All Chapters of Bride of the Dead Heir: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

10 Chapters

Chapter 1

Jillian Woods hadn't even finished hosting her grandson's one-month celebration before she grabbed my wrist and dragged me into a side room, her grip tight, almost desperate."Ms. McCoy, please! You've got to help us. The Buckleys are about to fall apart.""What?"Before I could react, she reached up and yanked the glittery headband off my head."The Buckleys' second son passed away this morning. Sigh, he was so young… He was supposed to get married next month. His body's barely gone cold. They just want you to help leave behind a child. Otherwise, the Buckley bloodline ends here."The story hit a little too close to home. It sounded just like what Jillian's own family had gone through."If you agree, they're offering four million dollars. Their private jet can pick you up right away."An out-of-town job.My first instinct was to say no.Then I remembered that the Buckleys were the wealthiest family in the region.I didn't hesitate. I raised all ten fingers."Ten million?"

Chapter 2

"There can't be any cameras in the room. I don't want anybody eavesdropping or watching in secret. Some rites aren't meant to be witnessed. Anyone who interferes risks consequences."I let my voice carry just enough weight to make it sound real.Truth was, I just didn't want anything coming back on me later.What I did wasn't something you could drag into the light. If anyone saw too much, heard too much, or decided to talk, I would be finished.So I kept things locked down.Every client came through referrals, and I made sure there wasn't even the slightest chance of anything leaking out."Don't worry, Ms. McCoy. This room is isolated on three sides. It's completely private. Max valued quiet, so it's fully soundproofed, and there aren't any cameras."Alan sounded convincing enough.I nodded and handed over my phone.They left.I drew the curtains, then pulled a small handheld scanner from my bag and swept the room.When I reached a display cabinet, I paused.Right there, s

Chapter 3

I scrambled out of bed and grabbed my stethoscope, pressing it hard against Max's chest.No heartbeat.So he really was dead.I let out a slow breath.Even so, something felt off.If he were truly dead, my method should've worked perfectly. It had been designed for the dead. I had used it 16 times in a row without a single failure. That alone proved it worked.And yet, with him, no matter what I did, I couldn't get anything.Unless he wasn't actually dead.I reached out again, pressing my palm against his chest.That warmth and the elasticity in his skin didn't match someone who had been gone for 14 hours.Frowning, I glanced at the heart monitor beside the bed.A family like the Buckleys didn't make careless mistakes. Their doctor would've confirmed everything before calling it.So this body in front of me that had no heartbeat but was still warm…There was only one possibility.I moved fast. I pulled every needle off him, then burned a few strips of parchment before mix

Chapter 4

I leaned down and adjusted Max's pillow as carefully as I could, keeping my movements steady."Since you're one of us now, don't worry. I'll get you out of here."Max looked completely worn out, as if he had already made peace with dying."How?" he asked quietly. "They took your phone.""That's not a problem. Once I finish the job, they'll let me leave."He shook his head, his dark eyes settling on me with something close to pity. "You're underestimating them. They've killed more people than you know. So…"So one more wouldn't matter.A chill slipped through the room, and I shivered.Right then, a sharp knock hit the door.Titus's voice came through from outside."Ms. McCoy, sorry to interrupt. Is everything going smoothly? It's getting late, so I had some food brought up. You should eat something, keep your strength up."My heart jumped. I forced myself to stay calm, took a slow breath, and cracked the door open just a little."Not exactly. Your brother's spirit is unsettl

Chapter 5

Just then, Alan stepped closer and glanced inside the room before turning to me."How much longer is this going to take?"I couldn't quite read him, so I kept my answer vague. "That depends on how the rite progresses. Why, are you thinking of stopping? Just so we're clear, I don't do refunds.""That's not it."He rubbed his temples, lowering his voice."There was some trouble last night. I can't shake the feeling that something isn't right. And keeping a body in the house this long isn't ideal. If you've already taken what you need, I'd rather have my son cremated today and laid to rest."So he wanted to get rid of the evidence quickly.Well, not on my watch.I straightened and slipped into my most professional tone."This kind of work can't be rushed. If you want a grandson, you follow the process. You wait. Remember Jillian's son? She kept the body so long that it started to smell. And you know what? This year, they've got a healthy baby boy."Something in that must've land

Chapter 6

I sprinted over, yanking the car keys Fiona had given me out of my pocket. My hands were shaking so badly that it took me two tries to get the trunk open.The lid flew up with a loud bang.Titus stared back at me, his face twisted with something cold and vicious."Ms. McCoy. Fancy seeing you again."I stumbled back a few steps, my heart slamming against my ribs. Before I could steady myself, the driver's door swung open.Fiona climbed out slowly, a smug, lazy smile pulling at her lips."What's with that look? Surprised?"Right in front of me, she reached out and took Titus's hand. Their fingers laced together like it was the most natural thing in the world. I just stared at them, my stomach twisting so hard that I couldn't even speak.There was no doubt about it. Fiona had sold me out.Just like that, they dragged Max's body and me back.I kept falling back on the cover story, saying I was just honoring the dead man's final wishes.However, the look in Titus's eyes made it

Chapter 7

I pulled the needles out from the top of his head. The moment they came free, Max slipped out of the Death-Trance Spell on his own."You okay?"He sat up immediately and checked on me, his fingers brushing over my face like he couldn't quite believe what he was seeing."These marks… Fiona did this?"I winced, my cheek still stinging. "She doesn't look like much, but she's got a strong hand."Max let out a breath, some of the tension leaving his shoulders."You can still joke right now?"But the next second, his face darkened."I didn't expect Fiona to be like this."I turned away, focusing on cleaning up the syringes and supplies, trying to steady myself."Your fiancée really deserves an award. Not just you, she fooled me, too. Who would've guessed she and your brother…"I stopped mid-sentence as a cold tension filled the room.I looked up and met Max's eyes. The calm, polished image he usually carried was gone. His fists were clenched tight, his voice shaking with anger.

Chapter 8

"Eleanor… I think getting pregnant right now might actually be the safest option for you."What?I turned my head to look at him.His ears were red, his eyes fixed on the ceiling like he couldn't bring himself to look at me."If you're pregnant, you'll be safe for at least nine months. Even if I really die, they won't touch you right away. By then, you can find a chance to get out. Or go to the police."For a moment, I didn't even know how to respond."I mean, I get your logic, but that's still…" Kind of messed-up. I didn't say the rest."I'm not leaving you behind just to save myself. If we die, we die together…"I didn't get to finish.Max suddenly rolled over and kissed me, cutting me off completely."What are you doing?" I pushed at him, startled."Shh." He pulled me into his arms, brushing the loose strands of hair near my temple aside. His voice dropped low. "Call me 'my lord.'"I had to admit, those abs sure weren't just for show.By the next morning, I could ba

Chapter 9

Max moved quietly into the bathroom, turned on the shower, and soaked himself from head to toe. By the time he stepped out, he looked exactly like he had the night he drowned.He pulled out three small parchment charms. He pressed them between his fingers and muttered under his breath."Rise."The air shifted.In the next second, three identical versions of Max stood side by side in front of me. They had the same "rotting" face, and even the droplets sliding off their hair fell in perfect sync.I walked forward, my body passing straight through the three figures. They were like holograms, visible, but untouchable.In other words, they looked exactly like ghosts.Perfect.I stepped up beside Max and quietly began chanting the puppet spell.Before long, the three copies started moving, their expressions and gestures mirroring Max down to the smallest detail."That's good enough."Max gave me a slight nod.I moved to the door and, summoning every ounce of strength, screamed to

Chapter 10

In the end, we made our way to Titus's bedroom on the second floor."Titus… Fiona… It's so cold down here… Come keep me company…"Max's voice, thin and strained, echoed through the room from the second double.I tightened my hands, guiding the spell. The double drifted forward and wrapped invisible fingers around Fiona's throat. She screamed and scrambled for the door, nearly tripping over herself as she yanked it open.Max was already standing right outside. She almost ran straight into him.The moment she saw his face, she started shaking like a leaf. Every bit of arrogance she had shown when slapping me earlier was gone.As Max stepped closer, her legs gave out. She dropped to her knees and cried miserably, "Please, don't kill me… I don't want to die… and I wasn't even the one who killed you…""Then who was it?"Max crouched down, grabbed a fistful of her hair, and forced her to look up at him."It was… It was your brother! Titus told me everything! Once you were gone, he

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