I stood paralyzed as Florence desperately clutched Stephanie, sobbing uncontrollably.

Paramedics arrived, confirming Stephanie had no vital signs.

"No! She was healthy. How could she just die?" Florence screamed, collapsing in grief.

The doctor's heavy gaze fell on me. Before he could say anything, Florence's rage flared. "I don't believe she died just from saying Dad. I demand an autopsy. I need to know what killed her!"

The autopsy room's lights dimmed. The doctor came out, sighing, "We couldn't identify the sudden illness that took her."

Inside, Stephanie's body was marred with incisions. Overcome with grief, Florence glared at me. "Why? Why did she die right after calling you Dad? What did you do?"

I could only shake my head. "I don't know. She was my child, too. I'd never hurt her."

I sank to my knees, broken, but the crowd showed no sympathy.

"I pitied him before, but now he deserves this. He knows kids die around him, yet he keeps trying."

"His ex-wife gets remarried and has healthy kids. It's clearly his fault."

"I'm starting to think he's behind these deaths. Why else keep having kids?"

"Maybe it's not him directly. Could be an enemy targeting his children for revenge."

"Either way, his wife and kids suffer the most."

My parents arrived, desperately trying to defend me. My mother Dora shielded me, pleading with the crowd. "Please, the police ruled these were sudden illnesses. If anyone's to blame, it's us for not monitoring their health. Kurt is innocent."

The onlookers were relentless.

"Innocent? One kid dying suddenly is plausible, but every one?"

"All right after calling him Dad?"

"Doctors can't even name the illness. How many coincidences can stack up?"

Florence's eyes blazed. "Do you really not know how Stephanie died?"

Before I could answer, Dora stepped forward. "Florence, we're so sorry, but Kurt didn't do anything. We know losing Stephanie is tearing you apart. It's tearing him apart, too. Can we go home and talk?"

Florence pushed her away. "How long are you going to protect him? When his former kids died, you cried before cameras, begging people to drop it. He just let you grovel, and you're still defending him?"

Her glare fell on me. "Are you just watching them grovel like this and still won't tell the truth?"

Florence's words drew every eye to me.

"There's a truth here. These deaths are too strange."

"What's the real story?"

The crowd turned to Florence, but her accusing stare pinned me.

"You want the truth?" I smiled bitterly. "I'm desperate to find out. I loved them more than anyone else, but I don't know why they died after saying Dad."

"You're lying!" Florence slapped me, pointing at Stephanie's body, covered by a sheet. "That's not Stephanie. She's alive, isn't she? Where are you hiding her? Give her back!"

The room froze.

With the body lying there, they believed Florence's grief had broken her. But then, she showed a live video feed. In it, Stephanie was at preschool, alive and well.

All eyes shifted to the corpse, whose identity was now questionable.

"Why are you doing this?" Florence pressed. "Give me my daughter back. Which school is she at? When did you switch her?"

"I didn't," I started, but my mom cut me off. "Kurt, stop lying!"

She went over to Florence, tears streaming. "I'm so sorry. I couldn't bear the guilt anymore. The girl in the video isn't Stephanie. I know how she died."

"What?" Florence's eyes widened, her face ashen as she leaned closer.

"It was him." My mom pointed at me. "He killed them. He's got that super-male syndrome and he has violent streak. He killed countless pets when he was a child and I covered for him. But I never imagined he'd murder his kids. We tried to stop him, but he swore each time was the last."

She sobbed, continuing, "We're guilty for covering up for him. He's our only son. But I can't watch you lose your mind. Stephanie is gone. Kurt killed her."

The crowd was stunned.

"Did I hear that right? Kurt killed his kids?"

"Even animals don't kill their young. Why would he?"

Florence stood rigid, glancing at me.

I was dumbfounded. "I didn't."

"Your parents have always protected you. No way they'd frame you!" Florence yelled. "Why did you kill my daughter?"

I looked at my parents, who urged me with pained expressions. "You've done enough wrong. We can't keep hiding this. It's eating us alive."

I was incredulous, unable to understand why they framed me like that. I tried to speak, but the crowd believed my parents wouldn't betray me.

A man punched me in the face. "You monster, killing your kids and acting innocent? Even death is too good for you!"

"That's right. We're bringing him to justice!" Others joined in, beating me as I lay defenseless.

In my despair, I glanced at the girl's face on Florence's phone.

Then it clicked why my children died after calling me Dad.