Second Life Starts at My Own Murder Scene Chapter 09

Second Life Starts at My Own Murder Scene Chapter 09

[Finale]

Six months later, the court handed down its ruling.

Lydia was convicted of attempted aggravated assault. Because the method was exceptionally cruel, the malicious intent

was obvious, and the case had such a vile impact, she was sentenced to eight years in prison.

Wanda, as an accomplice who had provided both the method and the weapon, was sentenced to three years.

On the day of the sentencing. Lydia cried in court and kept calling for her father and her brother.

But in the gallery, aside from the representative summoned to testify for the victim’s family, not a single member of the

Bennett family showed up.

Just like Grandpa had said.

To all of us, she was already dead.

And that wasn’t all.

News of Lydia’s arrest quickly made its way to her in–laws.

Her mother–in–law, who had always resented her for being unable to have children, not only refused to hire her a

lawyer, but actually showed up at the detention center with freshly drafted divorce papers in hand and screamed abuse

at her through the glass.

“You rotten–hearted bitch!”

“It wasn’t enough that you’re a useless barren woman. You actually dared to go after someone else’s healthy child too!”

The Carter family has always had a clean name. How did my son end up marrying a curse like you?!”

“My son is about to get promoted, and there is no way he’s going to be dragged down by a convicted woman like you!”

“Sign the papers now! If you don’t, I’ll drag you through court myself!”

Faced with her husband’s abandonment, her mother–in–law’s humiliation, and her family cutting her off, Lydia finally

shattered.

I heard that on the very night she signed the divorce papers in detention, she lost her mind.

Every day after that, she sat in front of the bars grinning stupidly, clutching a torn pillow and drooling as she muttered to herself, “Push it in… push it in and she’ll go dumb… my sweet little niece…”

When the guards realized she had suffered a complete mental break, they transferred her to the prison psychiatrie unit.

That was where she would spend her long, pitiful sentence, trapped in a place without light.

But none of that had anything to do with us anymore.

Time flew.

Spring gave way to fall, and winter snow melted into another year.

Before I knew it, I was already one year old.

That day, Dad reserved the top–floor private dining room at the best restaurant in town and threw me a first–birthday party built around a pick–your–future game.

This time, there were no messy distant relatives.

It was just Grandpa, my maternal grandparents, Mom, and Dad.

Sunlight spilled through the huge floor–to–ceiling windows and spread across the rug, filling the whole room with warmth.

Spread across the rug were a fountain pen, a little calculator, a gold coin, a seal stamp, a stethoscope…

I was dressed in a bright red party romper, with two tiny pigtails on top of my head, like a chubby little baby straight off

a vintage Christmas card.

“Evie, go see what you like,” Mom said, crouching behind me and gently nudging my little butt.

On my wobbly toddler legs, I toddled over to the pile one slow step at a time.

I looked at the shiny gold coin, then at the cute little calculator.

In the end. I reached out my chubby little hand.

I picked up the guardian–angel medallion sitting in the center, the one Grandpa had taken to church to have blessed.

I clutched it tightly in my fist.

Then I turned around.

I looked at my family not far away, all of them watching me with eager, adoring eyes.

I opened my mouth.

And in a loud, clear voice full of life and joy, I said the three words I had wanted most to say ever since I was reborn.

“Da–da!”

“Ma–ma!”

“Gran–pa!”

Dad’s eyes reddened instantly. He rushed over and lifted me high into the air

Mom covered her mouth as tears spilled down her cheeks, happy tears this time.

Grandpa laughed so hard his dentures nearly popped out as he kept clapping.

That’s right! That’s right! Grandpa’s sweet girl! So smart! So good!”

Sunlight poured down over all of us.

Resting on Dad’s shoulder, I held the guardian–angel medallion tight in my hand.

The mental impairment, the beatings, the trafficking, and the despair of my last life had all faded away like smoke.

In this life, with the blessing of that medallion, I would grow up smart, healthy, and safe.