You Faked Your Deaths to Punish Me?! That’s Illegal, Family! novel Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Jake came with me to file the paperwork the next morning.

His contact at the registrar’s office rushed us through-we had death certificates in hand before lunch.

Then Jake started burning through every connection he had to accelerate the IPO timeline. The memorial could wait.

He was back in the group chat before we even left the building.

CrazyForCandy:

[Paperwork’s done-fake, obviously. IPO’s moved up, memorial’s off the table. I’ll grab you guys tomorrow. Ring’s already bought. The second we announce the IPO, I’m getting down on one knee for Candy.]

Hubby’s Little Secret:

[OMG! I love you! Watching my sister’s face when she realizes what happened is going to be the highlight of my year.]

Mom Davidson:

[She’s been a walking punchline this whole time. Thought she could steal Jake from you-please. We’re running low on cash anyway, so the timing works perfectly. Your dad takes the company back, and Candy goes right back to being Davidson elite where she belongs.]

Dad Davidson:

[That’s the plan. Candy inherits everything eventually. Lily’s too unstable to lead anything-she can answer to her little sister from now on.]

I picked up my phone and called the contractor.

“I need the house stripped down to the studs. Everything goes. You have until tomorrow.”

The IPO event drew half the business press in the city.

Jake showed up looking like he’d stepped out of a magazine spread, shoulders back, grinning at nothing.

He kept glancing toward the entrance like he was expecting his lottery numbers to walk through the door.

Then the screens went black mid-loop through the company timeline.

Three memorial portraits replaced them.

Gray fabric rolled out over the red carpet.

Mourning wreaths appeared flanking the entrance.

The energy in the room dropped like someone had cut the power.

Jake wheeled on me, anger already bleeding into his tone.

“Lily-what is this? We postponed the memorial. What are you doing?”

10:53

You faked Your Deaths to Punish Me?! That’s legal Panvilul

Chapter 3

The board didn’t waste time turning on me.

“Lily, an IPO is a celebration. What possessed you to turn it into a funeral?”

“She’s too young for this kind of pressure. Doesn’t have her father’s steadiness. This is completely irresponsible.”

“We backed you for CEO because we believed in your judgment. Now you’re sabotaging the biggest moment in this company’s history? Shut this down immediately.”

I let my eyes move slowly across their faces before landing on the three portraits behind me.

“I know how this looks. But my parents and sister vanished exactly three years ago today…”

My throat tightened and I felt tears spill over.

“My father built this company from nothing. The IPO falling on this exact date-I don’t think that’s random. I think somehow he knew. So I want to say goodbye to them here, in front of everyone who helped him build what we’re celebrating. Please let me do this for him.”

I dropped my head.

The room went quiet. Then low voices started filtering through.

“Wait, today’s the anniversary-that’s why she’s doing this. God, that’s loyalty.”

“She spent over ten million trying to find them. Paid off their debts when she didn’t have to. Most people would’ve walked.”

“She’s holding a memorial at her own IPO because she can’t forget her family. That’s the kind of person you want running a company.”

The board’s hostility melted into something softer-understanding, even respect. Nobody pushed back anymore.

I started to speak.

Jake grabbed my wrist, voice going sharp and desperate.

“Lily stop-you can’t do this. Your parents aren’t dead. Candy’s not dead. They’re alive and they’re walking through that door any second now.”

Every conversation in the room cut off at once.

I stared at him like he’d just told me the earth was flat.

“Jake, you’re starting to scare me. If they were alive, they wouldn’t have abandoned me for three years. They wouldn’t have put me through

that.”

“You need to let go of whatever false hope you’re holding onto. My parents and sister are gone-”

“Actually, we’re not.”

The entrance doors swung wide.

An older couple stepped through, a stunning young woman walking between them.

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