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Chapter 2
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How to Bury a Family Chapter 9
After Benjamin took my father away from me, he took the most important person in my life, too.The light turned green. A sharp blast of horns from the cars behind snapped me out of my thoughts, dragging me, unwilling, from memory back into the present.Whatever lingering emotion I had for Sarah was wiped clean.I pressed my foot down and drove forward.The road ahead was bathed in sunlight, and so was the life that lay waiting for me....Three years later, I attended the Global Documentary Festival as a gold award winner.After the competition ended, I stayed behind and signed autographs for every fan who had come to congratulate me.In the past three years, I devoted myself to charity work and documentary filmmaking. Together with my colleagues, I had practically circled the entire globe, capturing images of endangered species, recording what may soon vanish.By the time the event ended, it was late at night.When I finally got back to my downtown villa, I was so exhausted
How to Bury a Family Chapter 8
Benjamin's mother had spent all those years like a canary in a gilded cage, fed and kept by my father, never needing to lift a finger, never learning how to stand on her own. She had no practical skills, no way to make a living.Now, with Benjamin's medical bills piling up—ten, maybe fifteen thousand dollars—she was left with no choice. She began seeking out old lovers from her youth, men she had toyed with when her looks were sharp enough to steal the breath from their lungs.But back then, she'd made enemies. Slept with married men. Stirred up more than a few nests.And now? Now that her life had fallen apart, those men didn't even give her the chance to plead. They answered her desperation with scorn and cruelty, like wolves scenting old blood. Instead of help, she was met with degradation. One of them nearly trafficked her. She escaped by a thread.Left with nowhere to go, she turned on Sarah. Demanded compensation. But Sarah had already made up her mind—if she was going down,
How to Bury a Family Chapter 7
My words turned Amy's face ashen.Her body trembled violently before collapsing. Sunken eyes brimmed with nothing but despair and regret. Then, as if something inside her snapped, she began clawing at her chapped lips with frantic fingers—tearing skin until blood ran down her chin. Still, she couldn't stop.I had no energy left to argue. As I turned to leave, her voice followed me—hoarse yet eerily calm."It's alright, Daniel. You're my only family now."The tranquility in her tone felt unnaturally peaceful."You don't have to forgive me. I'll keep protecting you, even if it kills me."The way she said it reminded me of how she once swore to protect Benjamin—with the same solemn conviction, as if by repeating it she could make it true.But it didn't matter to me anymore.I returned to the apartment I was renting and packed lightly. The next day, I went out again to attend a childhood friend's wedding.He'd been my closest friend since high school. Back when everyone else had b
How to Bury a Family Chapter 6
Sarah's entire body shook when she heard those words. A bitter smile twisted her lips as she nodded slowly."You're right. The real monsters in Daniel's life... were us. Both of us." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "We were animals."Then her eyes darkened with sudden, terrifying resolve."But we won't go down alone. We'll drag every last one of you to hell with us."At that moment, Amy came rushing back, breathless, clutching the discarded cardboard box. Seeing Benjamin's parents still protesting their innocence, she let out a hollow laugh. She raised the USB drive with trembling hands, her voice raw with pain."I remember now… Daniel was protecting me. He was always protecting me."When the school's name on the USB files became visible—Benjamin and his parents went deathly pale....Six months later.Antarctica stretched endlessly white around me as I observed emperor penguins following their ancient migration routes. My breath fogged the camera viewfinder beside me.Retu
How to Bury a Family Chapter 5
At the mention of Benjamin's name, Sarah snapped back to reality.She managed a tight smile, gave a slight nod, and finally wrenched her gaze from the delivery box by the door.With Amy at her side, she made her way to Benjamin’s hotel suite—where he was supposed to be resting.Amy had insisted on picking up a bouquet in secret, wanting to surprise him.But as they approached the room, a sharp flick of a lighter cut through the hallway's hush.The door was slightly ajar.Through the narrow slit, Sarah caught a glimpse of a scene that felt painfully out of sync with her memories. Benjamin—refined, soft-spoken, supposedly dying of lung cancer—was calmly smoking a cigarette.Across from him, lounging on the sofa, sat his parents. Their faces were lit with smug satisfaction.Benjamin's mother, in particular, looked positively gleeful as she counted through the money Sarah had given them."Our Benjamin’s a genius, isn’t he?" she cackled, voice dripping with malice. "Faking cancer t
How to Bury a Family Chapter 4
When I returned to Lavnoc City after my surgery, Sarah still hadn't contacted me. She clearly thought this was just another childish outburst.Her social media told a different story - a flurry of posts featuring Benjamin: wedding dress fittings, engagement photoshoots, even selecting her bridal jewelry.I scrolled past without reaction.At the broadcasting station, I submitted my application to join a geological expedition to Antarctica as their documentary filmmaker. Before departure, I handed over the documents the village chief had discreetly placed in my bag during that hospital ride - evidence exposing the truth behind the "earthquake."Seeing the reality of what happened extinguished the last ember of feeling I had for Sarah, leaving only cold revulsion.My final stop was the modest apartment I'd called home since college. Methodically, I packed away every thoughtless gift Sarah had given me over fifteen years, along with a USB drive containing my years-long investigation i
How to Bury a Family Chapter 3
I slowly shifted my gaze away from their intertwined fingers—Sarah's and Benjamin's—and shook my head calmly."No need."My composure startled all three of them.Amy barked a harsh laugh. "What's this new act, Daniel? You spent years begging Sarah to marry you, and now you're playing hard to get?" She smirked, tossing her hair. "Let's be clear - even with that marriage license, you're not fit to polish Sarah's boots."Amy said this with a smirk, clearly expecting it to cut. But I didn't react. My face remained a blank slate, cold and distant.That only made Sarah angrier. She frowned, her delicate features tightening as she raised her voice at me."Daniel, it was bad enough that you followed me here, disrupted my work, and now you're sulking like a child? My patience has its limits. Benjamin needs peace and quiet to recover. Your presence is stressing him. I want you gone. Now."As she said this, she grabbed my wrist, trying to drag me away by force.But in the next second, the
How to Bury a Family Chapter 2
Sarah seemed to recall this, and a brief silence fell on the line.Before she could respond, Amy snatched the phone."God, Daniel, must you always compete with Ben? Stop embarrassing yourself! If you delay Sarah's research, can you even comprehend the consequences?"She hung up.Benjamin, with his arm around Sarah, gently patted Amy's head, soothing her, "Come on, you know what Daniel is like. Today is the most important day of my life. Cheer up."Just like that, Amy's anger dissipated, and the group disappeared toward the honeymoon suite, leaving me alone in the silent night.On my phone, I booked a vasectomy reversal, then turned and walked away.Fifteen years of loving a woman who saw me as air—I was done.By the time I returned to the city, it was late. I booked a random hotel, showered, and fell into a restless sleep.In the early hours, a shrill phone ring jolted me awake.The TV station manager's voice was urgent and excited, "Daniel, I heard there was a 5.3 magnitude
How to Bury a Family Chapter 1
I stood in the rain, motionless.Through the downpour, I watched my fiancée—Sarah Hargrave—smile faintly, her eyes alight with something I no longer recognized.Benjamin Wheeler leaned in, pressing his lips to hers—not a kiss, but to pass her a heart-shaped locket. She wore an emerald-green gown, the kind reserved for operas or old portraits, something out of a Victorian romance. The locket gleamed between them, catching the glow of the gas lamps.Sarah’s cheeks flushed as she took it. But before she could open it, Benjamin pulled her into his arms, crushing her against him like he wanted to erase the space between them forever.The guests—their friends, mostly—cheered, clinking glasses. The kiss that followed lasted nearly ten minutes. I counted.By the time they parted, Sarah was breathless.A gust of wind lifted the lace drapes hanging from the garden trellises. Only then, under the flickering lantern light, did I notice my own family and friends among the crowd. Watching. Smi
