The villa's courtyard was overflowing with flowers and balloons, and a grand golden arch stood at the center, emblazoned with bold lettering:
"Welcome Home, Dear Mother!"
Beneath the arch, every friend and relative of the Farley family had gathered.
When they saw me arrive, a strange, complicated expression crossed each of their faces.
I stepped into the courtyard—and froze.
There, in the corner, lay a body draped in a white sheet.
Every muscle in my body locked up.
Before I could speak, Lorraine stepped forward, putting on a pitiful expression as she addressed me.
"Margaret, I only meant to teach your mother a small lesson. How was I supposed to know she couldn't take it? She just... had a heart attack and died on the spot."
She blinked at me with wide, innocent eyes. "You don't blame me, do you?"
So my mother-in-law had been killed by Lorraine?
My heart hammered against my ribs. I opened my mouth to speak—
But Elmer was already at Lorraine's side, pulling her into his arms, his voice soft and soothing.
"Lorraine, this isn't your fault. You were only looking out for me."
"If anyone's to blame, it's her mother—short-lived and always stirring up trouble."
"The fact that you haven't asked Margaret for emotional damages is already more than generous."
Then he turned to me, his expression darkening as he looked down his nose at me with undisguised contempt.
"Margaret, look at what your mother did."
"Dying in my house—not only did she scare Lorraine, she ruined the homecoming banquet I arranged specifically for my mother."
Watching him stand there, so self-righteous, so utterly convinced of his own moral superiority—I almost laughed.
I couldn't help it. I pointed at the body and said, dead serious:
"Elmer, I suggest you take a good look at who actually died."
His brow furrowed. "It's your mother, isn't it? Why would I bother looking?"
"I'd rather not dirty my eyes."
His sister, Vanessa Farley, chimed in with a sneer:
"My brother bought this villa specifically to welcome our mother home—a gift for her. She hasn't even moved in yet, and your mother came crawling over to freeload. How disgusting is that?"
"If you ask me, she deserved to die. At least now she won't be out there embarrassing everyone."
"Did you really think that marrying into the Farley family meant your whole clan could ride our coattails?"
With both Elmer and Vanessa firmly on Lorraine's side, the rest of the Farley circle fell in line one by one:
"Exactly. A mother-in-law who mooches off everyone—she was a parasite even when she was alive."
"This time she only humiliated us in front of family. Next time it could be in public. Imagine how people would laugh at the Farleys then."
"Right? People who didn't know better would think the Farleys were raising a family of beggars."
"Honestly, Secretary Swanson handled this perfectly. Consider it a permanent solution for the family."
In an instant, the entire courtyard was singing Lorraine's praises.
As if the woman who'd died at her hands had been some unforgivable criminal.
And Lorraine was the hero who'd rid the Farley family of a plague.
Lorraine shot me a smug, triumphant glance. Then, in the very next breath, she turned to Elmer with a timid, trembling voice.
"But Mr. Farley... the person who died is still Margaret's mother. What if she comes after me?"
Elmer gazed at her, his eyes brimming with tenderness.
"Don't worry. As long as I'm here, no one will ever hurt you."
With that, he had someone draft a liability waiver on the spot and thrust it in front of me.
"Margaret, your mother was in the wrong first. Her death is her own bad luck—it has nothing to do with Lorraine."
"Out of respect for the fact that we were once husband and wife, I won't pursue your mother for trespassing on my property and dying here, disrupting my mother's homecoming banquet."
"But you will sign this waiver. You will guarantee that this matter ends here. And you will not make trouble for Lorraine."
