Linda panicked, grabbing his arm. "Ryan, don't listen to him! He’s lying! Why would you believe this old man?"
Ryan studied her for a moment, then pulled his arm away.
"Linda, why are you so nervous? If you’re innocent, we have nothing to hide."
Linda’s face was pale. She stumbled, nearly falling. Ethan’s men quickly apprehended her.
They followed Michael to the backyard. The disturbed earth had been smoothed over by the rain, but Michael led them directly to the spot where I was buried.
"Here, Sir. Right here. Start digging."
Ryan nodded to his men, and Ethan’s men joined in. Soon, a shout went up.
"Sir, we found her!"
They pulled my body from the shallow grave. The earth had begun to reclaim me, the stench of decay heavy in the air. But my face, though partially decomposed, was still recognizable.
As my body was exhumed, I felt the pull on my soul, like a tether slowly unraveling. My essence had begun to fade, drifting closer to the peace of heaven. It wouldn’t be long before I was released from this purgatory and finally free.
But I wasn’t ready to go, not yet. The thought of leaving without witnessing Ryan and Linda face the consequences for what they did gnawed at me. It was a bitter pill to swallow, knowing I might never see their downfall.
"Sir, it's her. It’s Mrs. Walker. And… and there’s something else…"
"What is it?" Ryan's voice was barely a whisper.
"A fetus, Sir. A baby boy."
Ryan stumbled back, his face ashen.
"What… what did you say? No… No, it can’t be. She’s too… she’s too cunning to die so easily. This can’t be her!"
Ethan stood nearby, his eyes filled with grief. He knew it was me. He had known from the moment they started digging. But to convince Ryan, he called for the medical examiner he had brought with him.
To my surprise, Lirian stood there with a calm demeanor, devoid of any visible anger—almost as if his soul had departed along with mine.
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The readers' comments on the novel: After I left, the twin Alphas went crazy