Chapter 3

The crowd worked away, sweating and cheerful.

No one was paying attention to Kay and Theodore anymore. They just kept praising me for being so generous.

Kay and Theodore were nearly out of their minds with panic. The whole point of this fake funeral had been to enrage me, to get me beaten badly enough that I'd storm off and skip the burial. Then, while I was gone, they'd quietly let Ronnie and Georgia out and bury two empty coffins.

Afterward I was supposed to be so grateful for Theodore's acceptance that I'd take him away with me and raise him on my own.

But that wasn't how it went.

A few words and I'd slipped every beating they'd set up, and I never left the memorial hall. I stood guard the whole time, so they never got a single chance to lay a hand on me.

Kay couldn't stand it. The moment I "wasn't looking," she hurried Theodore off into a side room.

I thought about it, then followed after them without a sound.

Soon enough I heard Kay's voice.

"Let's just drop it."

"We come clean that your dad and your mom aren't dead and let them out. Otherwise, what if something really goes wrong in there?"

"And yes, your dad brought up divorce, but Rosalie never actually refused. She was only angry in the moment. If we raise it again, she'll definitely agree."

"Why take this kind of risk?"

Theodore shook his head.

"No!"

"Mom and Dad already planned to head south for work. If this gets out, Rosalie will leave for sure, and once she's gone the whole family's plan falls apart."

"And by then everyone will know our family staged a fake death just to scheme against Rosalie. We'd never live it down."

"Don't worry. Dad guessed this might happen, so he gave me..."

I listened to their plan and nodded, thinking it over.

Then I left before either of them came out.

Not long after, Theodore came back to me with a red handprint burning on his cheek and held out a bowl of sugar water, looking pitiful.

"Mom, I'm really not ungrateful. I just can't stand seeing you suffer."

"You know I've always liked you more than Dad, always been closer to you."

"They're the ones in the wrong, so why should you carry the blame?"

"You haven't eaten all day. This is sugar water. Drink a bowl."

I took the bowl, glanced at it, and set it back down.

"The sugar hasn't fully dissolved yet. I'll drink it in a bit."

Seeing that I wasn't drinking, Kay hurried over too.

"Rosalie, you're right. I didn't think the joint burial through. I was only thinking about my own son, and I completely forgot you're a poor soul too."

"Don't worry, I won't blame you anymore. After the funeral, if you want to leave, you leave. And if you don't, you'll always be the only daughter-in-law of this family!"

Listening to the two of them.

I let go of my anger, and right in front of everyone I took both their hands and made up.

Then, with the two of them watching, I drank the sugar water down to the last drop, and I even had someone go to the kitchen for food, urging Kay and Theodore to eat something too.

By the time they'd finished eating, I was still sitting there, bright and alert as ever.

Kay couldn't help herself.

"Rosalie, aren't you tired?"

"You've worn yourself out arranging this whole funeral. Shouldn't you rest a little?"

I yawned.

Then, under her expectant gaze, I shook my head.

"Not tired at all. Though Theodore over there looks about ready to pass out."

Kay turned to look. Theodore couldn't even keep his eyes open now.

Something must have struck her, because she stared at the porridge on the table, her eyes nearly bulging out of her head.

"Don't tell me you put something in our..."