All Chapters of The Night Everything Died: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

10 Chapters

Chapter 1 The Dead Never Died

Just then, my phone rang. It was Zach from Chester’s law firm.I switched on speaker."Audrey, we've got a new lead on the killer. In ten days, they'll be making a deal at an underground fighting ring in Kachara. It's far too dangerous. Whatever you do, don't go!"After the call ended, I looked around at everyone gathered there, and tears streamed uncontrollably down my face.Slowly, I crouched down and rolled up my loose pant legs and sleeves, revealing the scars that covered my body.The mangled brand on my ankle had come from chasing the killer aboard a ship, where a masked man had pressed a red-hot branding iron into my flesh.That lead had come from my best friend.Years ago, she had nearly been sold off by her father, who valued sons over daughters, to an aging bachelor. I had been the one who pulled her out of that nightmare and paid for her education overseas.The dark purple lash marks stretching across my back were left behind after I was captured by a criminal syndic

Chapter 2 A Life Built on Lies

Through my flood of tears, everything blurred except my son's face.Three years had passed. He had grown taller, and his face had lost some of its childish softness.No matter what had happened, the fact that he was alive was the greatest miracle I could have asked for.I rushed toward him, shoving aside anyone who tried to stop me, and pulled him tightly into my arms. "Kyle, come home with me, okay?"But Kyle Stratton sank his teeth viciously into my arm before driving a hard kick into my stomach.The pain forced me to let go, and he immediately ran behind my sister, peeking out from behind her and sticking his tongue out. "You're not my mom anymore. Aunt Phoebe is my mom now! I'm not going with you. All you ever did was make me study. Aunt Phoebe's different. She plays video games with me and buys me all my favorite candy. You don't love me at all. I don't want a mom like you!"I stared at Kyle in disbelief. It felt as though a piece of my heart had been carved out.Kyle had a

Chapter 3 A Stolen Victory

I forced myself not to cry and turned my face away, avoiding Chester's eyes. I was afraid. Afraid of seeing the scar on his forehead. Afraid he would say something I could no longer bear to hear.Chester sighed, his expression returning to the familiar gentleness I remembered. "Audrey, I'm Phoebe's husband now. No matter how much you fight it, I still have a responsibility to fulfill as her husband and as a father."I lowered my head and laughed bitterly, my voice twisted with anger. "But you were my husband. What about your responsibility to me?"The suffocating pressure in my chest left my entire body weak. I forced myself to stay upright and reached out, gripping Chester's arm tightly. "Didn't you promise you'd protect me for the rest of our lives? Chester, why? Why did you do this?""Audrey! Stop making a scene!" My mother shoved me away, her eyes red with anger, and I finally lost all strength and collapsed onto the floor."Chester is your brother-in-law now. No matter how hy

Chapter 4 Branded a Traitor

You could not fool everyone forever.The chain of evidence I provided was far more complete than Phoebe's, and my account of the investigation was much more coherent. Phoebe, on the other hand, appeared impeccably made up, with skin so smooth and delicate that she looked like a wealthy socialite.There was not the slightest sign that she had spent three years risking her life inside a criminal organization.Countless people sent letters of complaint to the police department, demanding that Phoebe be dismissed and that the First-Class Merit that should have been mine be returned to me.I thought I would soon be able to return to the Criminal Investigation Division on the strength of my achievements. Then, Phoebe started a livestream.Facing the camera, she wept bitterly. "Audrey is my younger sister. Out of consideration for our family bond, I didn't want to expose her at first, but I can't believe she tried to twist the truth and steal my achievement. Now, I must tell everyone w

Chapter 5 Nothing Left of Her

By the time Chester reached the rooftop, he was still one step too late.He lunged forward, reaching desperately for the unsteady figure teetering at the edge, but his fingers closed around nothing. He could only watch helplessly as Audrey disappeared before his eyes.Clinging desperately to the railing at the edge of the rooftop, Chester leaned over and looked down. A heart-wrenching cry tore from his throat. "Audrey!"But no one would ever answer him again.Chester raced all the way to the bottom of the building. Audrey's parents, Matthew and Jennifer, had also just arrived with Kyle, and the three of them were simultaneously stunned by the sight before them.Chester collapsed to his knees beside the pool of blood. His hands trembled as he reached out blindly, desperately wanting to hold Audrey one last time, even if all that remained of her was a corpse.However, Audrey had not even left him an intact body.She had fallen from hundreds of feet above. By the time she hit the g

Chapter 6 One Big Happy Family

Phoebe thought Chester would hold her in his arms and comfort her as he always had. But the warm embrace she had imagined never came. Instead, the first thing that greeted her was a slap from her parents."How dare you call Audrey a criminal? Your sister was a hero who had solved countless major cases. She was the pride of our family! How can you still slander her after she's dead?"Chester slowly rose from the ground. He stared coldly at Phoebe, his eyes filled with a deep, seething hatred. "Was Kyle wrong, Phoebe? If you hadn't stolen Audrey's credit and accused her of being a traitor, would she have been driving to jump off the building? You're the reason Audrey's dead!"Phoebe covered her swollen cheek, her eyes widening in disbelief. 'The whole world must've gone mad! Just this morning, they treated Audrey like she was worthless, and now, they act as though they love her more than anything! What? Just because she's dead now?'"I know you're all hurting because Audrey is gone,"

Chapter 7 The Truth Revealed

After putting down her phone, Phoebe happily imagined the glory of receiving the highest First-Class Merit Medal surrounded by her loved ones at this celebration banquet.'And Audrey is nothing more than a dead woman now. Chester, Mom, and Dad might mourn her for a while, but can they really mourn her for the rest of their lives? Within a month, everyone will forget about that bitch!'She couldn't defeat me while she was alive; she certainly won't defeat me after death! At least that useless woman was good for contributing a First-Class Merit Medal to me before she died.'The moment the private room doors opened, a server pushed an enormous celebration cake toward Phoebe.Then, her superiors and colleagues entered one after another, their faces filled with congratulatory smiles. And finally, Matthew and Jennifer walked in holding Kyle's hand, followed by Chester carrying their daughter. The whole family had arrived together.A smug smile tugged at the corners of Phoebe's lips. 'I

Chapter 8 The Hero's Final Proof

Scene after scene of Audrey infiltrating the criminal organization appeared before everyone's eyes.During her undercover operation, the criminals became suspicious of Audrey's identity and locked her in a water prison for three days and three nights. Her wounds were repeatedly infected from being soaked in filthy water, while snakes and rats constantly gnawed at her.Even after her fever rose so high that she became barely conscious, she still used the hidden camera on her body to record a message. "If you find my body, you'll definitely find the evidence I'm carrying. Don't mourn for me. As long as the criminals are brought to justice, my death will have been worth it."On another occasion, Audrey was discovered while secretly photographing evidence. The criminals pushed her from the fourth floor, leaving her entire shoulder crushed in a comminuted fracture.As she crawled toward the bushes, she recorded her final words. "If I'm lucky enough to survive, I'll personally deliver th

Chapter 9 Audrey, Reporting Back for Duty

Because there had been a legitimate reason behind my actions and I had made a significant contribution, the department chose not to hold me accountable for faking my death.My superior personally pinned the merit medal onto my chest and smiled sincerely. "Audrey, report back to the Criminal Investigation Division tomorrow."I froze. A lump formed in my throat, and the emotion quickly spread through my entire body. I couldn't stop myself from trembling.I had waited so long for this day to come.I raised my hand in a solemn salute, my eyes brimming with tears of excitement. "Audrey Clairmont, reporting back for duty!"…That evening, my colleagues threw me a grand celebration banquet. Some praised my courage, some felt sorry for everything I had endured along the way, and others apologized for the ridicule and sarcasm they had directed at me over the years.Their kindness warmed me.As for those belated apologies, I chose not to forgive them.Just as before, I would continue mo

Chapter 10 Goodbye to Everything

The light in Chester's eyes slowly faded. Looking at our son, who was crying beside him, he hugged Kyle tightly and pleaded with me in a humble voice. "Audrey, I know I failed you and don't deserve your forgiveness even more so. But our boy is innocent. For Kyle's sake, please, give me one more chance. From now on, I'll treat you and our son twice as well. I swear I'll never hurt you again!"Kyle's face was streaked with tears. He looked at me through tear-filled eyes, repeatedly calling out to me.I glanced at him coldly. After the brief stab of pain in my heart, I refused to soften. "He stopped acknowledging me as his mother a long time ago. Why should I acknowledge him as my son?"With that, I shut the door without mercy.But after being turned away for the first time, Chester did not give up. Instead, he came over every few days.He would drive 12 miles just to buy the mousse cake from the bakery I had once loved. On Mother's Day, he brought Kyle over with a handmade card.

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