He Faked His Death And I Came For Our Daughter’s Ashes Chapter 05

He Faked His Death And I Came For Our Daughter’s Ashes Chapter 05

“Something felt wrong at the funeral home today. All this time, I thought you had her records closed because you took her out of the country…”

I stayed calm. “She’s dead.”

A long silence followed. I could hear him breathing, heavy and uneven.

I continued. “She died three years ago. That day, you were worried Celeste couldn’t handle Kelly, so you put Tessa on a bus early.”

“That bus got into an accident on the way back to the children’s home. Her injuries were too severe. She died that night.”

Still silence.

My voice trembled. “The doctors said she was very brave. She tried not to cry while they cleaned her wounds because you told her you liked brave kids.”

“She asked me to tell you that she wouldn’t compete with Kelly for your attention anymore. She just wanted you to come see her.”

“So, Brandon, are you satisfied now? Have you paid back what you owe to Professor Weber?”

He finally spoke. His voice was hoarse. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I didn’t know…”

“What didn’t you know?”

“While Tessa was dying in the hospital, burned over her whole body, I called you. And what did you say?”

I laughed, tears streaming down my face.

“Celeste’s daughter had a scratch barely an inch long. You said you were afraid Celeste couldn’t handle it alone. You had to help them because of your old professor. Don’t you see how ridiculous that is?”

“Mandy, it’s all my fault… everything is my fault…”

I looked up at the sky and tried to force the tears back. “Stop. What’s the point?”

“Right now, I just want to go to your house and get the plush toy Tessa loved.”

I had left too quickly after the divorce and forgotten it.

Seeing her picture on the headstone reminded me. It was something Brandon had brought her from a business trip.

I hung up and took a taxi to the townhouse.

Celeste answered the door in a silk chemise, a high-end sheet mask with gold flakes on her face.

She froze for half a second when she saw me.

“Oh, Mandy, it’s you. You should have called first. I would have prepared.”

She spoke like a hostess greeting a guest.

“No need to prepare anything. I’m just here for the floppy-eared bunny plush. Then I’ll leave.”

I walked straight toward Tessa’s room.

Celeste followed behind me, drawing out her words. “I’ve gone through everything of yours. There’s no plush toy in here.”

I pushed the door open.

The room had been completely changed.

Pink wallpaper. Frozen bedsheets. Legos scattered across the desk.

Nothing in there belonged to my daughter.

I stopped at the doorway.

Celeste peeled off her face mask slowly and laughed. “This is Kelly’s room now. Why let it go to waste?”

“As for Tessa’s toy, Kelly didn’t like it. Brandon spoils her. He keeps buying new ones. The old ones got thrown out. Maybe it got mixed up with the trash by accident.”

I turned to look at her. “Celeste, do you hate me?”

She blinked, caught off guard.

“You’re smart, pretty, a manager at your age.”

“But it’s been three years since Brandon and I divorced. You moved into his house with your kid, walked around in see-through nightgowns, and you still haven’t locked him down.”

“Do you know what that means?”

I stayed calm, but Celeste’s sweet expression shattered.

She pointed at me and shrieked, “Shut up, Mandy Sterling. You don’t get to judge me.”

“You’re nothing but an orphan. If I had met Brandon before you, you never would have been good enough for him.”

Suddenly, a familiar male voice spoke from behind.

“I’m an orphan too.”