The next day, Sophia finally rose in a daze. Quinn sat in the living room, eyes red. "Dad still hasn't come back."
No matter how mature, she was still just a seven-year-old child. From initial indifference to anger, then to sadness, Quinn asked through sobs, "Does Dad not want me anymore? Not want Mom?"
Sophia's heart felt squeezed by an invisible hand. Her voice low. "No."
But her voice was so soft, without a trace of confidence.
At the hospital, Sophia went to the morgue again. That was the only thing she could hold on to. But entering, she found it empty.
Sophia screamed like a madwoman. "Where is Jackson?"
The young nurse was terribly frightened, stammering. "He was already taken to the funeral home for cremation."
Sophia suddenly ran out like a lunatic. Ethan ran over trying to stop her but was swept along and fell to the ground.
"Sophia!" Ethan shouted.
Sophia's steps paused. Seeing Ethan's eyes full of anguish, "Sophia, what's wrong with you?" Ethan asked.
Sophia didn't answer. After hesitating a long time, she turned and left, running to the hospital entrance.
Kyle Chen was with funeral home staff, loading my body into the vehicle.
Sophia suddenly rushed over, pushing everyone away. "Get away. Who gave you permission to touch him?"
Kyle stared at her with red eyes. "Jackson is dead. Do you still want to deny him peace?"
Sophia's body trembled, then she shook her head. "No, not dead. He'll come back."
She didn't know how to find me again. Could only deceive herself, wanting to keep my body. Perhaps one day there would be a miracle.
Kyle couldn't help but slap her hard. "Do you have any right to say that? Why is Jackson lying here? Isn't it because of you? And now, what are you pretending?"
Kyle's words pierced her heart with every syllable. Sophia's whole body trembled, bowing her head, choking and gasping for breath. She couldn't refute it.
Behind them, Mrs. Rivers ran over, asking, "What's going on? Why all this commotion at the hospital entrance?"
After speaking, Mrs. Rivers finally noticed the funeral home vehicle beside them and a corpse. Because it was wrapped up, Mrs. Rivers didn't know it was me inside. She just frowned in disgust, continuing to ask Sophia, "Ethan's not feeling well. He wanted you to check on him. Why don't you care? What a pity. I used to think you were such a good girl. Wanted Ethan to marry you."
Beside them, Kyle laughed coldly. "Stealing the older son's wife for the younger son. You're quite the mother."
These words dripped with sarcasm. Mrs. Rivers' face immediately changed. "I remember now. You're Jackson's friend, aren't you? This is my family business. What does it have to do with you? And another thing, these past days, where did Jackson go off to die? Instead of coming out himself, he has you making trouble here. Tell him for me. If he has the guts, go die out there. Never come back for the rest of his life."
Kyle's eyes turned red with fury. Then he turned to look at Sophia, grinding his teeth mockingly. "Seems you've hidden it well."
Mrs. Rivers didn't understand what he meant.
Ethan Rivers hurried over from behind, grabbing Mrs. Rivers, trying to pull her away. "Mom, I'm not feeling well. Take me back to rest."
Mrs. Rivers immediately had no other thoughts, just wanted to take Ethan away.
Kyle immediately stopped them, blocking their path, exposing Ethan Rivers' false facade. "Why the rush to take her away? Afraid she'll know the truth?"
Ethan's face began to pale. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Mrs. Rivers sensed something was wrong, but still stood by Ethan. She questioned Kyle. "What are you trying to say?"
Kyle asked, "Aren't you curious? Where did the heart in your son's body come from?"
Mrs. Rivers answered without thinking. "Of course, from a kind donor."
Kyle laughed angrily. "How hard is it to wait for organ donors? Do I need to remind you? Others stay in the hospital forever and can't get a donor heart. How did Ethan get one right after being admitted?"
Mrs. Rivers' face paled several shades. She shouted, "What nonsense are you spouting? No matter how much I dislike Jackson, I couldn't possibly dig his heart out. Don't make wild accusations."
Kyle looked at Sophia. "Whether it's an accusation or not, ask your good daughter-in-law."
Mrs. Rivers' face grew even paler. She looked at Sophia. Sophia only bowed her head. She looked at Ethan again. Ethan kept shaking his head, saying he knew nothing.
Mrs. Rivers' chest heaved, her mouth still denying. "Impossible. How could it be? You're making things up."
Before she finished speaking, Kyle had already pulled her to the funeral home vehicle. He unzipped the body bag. My corpse was revealed.
Gabriel rushed over, but was still a step too late.
Mrs. Rivers screamed. Her whole body went limp, staring at the person before her. "Let my son go."
Gabriel rushed to support the unsteady Mrs. Rivers, wanting to block her view, but it was too late. Mrs. Rivers' eyes were wide open, unable to believe what she was seeing. Her mouth gaped for a long time, unable to form words. She only felt unable to breathe, leaning on Gabriel to barely stand steady. Something in her head seemed to snap. "No, impossible. How could it be? How could —"
Kyle laughed coldly. "Look closely. Ethan Rivers' life was traded for your other son's."
These words pierced her heart. Mrs. Rivers couldn't take it anymore, cried out and fainted.
Ethan's expression was no better than his mother's. Kyle stepped in front of him. Ethan backed away in fear. Finally against the wall, looking at him terrified. "I didn't know. I truly didn't know anything."
"Still pretending even now." Kyle wanted to tear his face apart, but that would be too easy for him. He looked at Ethan before him, word by word. "You think you won? Jackson was killed by you. From now on, your parents, your son, everyone will remember this truth. You'll forever be a criminal. You'll never be able to hold your head up before Jackson, and no one will unconditionally favor you anymore."
On Ethan Rivers' face, only now appeared real fear. His legs went weak. He collapsed to the ground.
Seeing this, Kyle turned and pushed me into the vehicle, then asked the devastated Sophia beside him. "I found a good burial site for Jackson. Don't any of you try to find it. Never appear before his grave. Don't defile his eyes."
Sophia was like someone whose soul had been extracted. Standing there in agony. "He's really not coming back."
She didn't believe it. Sophia looked around, not caring about the stares of those around her, shouting loudly. "Don't you have a system? Didn't you say you couldn't leave before completing the mission? Why? System. Come out. Why didn't he come back this time?"
Passers-by who saw her just thought she was insane.