Chapter 1

Zeke Larson growled in irritation. His face was filled with rage.

“Sophie, what do you mean by that?

“Is this the time to blame someone? Snow is terrified. Can’t you see that?”

Snow Lowell, who was still in his arms, began to sob at just the right moment. Her voice was soft and cloying.

“Zeke, don’t blame Sophie…

“Her father just passed away. She must be in pain…”

She paused, then cried even harder.

She said while sobbing, “It’s all my fault. It’s all because of me. I shouldn’t have been driving.

“Zeke, am I going to jail?”

Zeke’s heart broke when he heard that.

“Don’t be silly. What are you talking about? I’m here. No one will hurt you.”

He patted Snow’s back to comfort her, then turned and fixed me with a cold stare.

“Sophia, I’ll say this one last time. This has to be settled privately.

“I’ve already spoken to the police. They just need a statement from the family about the accident.

“It should say your father wasn’t paying attention and suddenly ran into the road. It should highlight that Snow couldn’t avoid him, and that’s how the accident happened.”

He took an A4 sheet of paper from his briefcase that had been printed ahead of time and threw it onto the table in front of me.

“Sign it.”

I looked at it. It was a statement full of lies. It put all the blame on the dead.

I suddenly remembered something that happened three years ago. My father’s company ran into trouble, and its cash flow ran dry.

He had done the same thing back then. He had thrown a share transfer agreement in front of my father and used me as leverage to force him to sell thirty percent of the company’s shares at a low price.

He had said, “Mr. Carter, this is for Sophia’s own good. You can’t let her go bankrupt along with you, can you?”

Back then, I thought he was acting for our future.

It was today that I realized that the cunning and coldness in his eyes had never changed.

When I still had not picked up the pen, Zeke lost his patience.

“What are you waiting for? Do you want me to force you?

“Sophia, be smart and do as I say! Your father is dead, and your family is finished!

“Do you even realize who you’ll have to rely on now? What good will making me angry do for you?!”

Snow poked her head out from his embrace. Her eyes were teary, and she looked pitiful.

“Sophia, just sign it. Zeke is only doing this for your own good.

“Once someone is gone, they can’t come back. The rest of us still have to live.

“I promise I’ll make Zeke treat you twice as well from now on.”

I felt sick, but I still forced out a cold laugh.

“Fine. I’ll sign it.”

I picked up the pen and signed my name at the bottom of the statement.

Zeke put the papers away with satisfaction. He finally looked a little relieved.

“That’s better. Don’t worry. I’ll make sure your father’s funeral is grand.”

He grabbed Snow and turned to leave.

“Come on, Snow. I’ll take you to eat something and help you relax. Don’t let this little thing ruin your mood.”

I watched them leave quietly, then slowly took out my phone and pressed the stop recording button.

Zeke was right.

The dead could not come back, and those who were alive had to keep living, especially Zeke, once he realized that the person who had died was his father instead of mine.