When My Stepmother Mistook Me for a Mistress, My Father Went Mad

Thunder rumbled in the distance. My dad told Aria and the others to get in the car first, then looked around.

But he didn't notice anything suspicious.

He called over his assistant.

"Nathan, I don't know whose headstone got struck by lightning, but send someone to clean it up.

"Oh! I can't reach Gianna. She probably called me here as some kind of prank.

"She's probably at the house. After you finish, go check on her. You two were close when she was little. If she doesn't want to attend the wedding, that's fine. But try to calm her down."

"Got it."

Just then, lightning flashed. A torrential downpour began, pounding the ground.

The rain slowly seeped into the pit, mixing with the dirt.

The rain soaked through the towel in my mouth. I squirmed, pressing it against my lips.

I started choking, unable to stop coughing.

"Nathan, did you hear coughing from beneath us?"

"Mr. Perry, don't scare me like that."

"Maybe it's just my imagination.

"The wedding is about to start. Aria and I are heading back to change. I'm counting on you to check on Gianna."

My dad left, and I was filled with despair.

The bodyguards, given the rain and the fact that they were in a cemetery, worked quickly.

They cleaned up in a hurry.

Nathan shouted that the rain was getting heavier, and everyone should get in the car.

I heard someone laughing nearby.

"These women are all middle-aged, still wearing bows like they're young. How ridiculous."

I felt the same way.

It was the bow that had fallen off during the struggle earlier, now buried under some rocks.

"Wait a minute.

"Why does that bow look so familiar?

"Didn't Gianna wear one just like this this morning? Why is it here?"

Nathan's voice grew closer.

"Maybe one of the bridesmaids wore the same kind of bow?"

"Who has bridesmaids wearing bows this big?"

The pouring rain mixed with the mud and seeped into my mouth.

I whimpered loudly.

"Holy shit, there's a sound coming from the ground!"

Just as I whimpered, the thunder suddenly stopped.

In the brief silence, my weak voice became crystal clear.

"Holy shit, is this a ghost rising from the dead?"

"Look at this dirt! It's all soft from the rain. Looks like it was just dug up."

"Nathan, I thought it was strange earlier. If the bride was tricked into coming here, why does she have dirt all over her and in her hands?"

"Exactly, even the bridesmaids were covered in dirt."

"Could it be they came to bury something?"

Nathan quickly made a phone call.

"Help me track Ms. Perry's phone to its last known location.

"What? Her phone is less than two miles away from me?"

Nathan moved around, finally getting closer to where I was buried.

"How about now?

"It's right on top of me?"

Nathan's voice turned hoarse as he knelt on the ground.

"Gianna, are you down there?"

I hummed as hard as I could to respond.

"Oh my god, no way. Oh my god."

Nathan's hands trembled as he dialed 911. With a sob in his voice, he then began frantically digging.

"Guys, come help! There's a good chance Ms. Perry is buried here!"