Chapter 1

Claudia was dead.

She left a suicide note saying I drove her to it.

At the funeral hall entrance, Emmett shoved me down, demanding I kneel before her.

The Simpson family wept and cursed me as a murderer. Claudia's fans blocked the doorway, screaming for me to pay with my life.

I stared at the casket that no one had opened from start to finish and asked only one question:

"Where's the death certificate?"

Emmett's eyes were bloodshot as he roared at me. "She's dead and you still want to cause trouble?"

I dialed the police. "Someone's accusing me of driving a person to death. I'm requesting an autopsy."

The moment the call went through, the funeral hall fell silent.

Emmett grabbed my wrist. "Iris, hang up."

I looked up at him. "Why?"

His eyes were completely bloodshot, his voice hoarse. "Claudia's already dead."

I lowered my gaze to his hand. "All the more reason to call the police."

I pressed the speaker button. The dispatcher's voice came through the phone.

"Hello, what's your emergency?"

Emmett's expression changed.

I looked into his eyes. "Someone used a suicide note to accuse me of murder. Now they're demanding I confess at the funeral hall. I'm requesting the police verify the death procedures. If necessary, confirm the identity of the body in the casket."

Those words fell, and the funeral hall became completely silent.

Emmett's mother, Lydia, was the first to react. She clutched the casket, crying so hard she could barely stand.

"Iris, how can you be so cruel?"

"Claudia died so horribly, and you still won't let her rest in peace?"

Claudia's agent, Mira, also looked at me with red eyes.

"Miss Iris, Claudia tried to preserve your dignity even in death."

"She did so much charity work, saved so many people."

"She didn't call the police, didn't press charges. She only asked you in her suicide note to let her go."

"Why won't you even give her this last bit of peace?"

I looked at her. "Did you personally witness Claudia jump?"

Mira froze. "Everyone saw it on the livestream!"

"I asked if you personally witnessed it."

Her lips moved, but no words came out.

I turned to look at Emmett.

"Where's the ambulance dispatch record?"

Emmett didn't answer.

The tears on Mira's face paused for a moment.

I continued. "That casket—who verified it? The person inside—who confirmed it?"

The funeral hall was so quiet, only the shouts of fans outside the door remained.

I looked at them.

"You have nothing."

"Just a suicide note full of my name."

"And a casket that no one has opened from beginning to end."

Mira's face went pale for a moment. Emmett's fingers clenched tight.

I glanced down at my wrist, red from his grip.

"What? The police aren't even here yet and you're already leaving evidence of injury on me?"

He froze, then released his hand the next second.

Lydia trembled with rage.

"Iris! Are you threatening the Simpson family?"

"Not threatening." I said. "Reminding you to follow the law."

The fans' shouts outside hadn't stopped, crashing against the venue doors wave after wave.

Emmett looked at me, his voice cold and heavy.

"Iris, must you make a scene in front of the police?"

"Claudia's already dead. You want her examined all over again?"

I smiled slightly. "Emmett, you're the one who dragged me here."

"You threw the suicide note in my face. You were the ones who started calling me a murderer."

"Now I'm just asking the police to investigate. Why are you so anxious?"

At this point, the Simpson Group's legal counsel finally stepped forward.

He pushed up his glasses, his tone still composed.

"Miss Iris, of course the police can come."

"It's just that Miss Claudia's family has already entrusted the Simpson family to handle the funeral arrangements."

"Tonight she'll be transferred to the funeral home according to procedure."

I looked at him. "Who are the family members? Where are Miss Claudia's parents?"

"Overseas."

I nodded.

"Three hours after death, parents haven't arrived, body hasn't been confirmed."

"And the Simpson family can already transfer her to the funeral home?"

The lawyer's expression stiffened.

"The family provided remote authorization."

"Where's the authorization letter?"

He didn't answer immediately.

I stepped forward. "Also, you said she'll be transferred to the funeral home tonight according to procedure. What procedure? Where's the body transfer form? Which facility is receiving her? Who signed?"

The lawyer's lips pressed tight. Mira immediately interrupted with tears.

"Iris, enough! Claudia was most afraid of looking ugly. She fell from the twenty-seventh floor. She's unrecognizable."

"Mr. Emmett wouldn't let you see because he doesn't want her talked about even in death."

I looked at her. "Did I say I wanted to see?"

Mira froze. "I asked about the death certificate, body transfer documents, and family authorization."

"You keep bringing up dignity."

"Is it because you can't produce these documents, or because there isn't the person you claim inside that casket at all?"

When those words fell, the funeral hall became deathly silent.

Emmett's head snapped up. "Iris."

His voice was frighteningly low.

"Do you know what you're saying?"

"I do." I looked at him. "Since you all claim Claudia is dead, then from now on, every single step needs to be backed by evidence."

I paused, my gaze returning to the casket.

"Let's prove one thing first."

"Whether the person in the casket is Claudia."