Chapter 4The Verdict of Ashes

When I rushed into the gala, the victim's families were already in a frenzy in front of the stage.

"I want to grind this animal's bones into dust!"

"Thank goodness Mr. Davies and the woman beside him are righteous enough to hand this monster over to us."

"Let me throw a bucket of dog blood on it first! I want to make sure he never finds peace, even in death!"

The moment the bucket of blood was thrown, I leaped onto the stage and shielded the urn with my body. The overwhelming stench of blood and feces sent my stomach into violent spasms.

The guests whispered amongst themselves.

"Oh my god, is that the murderer's daughter? What is she doing here?"

"Just being in the same room as her makes me feel dirty."

Liam spoke up, his voice firm and commanding:

"She is she, and the one who committed the crime was her father. Please watch your words, or I will take legal action."

Mia chimed in, feigning innocence:

"Yes, I've known Mrs. Davies for a long time. She's a very good person."

Watching them play off each other, I felt nothing but pure nausea.

If it weren't for the two of them, my father and I wouldn't be subjected to this kind of contempt and spit.

I tried to pick up the urn, but Mia stopped me.

"Mrs. Davies, you can't take this. My mentor said this is his way of making amends."

I found her words incredibly absurd.

My father had been wrongfully put to death because of the crimes they forced onto him, and now he was supposed to make amends to the real killer?

I held on tightly.

She yanked hard, and the urn crashed to the floor.

"Dad!"

I screamed. As the lid rolled away, I saw that the ashes inside were covered in thick, yellow spit!

Mia quickly explained, "The families were too angry. I had to let them open it and spit on it to vent their frustration. Now that their anger is appeased, Mr. Smith can rest in peace."

With trembling hands, I placed the lid back on the urn, tears streaming down my face.

It was my fault.

I couldn't save him while he was alive, and I couldn't even protect his ashes from being desecrated after he was gone!

I let out an agonized scream, grabbed a champagne bottle, and moved to smash it over her head.

But Liam intercepted me just in time.

"Have you had enough? This was just to give the families some psychological closure."

"This is not the place for your tantrums. Lock her in the basement until the auction is over."

With that, the event staff wrenched the urn from my hands and roughly tied me up, tossing me into the basement.

I huddled in the corner. My phone buzzed.

It was a text from the private investigator.

[Her brother has been scared out of his mind. He's heading to the banquet hall now. Everything is in place.]

I wiped the desolate look off my face. After setting everything up in the basement, I used a small knife I had hidden away to cut the ropes and walked out.

Then, without looking back, I pressed the detonator.

The banquet hall shuddered violently as flames erupted from the basement, shooting toward the ceiling.

Liam's face went white. He sprinted into the thick smoke almost instantly.

But the very next second, he locked eyes with my corpse.

And lying next to my body was our four-month-old child.

He collapsed to his knees, as if all the strength had been drained from his body.

"...How could this happen?"

Even as Mia and his bodyguards desperately dragged him out, he remained in sheer denial, his face the color of ash.

Until a crazed, raving man charged in, throwing his arms around Mia's legs and sobbing wildly.

"Sis, didn't you tell me it was fine that I killed someone? I hid from the cops, so why am I being haunted by ghosts?!"

Everyone's gaze shot toward Mia like poisoned darts. All the color drained from her face instantly.

The next second, the man turned, saw the portrait of the victim, and began kowtowing frantically in terror.

"I'm sorry! I shouldn't have killed you! Please let me go! The ghosts... they're following me!"