Stacey sat frozen, shock hollowing her chest as she watched the car they had hit lose control.
It spun wildly, slammed into the road divider, then plunged into the ravine—disappearing into the darkness.
“Shit!” Sheldon roared, his voice exploding inside the car. “Can you all shut up and stop distracting me while I’m driving? Why are you all so annoying?”
His grip tightened on the wheel. “We’re already late. There’s still so much to deal with. So shut up!”
Lizzie and Diego fell silent at once. Fear sealed their lips.
They had never seen their father lose his temper like that. In their world, their parents had always loved them endlessly—enough to give them whatever they wanted.
Lizzie liked going with Sheldon to see Stacey. With him, rules disappeared. She could eat anything, stay up late, and do as she pleased.
I was the one she feared most. With Daddy, she felt she always had the upper hand.
Diego, on the other hand, had never learned fear at all. Stacey spoiled him without restraint. As long as he followed her instructions, everything he wanted was handed to him.
From attending courses before he could even form full sentences, to doing exercises far beyond his age, Diego obeyed—because obedience was rewarded.
Neither child understood right or wrong. They only knew benefits and losses. That was the adults’ failure—teaching them desire, but never consequences.
They didn’t know that people could make mistakes. That sometimes, being wrong was allowed.
So at that moment, when Sheldon shouted, they believed something terrifying.
That their father might no longer love them.
And if love disappeared, so would their privileges.
Their world felt like it was collapsing.
Too afraid to cry aloud, they stayed frozen in their seats, shoulders trembling, tears silently spilling as they clutched their hands together in the dark.
While Stacey’s voice trembled despite herself. “Sheldon… where did that car go?” The words spilled out before she could stop them. “Did it fall into the ravine?”
“Shut up,” Sheldon snapped. “And don’t tell anyone.”
His eyes were cold. “You were involved too. As long as you keep quiet, this won’t come out. Do you understand?”
He slammed his foot down on the accelerator and fled the scene.
It was nearly midnight. He couldn’t afford delays over something so trivial—or so he thought.
After all, it was just an accident. And accidents could be settled with money.
He had always believed that. As long as he had money, everything could be handled easily, that was what he learned since childhood.
Sometimes, family tradition was something too terrifying to understand by some people.
But that was how he was raised.
Still, through the rear window, Stacey caught a glimpse of red—bright, violent—flickering in the distance, as if the car were burning.
Her heart dropped.
This wasn’t just a crash. This was death.
And she was part of it.
Stacey shut her eyes tightly, forcing her breathing to steady.
“As long as I say nothing,” she told herself, “everything will be fine.”
Behind Stacey, Lizzie and Diego could only sob in silence. They didn’t dare cry aloud. Sheldon’s earlier roar still echoed in their ears.
At an intersection, the car stopped at a red light.
Sheldon picked up his phone and called his secretary. “I hit someone by accident,” he said flatly. “Handle it for me. I’ll be at the event soon. Make sure no one finds out.”
Then the light turned green. He drove on.
He never asked who he hit. Never cared what happened next.
Watching from afar, the agent I hired shook his head slowly. Even he hadn’t imagined someone could be this indifferent.
Minutes later, sirens pierced the night.
Police cars arrived. Firefighters. An ambulance.
Another car stopped nearby. A woman stepped out, heels clicking against the road. Sheldon’s secretary.
She had come thinking it was just a minor accident. But when she saw the wreckage—twisted metal, scorched ground, the smell of burning—her steps faltered.
‘What actually happened here?’ she thought.
After the flames were extinguished, the victim was pulled from the car and rushed into the ambulance. The body was covered in severe burns, skin charred, unrecognizable.
Even the secretary frowned.
“Find out who the victim is,” she ordered quietly. “And make sure no one knows about this. Understood?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
As usual, she sent me a report by text. [Ma'am, something happened to Mr. Carter. He appears to have been involved in a serious accident. I will also let you know once the victim has been identified.]
There was no reply.
Assuming I was busy, she left the scene quickly. Tonight was too important for Carter Group. No one had time to linger.
When Sheldon finally arrived at the event, lights flashing and cameras waiting. Some people wondered why he came, once again, with Stacey and Diego.
The three people who used to attend every event together suddenly disappeared, replaced by four.
The public began to suspect that something they didn't know was going on, but they couldn't find any evidence.
An event staff hurried over. “Mr. Carter, we are glad you finally arrived.”
Sheldon nodded. Then he asked calmly, “Do you know where Reba is? I should meet her first.”
They looked at each other as if confused. After all, they thought I would come together with Sheldon and Lizzie.
But they came with Stacey and Diego instead.
One of them said hesitantly, “Mrs. Carter hasn’t arrived yet, Sir.”
He was shocked and immediately checked his phone.
The message he sent earlier that afternoon was there—delivered. He had even sent the location and thought everything was clear.
A flicker of irritation rose. ‘Is she upset because I didn’t come with her?’
Sheldon called the driver.
“Why isn’t Reba here yet?” he asked coldly. “Did something happen on the road?”
The driver sounded confused. “Sir, Mrs. Carter said she would drive herself to the event.”
“Alone?” Sheldon snapped. “How dare you let her drive alone!”
He was already on edge. Anything that strayed from his expectations only worsened his temper.
He hung up without letting the driver explain and dialed my number.
No answer.
He tried again. And again.
Ten times.
Each call ended the same way, the mechanical voice repeating without emotion, “The number you have dialed is currently unavailable. Please call later.”
