Chapter 3

The next morning, I put on my worn, cement-stained workwear.

"I'm off to work," I said.

Estella didn't respond, likely still fast asleep. So, I closed the door behind me and followed a narrow path along the side into the bushes.

I kept my gaze fixed on the entrance.

The moment the clock struck 9:00 am, the security door swung open as Estella stepped out. She wore a tight red dress with high heels to match.

Her face was done up in heavy makeup, and her hips swayed as she strutted along. It was a stark contrast to the frail, dying state she'd shown the night before.

A familiar luxury car was parked at the mouth of the alley. Blake rolled the window down and whistled at her.

"Hurry up, Estella!" he urged.

She opened the door and got into the passenger seat before the car sped off.

I rushed downstairs and grabbed a rental bike by the roadside. Then, I pedaled with all my strength as I trailed far behind their car.

My legs burned from the strain, but I kept going. Half an hour later, the car pulled up in front of a high-end seafood restaurant in the city center.

I ditched the bike by the roadside and ducked into the bushes across from the restaurant. I watched as Estella and Blake walked in, chatting and laughing together.

It didn't take long before my in-laws, Allen Wilson and Adeline Myers, arrived.

The old geezer and hag were both dressed in brand-new clothes. In fact, their faces were flushed with excitement as they entered the restaurant.

I circled to the back alley and found the staff entrance. Then, I slipped into the kitchen while the workers were busy unloading ingredients.

I made my way along the corridor and found the VIP private room they were in. The door was left slightly ajar, so I hid in the storage room next door with my back pressed against the wall.

The voices inside carried out clearly.

"Come on, cheers! Let's celebrate Blake for winning 100 thousand dollars yesterday!" The voice belonged to Allen.

"Well, it's all thanks to that fool Raphael's hard-earned money," Blake replied before he burst out laughing.

"Alright, stop mentioning that pathetic loser. It's ruining my appetite," Estella said, her voice dripping with disdain.

"You really put on a convincing act. I can't believe he actually fell for it."

"How could he not? I even paid someone 200 dollars to forget the medical records." Estella's words came out muffled as she chewed on a crab leg.

"But there's nothing left to squeeze out of him now. I told him to borrow some money yesterday, and he came back empty-handed," she continued.

"Then what do we do? I'm still two million dollars short for my new apartment!" Panic crept into Blake's voice.

The room fell silent for a moment before Adeline spoke up. "Have you taken care of the matter I told you before, Estella?" she asked in a lowered tone.

"It's all taken care of, Mom. I've already bought an accident insurance policy for Raphael with the highest coverage online. In fact, I'm listed as the beneficiary. As long as an 'accident' happens while he's on-site, we'll get two million dollars from the insurance.

"Between that and the contractor's compensation, we can get at least three million dollars. By then, not only will Blake get his apartment, but we'll all also be able to move into a bigger place." A cold laugh escaped Estella.

I clamped a hand over my mouth in the storage room. Another surge of acid rose up from my stomach.

They were planning to commit murder for insurance fraud.

So this was the woman I'd loved with everything I had and the family I'd given my all to.

"But Raphael has always been so careful at work. How are we supposed to pull off the so-called accident, Estella?" Blake's voice carried a trace of impatience.