Chapter 5

I practically stumbled and crawled back to the hospital.

Soaked to the bone, my face covered in blood, like a demon that had just crawled out of hell.

"Leo! Leo's money has been paid!"

I rushed to the ICU door, only to find the room wide open.

It was empty.

Only a few nurses were tidying up the bed.

"Nurse! Where's my brother? Where's Leo?" I rushed in like a madwoman, grabbing a nurse's arm.

The nurse looked at me, her eyes full of pity.

"Miss Davis... you're too late."

"Patient Leo Davis, ten minutes ago, due to cardiopulmonary failure... was pronounced deceased."

*Buzz.* My mind went blank.

The whole world instantly fell silent.

I couldn't hear what the nurse was saying, couldn't hear the bustling sounds in the hallway.

I stared blankly at the empty bed.

The white sheets had been replaced with new ones, without a single wrinkle.

"Impossible..."

"You're lying to me! I paid the money! A hundred thousand! Ethan Hayes transferred it!"

I screamed hysterically, tears streaming uncontrollably.

"Miss Davis, the money did arrive five minutes ago."

"But... but Miss Vance sent someone half an hour ago and forcibly took the special medicine originally prepared for Leo, claiming Mr. Vance urgently needed it."

"Leo couldn't hold on until the next batch of medicine arrived..."

The nurse's voice grew fainter and fainter.

But I heard every word clearly.

Serena Vance.

Serena took the medicine.

Ethan Hayes made me sign the confession, delaying my time.

And Serena seized the opportunity to pull Leo's last life-saving straw.

They conspired together to kill my only family.

I suddenly burst out laughing.

Laughing until my heart ached, laughing until my whole body trembled.

I sold my dignity, I sold my father's reputation, I sold half my life.

All I got in return was a cold corpse.

"Audrey!"

Daniel rushed from the end of the hallway, catching me as I swayed.

"Where's Leo?" I gripped Daniel's clothes tightly, as if clutching a last piece of driftwood.

Daniel's eyes were red, his voice choked.

"In... the morgue."

I pushed Daniel away, walking step by step towards the morgue.

The corridor on the second basement floor was chillingly cold.

I pushed open the heavy door.

Leo's small body lay on the cold metal slab, covered by a white sheet.

I walked over and pulled back the sheet.

He lay with his eyes closed, his face pale, as if he were just sleeping.

"Leo, I'm here."

I reached out and touched his face.

So cold.

Cold as ice.

I took off my soaked coat, wanting to cover him with it.

"Don't be afraid, Leo. I'm taking you home."

I murmured, tears streaming down onto his face.

"Audrey..." Daniel stood behind me, unable to bear watching any longer.

Just then, the morgue door opened again.

Two police officers in uniform walked in.

They looked at me, their expressions serious.

"Are you Ms. Audrey Davis?"

I turned my head mechanically.

"We're from the City Police Department's Criminal Investigation Unit."

The older officer stepped forward, handing me a manila envelope.

"Regarding the case three years ago, where your father, Mr. Richard Davis, was suspected of tampering with the organ donation list, we have new evidence."

"After investigation, Mr. Richard Davis did not tamper with the list that year."

"On the contrary, he voluntarily gave up his own treatment opportunity after a successful match with the former CEO of Hayes Group, Mr. Hayes, and donated his heart to him."

"The Vance family, in order to get a huge reward from the Hayes family, bribed the attending physician and falsified medical records, changing the donor to Serena Vance's father, who was brain-dead from a car accident."

"Mr. Richard Davis, in the detention center, was beaten to death by inmates bribed by the Vance family because he refused to sign the false confession they fabricated."

The police officer's voice echoed in the empty morgue.

Every word, like thunder.

"Ms. Davis, your father was not a murderer."

"He was a hero who saved a life."

I stared blankly at the manila envelope.

I didn't take it.

The truth had come.

My father's innocence had been revealed.

But my father was dead.

My brother was dead too.

What good was this belated truth?

Could it bring back their lives?

*Thump.*

A faint sound came from the morgue door.

I didn't turn around.

But I knew who it was.

Ethan Hayes stood in the shadows outside the door.

In his hand was the "Confession of Guilt" that I had just signed with my bloody fingerprint.

Now, that document had fallen to the ground.

He stared fixedly at the archive bag in the police officer's hand, his face ashen, like a dead man.

His lips trembled violently, his voice so hoarse it was almost inaudible.

"What did you... just say?"