for me. I let out a bitter laugh.

“Ethan Brooks, come out here and repay every cent you owe me. You abandoned me when I was crippled, then threw yourself into the arms of wealthy older women. Don’t tell me you don’t have money to pay me back.”

The crowd fell silent. No one dared provoke the fury of the billionaire queen.

Minutes passed, but I didn’t appear. Her anger blazed higher.

“Fine. If you won’t come out, I’ll take your mother instead.”

Emily kicked my mother to the ground, then pressed her sharp heel into her hand, grinding hard.

My mother cried out in agony, tears streaming down her face. I frantically tried to push Emily away.

Stop it! Her heart is weak—you’ll kill her!

But no one could hear me. My voice was swallowed in despair.

“Well? Will he come out and pay me back?”

My mother stared at Emily in disbelief, her face filled with sorrow.

“My son Ethan is dead. He can’t come.”

Emily, furious, stomped harder, drawing blood from my mother’s hand.

“Hah! He’s perfectly fine—he just doesn’t want to pay me back. You’re lying, aren’t you?”

“You two disgust me.”

The guests began to mutter curses.

“That man was a coward, abandoning Ms. Carter when she lost her leg. He’s worse than an animal.”

“Look at his mother, shielding him even now. Disgusting.”

“Don’t pity her—if anything, Ms. Carter isn’t being harsh enough.”

Emily kept her gaze on the door, disappointment flashing across her face when I didn’t arrive. She had the money picked up and forced into my mother’s mouth, bill after bill.

“Ethan, are you watching? If you don’t want her dead, you’d better come out.”

“If you don’t return the money by tomorrow afternoon, prepare to collect her body.”

My mother coughed blood, staining her clothes red. On the ground, barely alive, I sobbed and begged Emily to stop.

I never betrayed you. If you hate me, unleash it on my soul, not her!

But my hoarse cries never reached her.

Mom, get up, please! Don’t sleep! I’m sorry—it’s all my fault.

Curled on the ground, my mother’s eyes closed faintly, her breath barely there.

“My… son… Ethan… he wasn’t unfaithful to you.”

I fell to my knees, reaching to hold her, but Emily had her dragged away and locked up.

She wanted to use my mother’s life to force me to appear. Patience was never her strength.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the engagement party is canceled. I’ll choose another date.”

Emily left those words behind. Brandon Reed, face heavy with disappointment, caught her hand.

“Emily, don’t go. I know you still can’t let him go—you call his name every night in your sleep.”

“You’re wrong,” she sneered. “When I call his name, it’s because I want to kill him in my dreams.”