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Chapter 9

Author: Alyssa J
Inside that black velvet box, there were no rare jewels.

There was only a thin piece of paper.

Trembling, Julian picked it up.

It was a death certificate issued by the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner.

**Name: Oliver Vance.**

**Time of Death: Three days ago, 9:15 PM.**

**Cause of Death: Complications arising from brainstem hemorrhage (due to delayed craniotomy).**

Julian stared at the timestamp.

In that instant, his pupils vibrated violently, as if that line of black text had stabbed him straight in the eye.

Three days ago. 9:15 PM. That was the exact moment he had coldly refused to help me over the phone.

It was in that exact moment, because of his mistrust and prejudice, that my father took his last breath.

"No... this isn't true..."

Julian's voice was a broken wheeze squeezed from his throat. He remembered my sobbing on the phone. He remembered the doctor's warning.

It hadn't been a lie. It was a desperate cry for help.

And he had personally cut the rope.

He had ruthle
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