Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 1 - Chapitre 9

Chapter 1 Drinking for Money

The VIP room was completely silent. Everyone was looking at me with different expressions.Eventually, someone among the crowd burst out laughing first.Nicole, sitting on the sofa, instantly turned grim with embarrassment when she heard the laughter.After all, 500 dollars barely even covered the breakfast for people of her status.Yet, I had subserviently chugged two bottles of whiskey in a row for it."Nicole has been waiting for you to come home. Yet, you're here doing this kind of job? Aren't you disgusted?" Michael mocked me.When I heard him, I glanced at him and retorted, "What's so disgusting about making money through drinking? It's not like I'm whoring myself out."He sneered dismissively, "You're so short of money, huh? Then, you can drink two more bottles. I'll add another 500 to your tip."As soon as he finished speaking, the onlookers began to shout boisterously."Drink up! Since Michael added 500, I'll do the same!""Me too! I'll add 1,000!"I didn't hesitate

Chapter 2 So Tired of Life

Michael played a dirty trick on me five years ago. He stole my mother's belongings from Nicole, sold them, and claimed that I was the one who did it.Nicole flew into a rage. She punished me by making me kneel in the snow for three days and three nights while constantly questioning me about where I had sold the belongings.Of course, I had no idea.I told Nicole that it was Michael's scheme to sow discord because he just couldn't stand how nice she was to me. Sadly, she absolutely refused to believe me.Stealing, disrespecting our late mother, and being reluctant to admit my mistake—all these three offenses hit her nerves.Due to Michael's lies, Nicole confiscated all my money and kicked me out of the house.I did fairly well for the first six months. I found a sales job, which was enough to support myself and even leave me with some money to spare.However, everything changed six months later.Nicole called me for the only time in five years.As soon as I answered the call, s

Chapter 3 Got Fired From the Job

The next day, I was woken up by a phone call. It was the owner of the cremation urn shop."Jack Thompson, when are you actually going to settle the rest of the money? It's only 500 bucks. Must you drag this out for a whole month? If you can't pay me within three days, I'm not keeping it for you anymore, and the deposit is non-refundable!"In a fit of panic, I blurted hoarsely, "Give me a little more time. I'll get paid in two weeks, and then—""I can't wait two weeks!" he interrupted me, his tone unfriendly. "I've never seen anyone who drags their feet like you, especially when they're here to buy a cremation urn. Don't order in advance if you don't have the money. Why buy such an expensive one if you can't afford it?"I wanted to say something, but the call was disconnected before I could even speak.My head was throbbing. I had no choice but to call the manager to request an advance on my salary.Sadly, his response was just another blow to my shattered psyche. "Just letting yo

Chapter 4 Quit Fighting Back

Nicole and Michael were having dinner when I got home.She glanced at me. Her tone was flat as she spoke, "So you've finally decided to grace us with your presence?""What gives you the right to make the manager fire me?" I questioned expressionlessly, completely changing the subject."Five years have passed. Haven't you humiliated me enough?"She merely arched a brow at me and answered indifferently, "I'm doing this for your own good. You won't know that home is the best place for you if I don't let you suffer a little."Jack, do you know what the word is on the streets about you? I've been the one to keep those nasty comments from reaching your ears. Yet, you've never once thanked me for my efforts!"Just then, Michael put down his fork and knife and added sarcastically, "Nicole, Jack doesn't appreciate how good you are to him at all. Look at him. He's clearly blaming you!""Shut up!"I couldn't take it anymore. So, I rushed over and raised my hand to punch him.However, Nic

Chapter 5 Michael's Final Trick

I numbly picked up the slip of paper, selected and unlocked a bike via the Citi Bike App, and rode it to the address on the paper.The pawnshop was located in a very remote suburb. When the shop owner learned why I came, he immediately took out the bracelet without saying anything.It seemed that Michael had already told him.I felt nothing. All I wanted was to return the bracelet to Nicole as soon as possible so that we would be even.To my surprise, the shop owner suddenly lost hold of the bangle when I went to get it.The bracelet fell to the ground and shattered into pieces with a crack.I froze on the spot, my face turning ghastly.The shop owner exclaimed, "Young man, why weren't you more careful? It's not my fault!""Jack Thompson!" Nicole's angry voice suddenly came from behind.I turned around abruptly and met Michael's provocative gaze."Nicole, what did I tell you? Jack did it on purpose!" he said. "He smashed Mom's bracelet just to spite you. And to think you were

Chapter 6 Breaking News

When I ordered the cremation urn, the shop owner learned I was ordering it for myself and made an exception. So, he asked me to leave the phone number of an emergency contact person.I thought about it for a long time. Suddenly, I realized that I had no friends or relatives left ever since I was kicked out.No one was willing to get in touch with me due to Nicole's threats.That meant that she was the only person for the job.In the end, I chose to leave her phone number. At the same time, a faint sense of anticipation rose inside me.Would she be sad and heartbroken if she found out I was dead one day?Would she reflect on her actions and reinvestigate what happened five years ago?In the quiet of her office, Nicole looked up from a pile of documents and frowned."What cremation urn?"The shop owner laughed in exasperation on the other end. "I saw you on the financial news channel a few days ago. You're so rich, yet you won't even give your brother 500 bucks to settle his pay

Chapter 7 The Call From the Police

The body was covered with a white sheet. Nicole couldn't help but frown as she looked at it.After all, we were siblings. It didn't matter how much she hated me; we were still related by blood.Suddenly, her face turned pale, and she raised her hand to cover her chest.A moment later, she took out her phone and called me. However, all she got for her troubles was a mechanical female voice, saying, "Sorry, the number you have dialed is currently unavailable."Her face turned even paler, and an unprecedented feeling of panic flashed across her eyes. So, she tapped on my profile picture and sent message after message."Jack, where are you? Answer the phone. I need to see you now. Call me immediately!' If you call me now, I'll forgive you. I admit I was just saying things out of anger. I just want you to come home.""I don't want Mom's belongings anymore. I don't care if you sold it. I just want you to come home. So, call me now!"Unfortunately, she received no reply to any of her t

Chapter 8 The Truth Is Revealed

I tried to clear my name before I died.Although I no longer cared whether Nicole believed me, I still left a message in my notes."First of all, I'm committing suicide, so please don't waste police resources on me. I was diagnosed with stomach cancer, and I have the medical report on my phone. This is me facing my death with no regrets. "Secondly, I still want to tell my sister, Nicole Thompson, that I didn't sell our mother's belongings five years ago. That was all Michael. The pawnshop owner definitely knows him. Go ahead and look into it if you don't believe me. The truth will come out eventually. "You should be able to find out what you need with some effort. Finally, I still wish to have a nice final resting place. There are only 500 bucks left of the balance. Nicole, please have some pity on me and help me settle the payment. "Now that I think about it, I don't owe you anything. I drank three bottles of whiskey that day, so you technically owe me 500 dollars. It's time t

Chapter 9 Finally Rest in Peace

Michael was sent abroad that evening.As for Nicole, she went to the shop where I had ordered my cremation urn on that same evening.Sadly, she was too late. The shop owner had already sold the cremation urn I wanted.Nicole pleaded in despair, "I can pay you 10 times the price! No! 100 times! I can pay you 100 times the price! So please, please sell me the cremation urn!"The shop owner looked annoyed. It wasn't that he was heartless. It was just that, something like this was more of an occupational hazard for someone who ran an urn-selling business; he had witnessed the four inevitables of human life so many times that he was already used to it."And where have you been, huh? I called you, didn't I? You made it clear you aren't going to pay that 500 bucks, so I sold the cremation urn to someone else! They paid me in full. I can't exactly snatch it from them just because you want it, can I?"As he spoke, he raised his chin, motioning Nicole to look behind her. "I sold it to that

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