“You seem eager to have your family dead.”

Judy and Lyra looked embarrassed.

I told the funeral home staff member, “Since we know it’s Hank, we can have him cremated today.”

The cremation seemed to put Judy at ease as she heaved relief.

Without a body, the police investigation was dead in the water.

However, I was far from finished.

The staff member gave me an urn. As soon as we left the funeral home, I scattered the ashes right in front of Judy and Lyra.

“You!”

Judy put a finger up my face, too furious for words.

Lyra rushed over to calm Judy down. “How dare you do this to Hank, Rochelle! I will never forgive you!”

“Who cares if it’s dirt or ashes? He’s gone. I’m better off scattering his ashes and be done with it.”

I ditched them and went to the police station.

With the death certificate in hand, I asked the police officer on duty, only for him to verify and confirm Hank’s death.

I felt discouraged.

On second thought, things worked out for the best.

The presence of Hank’s name and personal details on the document was proof that he was dead.

I went to the detective on the case, and he gave me an account of the situation.

“The victim’s mother and sister arrived on the scene not long after us.

“He had his phone and driver’s license on him, but to cover our bases, the victim’s mother confirmed he was Hank Johnson by his birthmark.”

I scoffed to myself.

As Hank’s wife, I knew him too well.

Hank did not have any birthmarks on him.

Leaving me out of the loop, Judy substituted an unidentified body for Hank’s.

“Officer, did my mother-in-law sign a civil settlement agreement with the driver involved?”

With the police officer nodding, I said, “I won’t agree to a settlement! I’m his wife, and I want the killer to face the law!”

The police officer told me that the driver was Benedict Dunn, a man from a tiny town in Hunton.

I kept the name in mind.

That day, I filed for a change in marital status.

Fortunately, Hank did not own any assets.

All the property I owned, including the house and the car, was acquired before our marriage.

Ironically, I should thank his deceitful affection.

Hank was at the lowest point of his career and love life when I first met him.

His startup went under, wiping out his savings and ruining him financially. Even his old flame, Claudia, left him and went abroad.

I worked two jobs, scrimped and saved, and paid off his debts. With the remaining money, I started a small business.

The long hours I spent in the kitchen covered me in grime and grease constantly. My cooking and food prices were decent enough that I opened another outlet in two years.

Five years passed then, and I grew a 100-sq-ft joint into a successful franchise in Hunton.

Hank proposed to me with a diamond ring.

He said that he owed everything to me. Without me, he was nothing.

I was his savior, his hope.

He was glad to leave everything in his name to me.

What difference did it make? He chose to betray me in the end.

Hank didn’t even have the courage to file for divorce. He rather faked his death to deceive me.

Of all the routes he could have taken, Hank decided to pin his death on me.

Thank God I was given another chance. This time, I would make them pay for what they had done.

Judy showed up at the office not long after Hank’s passing.

Just like in my previous life, she used the same excuse to pressure me into giving her the business.

“My son lost his life because of you. Shouldn’t you compensate me?”

“What do you want?”

Raising my brow, I watched her put on the waterworks.

Judy’s expression softened as she acted like she was doing me a favor. “Give your car and house to Lyra. She lost her brother. It’s the least you can do since she needs support.”

“And?”

“You should give up your business to me.

“You’re responsible for Hank’s death, and I don’t have a son to lean on anymore. It’s only fair I get the business.”

I could not hold back from chuckling, and Judy was not having it.

“You’re happy that Hank is dead, aren’t you? Did you kill him to get with your lover?”

Brushing her absurd accusations off, I slid a bank card toward her.

“You’re not getting my car, house, or business.

“Here’s everything Hank owned. Sign here to acknowledge receipt.”

I placed a document in front of her. She took a glance at the paperwork and became pissed.

Hank had little assets to his name. All he had going on was his steady job working in senior management.

Due to his pride, he had been wiring money to Jude and Lyra in secret. He had 100,000 dollars left in his bank account.

“I bet you and your lover killed my son. Now, you’re after his money, you evil woman! Woe is me! How could my son die before me?”

I had enough of her accusations. Fed up, I blew up.

“Since you insist I killed Hank, let’s let the police look into his death.

“The police should examine the crime scene, talk to the driver and funeral home staff, and check the surveillance footage.

“We’ll see if I killed him, or—”

I pulled out my phone to dial the emergency line when Judy held my hand down. “I’ll sign it! I’ll sign!”

Judy put her signature on the document, even glaring before leaving.

I pulled a long face. Instead of waiting for things to happen, I decided to take the bull by the horns.

From the photo Judy showed me in my previous life, Hank and Claudia lived comfortably.

Judy must have walked away with my business and gave it to Hank.

With that in mind, I hurried down the stairs and stalked her.

Soon, I saw Claudia approaching with a bearded man in a pair of aviators and a hat.

To avoid detection, I kept my distance and observed from afar.

Judy said something, which Claudia and the man responded with disappointment.

That day, I followed them to their apartment in the heart of the city. I noted the apartment number.

I returned to the office and called my assistant in.

“Help me to get in touch with the owner of this apartment.”

My assistant worked fast, and the apartment owner’s details were on my desk by the afternoon.

I called the number on the paper.

The owner jumped at the chance when I offered to pay for his apartment at a premium and in cash.

My name was on the title deed within a day.

“There are tenants in the apartment. Should I end the tenancy?”

I shook my head. “No need. I’ll talk to them myself.”

The next day, I went to the apartment with a moving company.

Judy opened the door to me.

Flustered, she blocked the door and denied me entry.

“Rochelle? What are you doing here?”

“I’m here to take possession of the apartment.”

I pushed her aside and swaggered into the place.

As I explored the apartment, Judy panicked, craned her neck, and shouted toward a room at the end of the corridor. “You’re breaking and entering, Rochelle! I’m going to call the cops on you!

“Help! There’s a killer in the house!”

I strode to that room.

With my hand on the knob, I pushed the door open.

There Claudia was.

“Hank had always talked about you. We meet at last, but…”

Claudia wiped away a fake tear. No time for her theatrics, I brushed past her extended arm and barged inside.

The room was a stud, and a bookshelf stood in the center with a cabinet next to it. The size of the cabinet could fit an adult.

I stood before the cabinet, smiling at Claudia’s tense nerves.

Just as I was about to open the cabinet, Claudia’s act fell apart.