Chapter 2

Mom's voice rose several pitches. "What nonsense are you talking about? Did she become some sort of big shot whom we have to pester for a meeting?"

As she spoke, she took out a thick stack of banknotes from her expensive Hermès bag.

The stack of money crashed onto Alex. The banknotes were scattered all over the place—a few hung on the worn-out armrest of his wheelchair, others landed on his numb and injured leg.

Mom looked condescendingly at him. "Take it. This money is enough to last a lowlife like you for a while. Stop being ridiculous and tell her to come out and see me right now! Look at yourself now. How much longer do you want us to wait?"

Dad icily added, "Tell her this is her last chance."

I wanted to rush forward and throw that money back at their faces. I wanted to shout and tell them that I was dead! Their daughter had already died long ago! However, I could not do so.

After a long time, Alex's hand, covered in frostbite and scars, trembled as he picked up the banknotes one by one from the ground.

Seeing this, Mom smirked. "That's right. You have to accept your fate. I said you were doing it for money, and now, it seems I was right. "

I looked at Alex in despair. I begged him not to pick up the banknotes.

Alex could not hear me. He picked up the banknotes meticulously, not letting even the bills that had fallen into the mud go. After collecting the last bill, he clutched it so tightly that his nails seemed to be able to dig into his flesh. Then, he looked up at my haughty parents. "You really want to see her?"

His hands, which were clutching the money, trembled uncontrollably, his eyes bloodshot. "You can only go to the underworld to see her."

Mom's smirk froze as Dad's expression turned grim.

I floated behind Alex as I looked at his straight back, my heart aching.

Mom's shock quickly faded as she commented disdainfully, "Ridiculous! To avoid going home for an arranged marriage and to get money from me, she even lied about her own death. She's really got some nerve!"

Seeing how confident they were that I was lying, I only found it ridiculous. At the same time, it seemed only natural that they could not believe it. They only remembered me at this point in time to make me marry in Kelly's place.

Enraged, Dad kicked over Alex's wheelchair. "She wanted the hard way. Tell her to never come back if she doesn't want to. And she can forget about being buried in the Horner family's cemetery if she dies out there!"

I floated in mid-air. Watching Alex fall to the ground, still clutching the money tightly, my heart ached. I desperately wanted to rush over and hug him, but my soul passed through his body again and again.

Alex curled up on the ground, clutching the stack of warm banknotes tightly. He muttered, "Money... I have money to hire a lawyer for Naomi now..."

At that moment, my soul felt like it was being ripped apart.

Alex's eyes lit up again as he struggled to his feet and returned to his wheelchair with difficulty.

"I'll find the killer..." He gripped the wheelchair's axles with difficulty, the rusty bearings creaking and scraping.

"Stop!"

The roar of an engine came from behind, blocking Alex's path.

Dad rolled down the car window, his expression utterly gloomy. "You think you can just take the money and leave? Hand her over! Otherwise, I'll call the police right now and accuse you of fraud and extortion! I'll break your other leg too, making you a complete cripple!"