Chapter 6
The housekeeper took one look inside the box and recoiled as though he’d been electrocuted, flinging it away from him.
The contents spilled across the polished marble Door with a sickening thent.
Inside the festive red gift box sat a smaller, dark crimson umn. Its contents now scattered across the floor, fine powdery ash mixed
with tiny bone fragments
Hektor lurched forward, his legs barely cooperating. With trembling hands, he picked up a small red booklet among the ashes.
His pupils constricted to pinpoints when he realized what he was holding divorce papers with his signature on them.
“What the fuck?” he whispered hoarsely. “I never signed any-*
Then he flipped it open to find a death certificate nestled inside.
With his mother–in–law’s name printed in stark black letters.
“This–this isn’t real,” he stammered, his voice rising with panic. “It’s fucking impossible. This has to be some sick joker
When he’d left that day, her head had barely been bleeding–just a minor injury, nothing life threatening.
“Tunifer!” he bellowed, whirling toward the stairs. “What kind of sick game are you playing?!”
“Get Yunifer down here NOW!” he demanded, his voice cracking as he fixed wild, bloodshot eyes on the housekeeper.
A maid stepped forward hesitantly. “Sir… I–I saw madam leave with her suitcase about an hour ago.”
“Left?” Hektor’s voice dropped to a horrified whisper.
His legs gave out, and he crumpled onto the floor among the scattered ashes.
Since Yunifer’s release from prison, no gallery would touch her work. No studio would hire her. He’d made sure of that.
He’d given her no access to their accounts. She had nothing
The thought of her out there–alone, broke, desperate–sent a jagged blade of panic through his chest that made it hard to breathe.
The room fell into an eerie silence. Hektor looked utterly destroyed, while the staff stood frozen, afraid to move or speak
Then Laria’s shrill voice shattered the tension
“Oh, Hektor,” she cooed, dabbing at nonexistent tears.
“I’m not even upset about almost being strangled anymore! I came here with nothing but love in my heart to celebrate Vanifer’s birthday, and look how she repays your kindness.”
“Using–what is this, flour?-to fake her mother’s ashes? And forging official documents? That’s beyond disturbed, that’s actually
criminal.”
“First driving her father to an early grave, now putting death curses on her own mother? She’s rotten to the core.”
“You’ve been so good to her, Hektor,” she purred, stroking his arm. “If you chase apex her now, you’re just rewarding this disgusting
11:21
What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You St
Chapter 6
behavior!”
She kicked the urn aside contemptuously, then bent down to help Hektor up.
But the man who had always treated her like a precious jewel suddenly shoved her away with shocking force. His eyes blazed with a fury she’d never seen directed at her.
“SHUT YOUR FUCKING MOUTH!” he roared, spittle flying.
“Yunifer has NOTHING! No money, no resources. If I don’t find her, she could die out there! Is that what you want?!”
He struggled to his feet, swaying slightly.
Laria froze in genuine shock before quickly recovering. Her eyes filled with perfectly timed tears, her lower lip trembling on cue.
“I can’t believe you’re screaming at me because of her,” she whimpered, voice cracking. “Everything I say, everything I do is because I care about you, Hektor.”
“Sweetie, Yunifer survived being beaten so badly in prison that she coughed blood and lost a kidney.Do you honestly think missing her birthday would drive her to… divorce you.”
“She’s obviously using her mother to manipulate you, to make you feel guilty and responsible…”
Hektor had never heard Laria talk so much or so callously. Strange, revealing words poured from her mouth, and his eyes grew increasingly hostile as he stared at her.
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