Chapter 3

"Please leave, Euthird." Dylan's sister, Dianne, urged the man who was clad in a luxurious black suit.

My entire face wrinkled in confusion.

'Euthird? Is that his nickname?'

Instead of listening to their warning, he inched toward me with that blank expression of his.

Regina, Dylan's mom, dashed toward Eautiquiano which made him stop in his tracks. Then she started hitting him in the chest, and he just let her be.

"You scumbag! You are the reason why my son is lying down here. You killed my son!"

I took a step back, almost losing my balance. Luckily I didn't stumble on Dylan's coffin.

'What does she mean? I thought Dylan's death was an accident. Is that why he was arrested?'

"I said get out!" Dianne yelled at the man as she tried to stop her mom from hurting him.

"Just let me see him one last time. Please…," Eautiquiano begged, his deep, guttural voice croaking.

'But why does he sound insincere?'

He looked more burdened and depressed yesterday.

"I know. I shouldn't have let him drive in that state," Eatiquiano concurred.

"Oh, for fuck's sake! My son wasn't even intoxicated! You killed him and disguised his death as an accident!"

I let out a soft gasp upon hearing Regina's words, anger started surging in my heart.

I stared at Eautiquiano, waiting for him to defend himself, but he stayed silent. I couldn't decipher any emotions from his eyes.

'Is it true?'

I glanced at my poor Dylan.

'What really happened, Dylan? Did he really do this to you?'

My gaze darted back to Eautiquiano or Euthird or whatever you call that evil guy.

There was something unsettling about him that I failed to discern yesterday.

I clutched my chest, wincing in pain as my lungs started tightening. It could be the pollens being absorbed by my wet mask, or it could be the fleeting rage creeping into my heart.

For a moment, all I could hear was their mumbling while my vision was starting to get blurred. I was slowly losing consciousness.

'How will I be able to find out about the truth and avenge Dylan's death if I die now?'

I stormed out of the room and ran for my life before anyone could notice my predicament.

I quickly removed my moist mask to breathe in some air while I fished out my puffer from my green clutch bag, violently shoving the inhaler in my mouth before I could even enter the restroom.

My breath started to clear as soon as I got inside, panting as I catch my breath.

I removed my sunglasses and stared at myself in the mirror. My eyes had been swollen from my non-stop crying since yesterday.

Memories of me and Dylan started replaying in my head, especially when my eyes darted at the purple opal stone on my throat. It was a gift from Dylan for our first month of dating.

That was when I lost it.

My chest started heaving up and down while I burst out in sobs. I ran inside a cubicle, sat on the toilet cover, and slammed the door without bothering to lock it.

'It hurts. It hurts so much, Dylan. Why did you leave me like this?'

An Asian woman suddenly opened the door and she gasped upon seeing me. She immediately apologized and closed the door.

And when I ran out of tears, I thought of going home, so I could bawl my eyes out comfortably in my bed.

But Eautiquiano suddenly flashed in my head.

I fumbled for my phone inside my bag and searched for his name. I still remembered how the police addressed him.

Eautiquiano Fauste.

So he was the third of his name, president of the mall, hotel, and restaurant chains of the empire. His current net worth is two million dollars.

He was an heir to the popular and controversial business empire, Fauste Empire that had been buzzing the news every now and then.

He was the president of the mall, restaurant, and hotel chains under the empire.

'Two million dollars at twenty-eight?'

A part of my brain tingled at the mention of his wealth.

There were a lot of articles about him, and the most recent one was about him getting away scot-free from his murder.

If his family had this influence, there was a high chance that his family had covered up his crimes.

If Dylan's family, who was wealthy and powerful enough, couldn't stand a chance against Eautiquiano and his family, what could I do? I couldn't even grieve for Dylan properly.

And that fueled my rage against the entire empire.

'I have to make them pay. I don't know how, but I will make them pay. For Dylan.'

I left the restroom determined.

I got out of St. James Funeral, walking mindlessly to somewhere, when I froze in my tracks, overhearing a man talking over the phone.

"I did what you said. I mourned for that bastard. What more do you want me to do?"

I glanced at the owner of the voice, as he talked to someone on his phone, fuming. It was Euthird.

I balled my fists, blood boiling with rage.

'I knew it. He was just forced to come here. That fucker!'

I didn't know there was a person more hateful than Francisco. And if I wanted to hurt Francisco so badly, I was already thinking of ways to kill Euthird. In fact, he was already dead in my head.

I got the EDC knife I had in the secret pocket of my purse before I started pacing toward him to murder him, but someone suddenly grabbed my arm.

It was Mr. Bolton.

He suddenly dragged me to the garden.

"You are not going against that man if you don't wanna get killed!" He angrily shoved me to a stone seat. It took him a couple of seconds before realizing what he just did to me.

"I'm sorry, I just— Dylan wouldn't want you to do that," he apologized. He was worried about me.

But my heart was once again wrung at the mention of Dylan. "Yeah, but Dylan is gone. And that fucker, is very much alive. I'd rather rot in prison than see him living well after he killed Dylan."

"There is no evidence that he killed Dylan. That's why the charges against him were dropped."

"Oh. So you believe him?"

"I'm giving him the benefit of doubt."

"Bullshit! Then how did Dylan's family find out about it?"

"The coroner mentioned that the young master was already—" Mr. Bolton stopped midway, breathing heavily. "Our young master was already dead before the truck hit his car."

"What? Why wasn't that considered evidence?"

"Because the coroner suddenly changed his statement. He admitted he was wrong at his first examination. When the police filed for another autopsy, the death was indeed caused by the accident."

"They just fucking bribed him," I deduced.

"They probably did, and they probably didn't. But no matter what they did, you can just confront them or whatever. They. Will. Kill. You. Do you understand?"

"Do you not want to find out about the truth?"

"I do, but we have to have someone from the inside. That's what I'm working on."

My swollen eyes suddenly glistened with hope.

"I'll do it," I suggested.

Mr. Bolton's face crumpled. "What? No."

"Why?"

He suddenly handed me a yellow envelope.

"What's this?" I asked as I took out the papers from inside.

My eyes snapped wide open as I saw the contents.

"Educational Insurance?"

Mr. Bolton nodded. "Young master wanted you to continue with your studies. He said he'd give this to you on your anniversary. But he—"

I looked away, closing my eyes as my heart squeezed in pain. Dylan never ceased to support me, even after his death. Tears had again started streaming down my cheeks.

'I don't want this. I want Dylan to wake up and come back to me.'

"Why did he suddenly stop contacting me?" I asked wiping the tears from my face. I wanted to know why Dylan suddenly ghosted me. If we did not stop communicating, maybe he would still be alive.

"There is a problem within the company and his family. It was about the merger. His mother wanted him to marry Chloè urgently."

"He should have told me. I could have taken away some of his burdens."

"Then it happens. It was a party between the bachelors. Believe me. Our young master never indulged himself with women and drugs.

"I believe you. I But I'd still do it."

"No. Young master wouldn't want that."

"This is what I want. I want to find out the truth. Even if you stop me, I will do it."

"You can never get inside the company with your—"

"That's why I'm gonna use this." I waved the envelope in his face.

"Wait for me for four years. I'll come back after they forget about everything. I'm gonna get inside that empire, no matter what," I added.

Mr. Bolton let out a resigned sigh. "Fine. Let's do that."

'I'll reveal the truth to the world and make sure he will lose everything.'

'In fact, I think I know where to start.'