The picture showed her sitting in the gym, smiling carefree, middle finger raised at the camera.
Colin had replied instantly in the comments:
[Of course, guaranteed reliable!]
Watching them flirt back and forth made my blood boil.
I took several deep breaths, then opened my phone and sent a file.
The whole way there, I kept urging the driver to go faster.
Half an hour later, Mom called again.
My heart sank. Dread spread through my chest.
I answered with trembling hands. On the other end—dead silence.
Then a wail of heart-wrenching sobs.
"Elise… your dad… is gone."
"At the end he kept staring at the doorway. His eyes never closed…"
My whole body shook. I went limp in the back seat.
By the time I rushed to the memorial hall, it was already noon the next day.
Dad lay alone in the refrigerated coffin, dressed in the burial clothes Mom had bought.
I knelt on the floor, clutching his icy, stiff hand, crying until I nearly passed out.
Just a little bit more time—just a little bit.
I numbly exchanged pleasantries with relatives who came to pay respects.
The funeral was almost over when Colin finally showed up.
And trailing behind him was Scarlett, dressed in a riot of colors.
Colin's gaze swept over the portrait in the hall. His eyes looked sad, yet carried a trace of relief that was hard to miss.
"Elise, my condolences."
"Dad was sick for so many years. Passing on is also a release."
His hypocritical words made my skin crawl.
"If you hadn't made me give up my seat to avoid suspicion, I wouldn't have arrived a day late."
"My dad was waiting for me. He died without seeing me…"
Colin's expression stiffened.
He glanced at the relatives around us and lowered his voice to a hiss:
"Dad was dying anyway. Even if you'd been on that flight, you might not have made it in time!"
"I'm at a critical point for my promotion—can't you be more considerate?"
Scarlett casually patted my head.
"Come on, Elise, everyone dies eventually. I think Uncle went pretty peacefully. We're still alive—we should be happier, not so depressing."
"And don't blame Colin for yesterday. You know I'm impatient. I waited years for that game. I had to watch it."
"I really didn't expect Uncle to be so fragile—just like that, gone."
Fragile.
My dad fought his illness for three years, and in Scarlett's eyes it was just that one dismissive word.
I shot to my feet and swatted her hand away.
"Get out!"
Scarlett stumbled back two steps, playing innocent.
"Colin, look—Elise is worked up again. Why can't she take a joke? That temper of hers, you're the only one who puts up with it."
Colin pulled her behind him and frowned at me.
"Elise! She just speaks without thinking, but her heart's in the right place!"
"She came out of kindness to see Dad off—what kind of attitude is this?"
Watching him take her side, I was beside myself with rage.
I grabbed an apple off the table and hurled it at the cheating bastards.
"Get out! You and your 'good buddy'—both of you, get out!"
Colin twisted aside. The apple hit Scarlett square in the forehead.
She clutched her head and collapsed against him.
"Ow, it hurts. I was already dizzy from drinking too much yesterday, and now this—it hurts even more."
Colin glared at me.
"Elise, you're completely unreasonable! Your dad wasn't killed by us—don't take your anger out on us!"
The moment he finished, he grabbed Scarlett and stormed out.
