Chapter 68

If I'd previously believed my death was random chance, I now felt certain Nicole knew all along. Otherwise, why would she continuously distribute items containing my ashes to those closest to me? First Chase, then Grandma, and the rest of the family.

I couldn't comprehend it. I was her older sister. In life, she'd taken everything that was mine; why couldn't she leave me alone in death? This was beyond twisted! Her audacity suggested she intended my death to remain a secret forever.

To be fair, my ashes had been scattered; over time, people would naturally forget. They might assume I was dead, or simply vanished. Did this mean I was trapped in this ghostly state forever? When would it end?

I found myself beside Grandma, feeling lost and heartbroken. The sight of her frail, aged face ached my heart.

Marian arrived with mushroom soup. "Ma'am, it's late, and you haven't eaten much. Please have some soup and try to rest. Amanda will be alright."

Grandma sighed deeply. "Look at these shameless people. I don't know what hold Nicole has over them. Ever since Amanda vanished without a trace that night... Even if she were upset, she would never ignore me. Something must have happened to Amanda."

Only those who truly loved you cared about your whereabouts.

"Ma'am, don't worry. I bet Amanda got angry with Mr. Reyes. Wouldn't contacting you earlier have revealed her location? I think she wanted to make Mr. Reyes look foolish."

"I've sent people to find her, and they've returned empty-handed. She's never been gone this long without a trace, and then there's that blood-stained wedding dress. I just..."

How could Grandma not worry? Without the dress, there might have been some explanation for my disappearance.

"I even asked the police about the dress. They found it, but nothing else of Amanda's. If something truly bad happened, we'd know by now, right? We haven't found any evidence, have we?"

"Even so, I can't stop worrying..."

Marian sighed. "Ma'am, Amanda is in her twenties, not a child. We live in a law-abiding world, and she always had bodyguards. She'll be fine. She's just caught up in her feelings. Young people today love the idea of escaping to heal a broken heart. Maybe she's found a beautiful place to recover. Instead of worrying about her, take care of yourself. If she returns and sees you've lost weight, it'll break her heart."

After Marian's gentle reassurances, Grandma's face softened. "Alright, bring the soup."

"Okay," Marian said cheerfully, handing over the soup and helping Grandma finish it.

A hint of tiredness appeared in Grandma's eyes. Marian gestured to a fine dinner set. "Ma'am, what should we do with these dishes?" She knew Grandma disliked Nicole and had discarded anything Nicole had previously sent.

"For the sake of the design, let's keep them. Consider it gathering blessings for Amanda. Hopefully, she will come home soon."

I sighed softly. "Grandma, no matter how many good deeds you do for me, I can't come home anymore."

But at least this would bring her peace and prevent nightmares tonight.