He Faked His Death to Test My Mother Chapter 04

He Faked His Death to Test My Mother Chapter 04

I stared at her in disbelief.

“Three years ago, she saw us when she was cleaning at the mall.”

Vanessa smiled like she remembered something funny. “She went crazy. Screaming she had to find your dad and demand answers.”

My fists clenched.

“But I spent years getting rid of her. Why would I let her show up in front of him again?”

“So I pushed her into the river.”

My heart skipped.

“She tried swimming up a few times. I bashed her back down with rocks. Blood everywhere. Until she didn’t come up anymore.”

“Oh, and tonight—Ellis Group is launching fireworks over the river. You know, to celebrate the kids and their ‘bright futures.’”

“The underwater kind was my idea. For that extra wow factor. The explosion’s strong enough to wipe out every living thing in the river.”

Her voice got lighter. “If your mom’s body really is at the bottom… I guess it’ll blow up into little pieces too.”

“Monster!”

My eyes split with rage. I dug my fingers into Vanessa’s throat. “Give me back my mom!”

“Enough!”

A slap smashed across my face, hard enough to knock me to the ground.

“So just because I said I’m not divorcing your mom, you think you can pull this crap on your aunt? You two have gotten way too many passes from me.”

Nathan yanked Vanessa into his arms, teeth grinding. “I’m out of patience. Take me to your mom. Right now.”

“Push me any further, and I’ll disown you from the family registry.”

Vanessa’s eyebrow arched, barely hiding her smugness. She’d provoked me on purpose.

I bit the inside of my cheek until I tasted blood. “Fine. I’ll take you to Mom.”

On the rooftop of Summit Tower across the river, Nathan looked around, his face getting darker. “Where is she?”

“What other tricks are you two playing? Careful—I might actually divorce her. Then you’ll have nothing.”

I didn’t answer. I just stared down at the river hundreds of feet below.

All these years, I couldn’t find her on my own. But if…

“Nathan! Help!”

He turned. I already had Vanessa locked in a chokehold, standing at the edge.

Vanessa was shaking violently. So she was afraid to die. And Mom?

When Mom got smashed down again and again, was she more scared? More desperate?

Every camera waiting for the celebration fireworks swung toward us.

Nathan’s fury exploded. “Elena, let go of your aunt! Is this what your mom taught you? Get her out here. I’ll deal with her.”

“I’m going to see Mom right now. You coming, Dad?”

I smiled, hopeless and bitter, and fell backward, pulling Vanessa with me.

Reporters screamed.

Suddenly, a pocket knife stabbed clean through my hand.

Nathan yanked the knife out and pulled Vanessa back from the edge.

I lost my balance and toppled backward.

“Elena!” His voice ripped apart above me.

At the same time, the underwater fireworks detonated on schedule.

Right as I crashed into the river, a skeleton floated up from the violent blast at the bottom.

Around its neck hung the silver locket Mom never took off.