Daun knelt in a disheveled manner before the elderly lady, almost pressing himself onto the lifeless body. As he observed the wrinkles on the old lady's face and the evident hardships etched on it, an inexplicable uneasiness gripped him from within.
A thought emerged in his mind: Will his mother not come looking for him after her death...?
Daun quickly stepped back a few paces, struggling to regain his balance, and stared angrily at Blake. He sternly exclaimed, "Who do you think you are? What department are you from? How dare you lay hands on me! I'll file a complaint against you!"
With a snap, Blake cracked his knuckles.
"Which department?" he sneered. "The Masses Supervision Group of Chruss District. Go ahead and file your complaint."
It took Daun a moment to comprehend.
So, he was just an onlooker minding his own business?
All this time, he had been guarding downstairs near his house, and Daun had assumed he had some authority. It turned out he was just an interfering bystander!
"Mind your own business, you meddler!" Daun glared fiercely at Blake.
The police immediately apprehended him with a sharp clap, sternly reprimanding, "Daun, did you know that your mother waited outside your door all night? Were you aware of this?"
Daun's eyes flickered slightly, and he cried out in protest, "I had no idea! I just got home; how would I know?"
Lilly clenched her fists tightly, speaking up loudly, "You just got home? Didn't you pass by the doorstep? I don't believe you didn't notice!"
Daun, who hadn't left the house, tried to make up an excuse, "It was pouring rain... I was only focused on getting back home. I didn't pay attention..."
Lilly was deeply disappointed.
This was the unfilial son who neglected his mother.
Could there be such people in the world...?
The police raised their voice once again, "Don't try to deceive us! You've been home these past two days, and you knew your mother was calling for you at your doorstep! You are now implicated in abandonment, and your mother's death is a result of that. Get ready to face the consequences!"
Daun suddenly felt profoundly wronged.
Why was it always him?
It wasn't his turn this month; if it were an abandonment charge, it should be his younger brother!
"Officer, this is a misunderstanding! It was my brother who was taking care of our mother this month. It's not even the end of the month yet; it's not September. It's not me!" he pleaded.
"It was my brother who kicked our mother out before it was time. You should go after him. He's the one responsible for our mother's death!"
More and more curious neighbors gathered, staying indoors due to the rain. Daun's house was at the end of the alley, and normally, nobody passed by.
They had faintly heard someone shouting in the evening, but they truly had no idea that the old lady had died in front of her own son's door.
Now, hearing Daun's defense, the neighbors looked at him with peculiar eyes.
They all said, "Oh my, Daun, what are you saying? That's your mother!"
"Yes, that's right! Regardless of who was taking care of her, your mother died right at your doorstep..."
"We could vaguely hear someone shouting nearby, but we didn't pay attention. You should have heard it!"
Daun's face turned red, but he didn't think he was at fault. It was agreed upon that his younger brother would take care of their mother this month. What did it have to do with him?
Before long, Daun's two brothers and sister arrived.
The second son, Tom, third daughter, Molly, and the fourth son, Shaun.
The three of them were shocked at the sight of their deceased mother.
Shaun was the first to accuse, "Daun, are you even human? Your mother was at your doorstep, and you didn't open the door for her?"
She cried while shouting, "Is that how you talk? I wasn't at home, and my mother knocked on my in-laws' door. I was in town helping my sister-in-law at the shop. How would I know if my mother came? If I had known, I would have opened the door for sure!"
Shaun immediately added, "I didn't know either! If I had known, would I have let my mother die at the doorstep?"
He glanced meaningfully at Daun.
Lilly felt a heavy burden in her heart and gritted her teeth, saying, "You knew."
Shaun looked at Lilly, annoyed by this little girl. Who was she to make baseless claims?
But Lilly stared back at him, saying firmly, "You opened the door for Grandma. Grandma said she was cold and that you didn't let her in. If you had a soft heart, what would happen if next time Big Brother did the same every month?"
"Grandma said you even told her to go inside and change her clothes, but you were afraid she would stay and not leave, so you let go of her hand."
Shaun was suddenly taken aback. There was no one else around at the time... How did she know?
"Nonsense," he denied.
Tom, who had been silent all along, pretended to be concerned and said, "Shaun, you're being too heartless, aren't you? Regardless of the circumstances, Mom died because of either you or Daun. Can you say such things in front of her?"
Unexpectedly, Lilly targeted him too, saying, "And you, Uncle. Grandma knocked on your door as well. Don't tell me you didn't know?"
Tom vigorously shook his head, "Don't make things up. I didn't hear anything. If I had heard, would I not open the door for my mother?"
One by one, they all adamantly claimed ignorance, firmly sticking to their stories even in the face of their dead mother's presence.
Lilly grew angrier.
How could these sons and daughters reach such a point?
If they couldn't even speak honestly, then there was no room for any further debate!
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