Eliza's voice cut back in. "If you just go home right now and apologize to Leon and tell him you were making everything up, I'll throw in another million dollars. Consider it… medical expenses for your dad."
I spoke right into the receiver, pronouncing every single word clearly. "Eliza, that's called funeral expenses. And I haven't settled the score with you for reversing the ransom money and getting Dad killed."
"What nonsense are you talking about?"
Eliza's voice spiked sharply. "What do you mean reversing the ransom? I just—"
Before she could finish, I cut her off. "You just wanted to break my spirit? Or did you just need to free up funds to pay for a photoshoot for your lover? Eliza, you disgust me."
With a sharp beep, I hung up.
This time, I blocked her number entirely.
The world finally fell silent.
I didn't return to that lifeless mansion. Instead, I took Dad's urn and drove to our old home on the outskirts of the city.
This cramped, rundown place, barely 500 square feet, was the only inheritance Dad left behind.
Yet, I felt an overwhelming sense of peace.
I placed Dad's urn on an old cabinet, right next to the only photo we had together.
In the picture, Dad was smiling warmly, and I was riding on his shoulders with a lollipop in my hand.
We were very poor back then, but we were happy.
"Dad, from now on, it's just the two of us here," I whispered, my tears hitting the dusty floor.
After tidying up the place, I called my lawyer, Zander Reilly. "Help me draft the paperwork. I want to file for divorce."
Right after I hung up, a sudden, heavy pounding rattled the front door.
"Shawn Hardy! Open the door!"
It was Eliza. She had actually tracked me down here.
"I know you're inside! Why are you hiding? You had the guts to hang up on me, but now you're afraid to face me? Open the door! Or I'll have someone tear it down!"
"Breaking and entering is a crime, Ms. Wood," I said coldly from inside.
Eliza didn't seem to expect me to stand my ground so firmly. "Shawn, stop pushing your luck when I'm trying to be nice.
"I came here to give you a chance. If you come back with me right now, we can just forget everything that happened. I'll arrange the best nursing home for your dad, hire the best caretakers—"
"Eliza."
I cut her off, my voice practically dripping with ice. "Do you not understand me? My dad is dead. You killed him. While you were busy taking photos with your assistant, he was beaten to death by kidnappers."
A deathly silence fell outside the door.
It took a long time before Eliza's voice drifted back in. It carried a faint tremor but mostly utter disbelief. "Y-You're making up stories again? You'd actually tell a lie like that just to win some sympathy? Shawn, you're a massive disappointment."
I leaned against the door and closed my eyes.
Disappointment?
Who was the real disappointment here?
"Go away," I spat.
"Shawn Hardy!"
"I said go away!"
I slammed my foot against the door, the loud crash making Eliza gasp on the other side.
"Take your hypocrisy and get out of my sight! If you don't leave right now, I'm calling the cops!"
It grew quiet outside.
After a few moments, the clicking of high heels started up again, fading further and further away.
About ten minutes later, my phone buzzed with a text from an unknown number.
It was Eliza.
"Tomorrow night is the Wood Corp anniversary gala. You will attend as my spouse. Once it's over, I'll agree to the divorce."
