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My daughter had suffered from illness her whole life. I couldn't let her still be tormented after death.
I practically wanted to tear that lunatic apart.
"Ma'am? Sorry, there's activity inside right now. No entry, please understand..."
A guard stepped in front of the gate, blocking my path.
"Understand? That monster is digging up my daughter's grave! Move!"
I shoved him aside hard, charging in madly.
The chaos hit me: a dozen people clustered around my daughter's grave. They shouted over each other.
And there was Daniel with a shovel in hand, gesturing aggressively at cemetery staff.
Beside him stood Claire, who looked radiant and delicate as if irrelevant to the scene.
The sight drained the blood from my face. I stormed over and slapped Daniel -- a sharp, loud crack.
Claire gasped, startled, and instinctively threw herself in front of him.
"Daniel! Are you okay?"
"Why did you hit him?" she cried, turning pleading eyes on me.
The red mark bloomed on Daniel's cheek. He grabbed my shoulders roughly and shoved me onto the ground.
"Have you lost your mind? How did I end up with a crazy wife like you?!"
"Stop this! Everyone, calm down!" Cemetery staff finally snapped into action, restraining Daniel before he could strike again.
A grim-faced worker knelt beside me, "We're deeply sorry, Ma'am. We couldn't hold him back. We will restore everything, I swear..."
Daniel snarled over their heads, "This woman is insane! This lunatic faked our daughter's death purely out of jealousy!"
Hearing this, the staff hesitated, unsure what to say.
"No! My girl…!"
Ignoring the ache of my body, I scrambled forward to my daughter’s grave.
My fingers trembled as I picked up my daughter's broken toy from the earth. It was her favourite little wooden horse, now shattered beyond repair.
"It's broken… all broken…"
Everything carefully placed for her was smashed. Dirt was thrown everywhere.
Daniel shook with rage, "You belong in a cell, lunatic! Get home now!"
He lashed out viciously, kicking my side. A gasp tore from me as pain shot through my ribs.
"Are you truly blind, Daniel? Or are you choosing not to see?" I rasped, "Your daughter's dead!"
He barked a cruel laugh, "Enough with the show!"
His contemptuous gaze swept the scene, landing with finality on my daughter’s urn.
"Fine. Since you want proof..."
He gave a cold, deliberate smile.
"NO! DON'T YOU DARE!"
My scream echoed uselessly as his shovel smashed into the ceramic urn.
A cloud of ash billowed out, settling silently on the horrified faces around us.
The world tilted. I crawled desperately through the dust, trying to gather... my daughter.
"My baby... my sweet girl..."
"Tsk, still playing the victim." He scoffed, wiping his hands as he pulled out his phone and called his assistant,
"My daughter's safe with her grandparents, isn’t it?"
"Bring her home immediately. This disgusting charade is over."
Silence stretched on the line..
Daniel's frown turned sharp, "Didn’t you hear me?!"
A voice thick with pity finally came, "Mr. Reed... Your daughter suffered a fatal cardiac episode weeks ago. She’s gone."
"Your wife called you for countless times. But you were with Miss Claire and had blocked her calls…"
