But the great-grandfather’s seat remained conspicuously empty. A servant burst in, out of breath and flustered.
“We’ve searched the entire house—he’s nowhere to be found. Could he have... gone missing?”
Sandra’s father, Robert Wilson, was drenched in sweat, his face pale with panic. “Keep searching! I don’t care if you have to dig up the whole estate—bring Great-Grandfather here!”
“Without him, my daughter’s engagement ceremony can’t continue. And forget about the family head position—it’ll all be over.”
Everyone scattered in a frenzy, like ants over a hot skillet. Seeing the chaos, Sandra hurried to help Tommy up from his knees.
“Maybe... maybe you should get up for now.”
But Tommy shook his head stubbornly, his eyes glistening with fake emotion.
“Did I do something wrong? Did I upset Great-Grandfather somehow? Then I’ll stay kneeling here until he forgives me.”
Sandra sighed and reached out to wipe his face. But her hand froze. Her fingers were covered in white fur. Her expression changed instantly. She’d raised Oliver for years. She recognized that fur in a heartbeat.
Following a trail of dark, dried blood across the floor, her eyes locked onto a nearby trash bin. Something inside her snapped. She sprinted over and overturned it with a crash. A small, headless cat corpse rolled onto the floor.
Sandra’s shoulders trembled violently. Her face twisted in horror as she dropped to the ground and scooped up Oliver’s remains.
“What the hell is this?!”
Tommy had never seen her like this—completely unhinged. His voice cracked with guilt and confusion.
“Babe, what’s wrong? It’s just—”
But before he could finish, Sandra buried her face in the cat’s bloody fur, sobbing like she’d lost her own parents. Tommy’s face went pale. He wobbled to his feet, panic creeping into his voice.
“It’s just an animal! Why are you making such a big deal out of this?”
Sandra’s head snapped up. Tears streamed down her face and her eyes blazed with fury.
“An animal?! This cat meant more to me than my own life!”
Her roar shook the room and Tommy flinched like he’d been slapped. He had no idea the cat was that important to her. Desperate, he scrambled for someone to blame—anyone but himself.
“It was my classmate! It was him!”
Tommy dropped to his knees with a dramatic thud, crying like a soap opera villain.
“I’m so sorry! He’s just some clueless idiot I went to school with. He didn’t know any better—he’s the one who hurt the cat!”
Sandra clenched her fists, her jaw so tight it creaked.
“Where is he?” she growled. “I want to kill him myself.”
Tommy thought she meant it literally—and he couldn't have been happier to throw me under the bus.
“He’s locked up in the back yard! I’ll go get him right now!”
