Chapter 3

I floored the accelerator, and the roar of the engine ripped through the deathly silence of the evening.

St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery is just ahead.

Just as I was about to turn the steering wheel all the way to the cemetery gate, a black Aston Martin sped out like a mad dog, heading straight for the front of my car.

The violent impact made me slam my fist on the steering wheel.

The windshield shattered instantly, and the immense impact of the airbag deployment made my vision go black. Blood trickled down my forehead.

I kicked open the deformed car door and stumbled as I fell onto the shattered glass scattered on the ground.

The moment my gaze focused, I saw the license plate of the car that caused the accident.

September 27th is the anniversary of Lily's death. In all of Chicago, only Sophia dared to use that number.

The car door opened, revealing Marco's panicked face.

He gripped Sophia's arm tightly, his voice trembling, "What should I do, Sophia? I hit someone! Will I be arrested and go to jail? I'm so scared, I don't want to leave you!"

Sofia pulled him into her arms and gently kissed his cheek.

"Don't be afraid, with me here, who dares to touch you?"

She didn't even glance at me, my face covered in blood, and simply snapped her fingers coldly.

A bodyguard stepped forward and slammed a thick wad of cash, still smelling of ink, right in front of me.

Banknotes flew everywhere like waste paper, scattering all over the ground.

I gritted my teeth and forced myself to stand up, supporting myself on my knees.

Beyond their embracing shoulders, I witnessed a scene that shattered my spirits.

Deep within the cemetery, a dozen men in black were wielding shovels, frantically digging at the soil around Lily's grave.

The cold iron tools struck the granite again and again, and the small grave had been cruelly pried open halfway.

"Sophia, won't Vincent be angry?" Marco nestled in her arms, his tone innocent, but a provocative smile played on his lips.

Sofia affectionately ruffled his hair: "What are you afraid of? I'll back you up. In Chicago today, I'm the boss. Nobody will let you suffer."

Marco took the opportunity to wrap his arms around her neck, then pressed his advantage by coaxing, "Then how about you come with me tonight to bake a cake? And you'll watch the stars and set off fireworks with me!"

“Okay, whatever you say.” Sophia smiled and nodded repeatedly.

The clanging of shovels became the symphony of their love.

That little grave that buried all my hopes has now become a witness to their flirting!

The cross bracelet that Lily wove on my wrist is now soaked in blood.

The last vestige of compassion in his heart completely transformed into a chilling murderous intent.

I yanked the Glock pistol from my back and, without a word, pulled the trigger.

The bullet tore through the air, heading straight for Marco's heart.

But after the gunshot, Sofia, relying on her years of experience surviving near-death experiences, turned around without hesitation and shielded Marco with her body.

The bullet grazed her shoulder and embedded itself in the tree trunk behind her.

The next second, the sound of metal guns being cocked echoed throughout the cemetery.

Dozens of dark gun barrels were pointed at my head at the same time.

The air was frozen solid.

Suddenly, one of the subordinates' fingers trembled due to excessive tension.

The scorching bullet grazed my scalp, leaving a deep, bone-revealing gash.

Warm blood gushed out instantly, blurring my left eye.

Everyone around gasped, and the scene fell into a deathly silence.

Sofia frowned slightly.

But she didn't get angry; she simply waved her hand casually, signaling the subordinate who had gone off the rails to step back.

A tearing pain shot through my scalp, but I didn't even lift my hand to wipe it; I just stared intently at Sophia.

"For this beast, you disturbed Lily's peace!" I gritted my teeth, each word dripping with blood. "Sophia, you are unworthy of being a mother!"

Sofia sighed, her tone revealing a mixture of impatience and rationality: "Vincent, calm down. Our child is dead. The dead are gone, and the living must live on."

The deceased are gone, and the living must take precedence?

I laughed in anger, raised the pistol again, and pressed my finger firmly on the trigger.

Before I could even exert my strength, Marco suddenly darted out from behind Sofia.

He rushed to the broken tombstone and picked up the small white marble urn filled with all my obsessions.

"How dare you!" I roared, my eyes bloodshot.

Marco turned his head, looked at me, and gave me an extremely malicious sneer.

He lifted the heavy urn high, then slammed it down heavily onto the hard granite tombstone.

The sound of marble shattering was so jarring it was despairing.

The grayish-white powder exploded instantly, scattering across the cold, damp soil.

A gust of autumn wind swept by, and Lily's ashes, like a heavy snowfall, drifted away and were swept into the bottomless thicket of withered grass.

"No--!"

My Lily!

A wild, hysterical howl erupted from my throat.

I dropped my gun and scrambled toward the pile of powder mixed with mud.

I desperately tried to scoop up the grayish-white powder with both hands, gathering it tightly into the front of my shirt, my fingernails digging into the dirt until they bled.

But the wind was too strong, and I couldn't hold on no matter how hard I tried.

Tears mixed with blood from my forehead completely blurred my vision.