My father crouched down and seized my mother's chin, his grip cold and hard. Not a shred of pity in his eyes.
“Since you love sharing so much, I want you to stand up at the wedding and tell everyone exactly how you threw yourself at another man. How you abandoned everything to be with your lover.”
“Fine.”
I stared at my mother's eyes. Nothing left in them. Just ash.
My heart sank with them.
He was going to……drive her to her death.
The day of the wedding, the grand hall glittered with light.
Eileen held her daughter's hand and walked toward her groom, beaming, surrounded by well-wishers and applause.
At the same time, my mother knelt below the stage in rags, a sign reading ： hung around her neck.
She repeated the words like a machine with no soul left inside it：
“I am vain and loose. During Mr. Farley's darkest hour, I abandoned my husband and my child and threw myself at another man.”
“It was Ms. Fox who brought Mr. Farley his salvation. I am nothing but a worthless whore who deserves to be spat on.”
Filthy whispers filled the hall, one on top of another, never stopping.
I crawled to her on my knees and pressed my hands over her ears：“Don't listen, Mom.”
When that part was finally over and she tried to stand, her legs gave out beneath her.
【Exit countdown: five minutes.】
In the back room, Eileen walked in from outside with a smile. She looked at my mother and feigned surprise：
“Oh, Violet! You're still here? Your mother just passed away. Shouldn't you be paying your respects?”
A sound came out of my mother that didn't sound human：“What did you say? When?! When?!”
“What? You didn't know?!”
“A day ago, Abner was so furious after seeing that post that he pulled the medical team. Your mother stopped breathing just a few minutes ago.”
My mother didn't even stop to take off the sign still hanging from her neck. She bolted out the door like she'd lost her mind.
“Mom!”
I ran after her as hard as I could, but I couldn't keep up.
【Exit countdown: one minute.】
In the main hall, my mother shoved the doors open and screamed in front of everyone：“Abner Farley, you lied to me! You lied to me!”
My father and brother both froze, their brows knotting tight.
“Violet, have you lost your mind? What is this now?!”
“My mother is dead! My mother is dead!”
My father paused for a beat, then let out a cold scoff：“Don't blame me. You killed her yourself.”
My mother crumpled to the floor, clutching her head, and the wail that tore out of her echoed through the entire hall.
I was blocked outside, but I screamed anyway, screamed with everything I had：“Mom, don't stay here! Just go!”
【Countdown: 5, 4, 3……】
The next second, my mother shot to her feet, broke through every hand that tried to stop her, and ran for the rooftop.
“Violet, come back!”
Watching her retreating figure, so absolute, so final.
My father was swallowed whole by a dread he'd never felt before.
The color drained from his face, and he tore after her.
【Congratulations, Host. Exit successful.】
A cold, mechanical voice rang out.
My mother leapt from the rooftop.
