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Chapter 7
Jack arrived at the old woman's house, only to find it completely empty. A wave of unease washed over him as he stood there, staring at the vacant property. Before he could leave, a few curious neighbors spotted him in his designer clothes and eagerly approached.
"Are you her wealthy relative?" one of them asked, eyes gleaming with curiosity.
A thought crossed Jack's mind, and without thinking, he nodded. "Yeah," he said, a little too quickly.
The neighbor's face lit up, and they went on. "She's had a rough life. Her husband died young, and her son's been paralyzed in an accident. They've always struggled. But then, out of nowhere, a rich relative, looks like that's you, came along and gave her a huge sum of money. She bought a new house, moved out of the slums, and now she's going to live the rest of her life in comfort."
Jack's heart sank, but he kept his composure. "When did she tell you all this?"
The neighbor gave him a strange look but answered, "A few days ago."
That hit Jack like a punch to the gut. His body tensed, and his fists clenched as panic and anger bubbled up. He forced himself to stay calm, though, and quickly asked for the old woman's new address. He thanked the neighbor, then walked away, feeling like the weight of the world was dragging him down with every step.
Mandy had mentioned the limited edition handbag she wanted a few days ago, and he had already transferred a large sum of money to her. It was the kind of thing he always did, anticipating her desires before she had to ask. But now... doubts were creeping in.
With each step toward his car, he felt more and more exhausted. The memory of the old woman from two days ago replayed in his mind. At the time, he thought it was just a casual conversation, but now, he wondered if she had been waiting for him. And Mandy, his almost obsessively neat and clean Mandy, had she really not been disgusted by that filthy old woman?
It was all starting to feel off.
Jack pulled out a cigarette, his fingers trembling as he tried to light it. Frustrated, he threw the lighter aside and ran a hand through his hair. His mind raced. For the first time, he questioned everything, had he been blind to Mandy's true intentions all along?
Taking a deep breath, he climbed into his car and headed for the old woman's new neighborhood, his heart pounding with uncertainty.
Meanwhile, I was rushing to gather Ella's ashes, finally breaking free from the prison Jack had locked me in. As I stepped outside, the cemetery called, confirming they had a plot ready for my daughter. Without hesitation, I hailed a cab and made my way there.
By 5 PM, Ella's ashes were laid to rest. I sat by her grave, tears streaming down my face as the last rays of sunlight bathed the cemetery in a soft, golden glow.
Her smiling face on the tombstone was so beautiful, it almost looked like she was still here, still with me. I reached out to touch the photo, my heart shattering with every second that passed. The pain ripped through me, piece by piece, and I couldn't breathe.
If reincarnation is real, I prayed that she would be born into a family full of love and happiness, cherished beyond measure. Ella deserved so much more than what she got.
If I had known that marrying Jack would cost me my daughter's life, I would have walked away in a heartbeat. But there are no "what-ifs" in life.
In the end, my own cowardice had led to her death. She paid the ultimate price because of me. How could I have been so blind?
I pressed my cheek against her photo, the cold stone sending a chill through my body. My whole body trembled, not from the cold but from the crushing weight of regret, guilt, and heartbreak.