Chapter 3

3

After Tessa left, I spent a fortune hiring people to restore my mother-in-law's appearance and set up a new funeral hall.

Then, I had a lawyer draft the divorce agreement. I called Tessa to come and sign it.

Dante answered the phone. I could hear Tessa's shaky, flirtatious giggles in the background.

"Justin, Tessa is busy. She doesn't have time for your calls."

"She said you can forget about using a divorce to void that letter of forgiveness."

He didn't hang up right away. He kept the line open so I could hear Tessa's voice getting louder and more breathless.

I fought back my disgust and recorded the audio before hanging up.

Since she wouldn't sign the papers willingly, I would just have to sue for divorce.

I submitted the application online and sent a screenshot to Tessa.

"I'll see you in court then."

On the day the murder trial was set to begin, I reached the courthouse doors and received a notification. My divorce filing had been rejected.

I knew immediately it was Tessa's doing.

Then, my phone rang. It was the funeral home.

They said the hall had been trashed and someone had forcibly taken the body away.

The staff sent me a video.

I clicked on it, and my eyes turned red with rage.

The body of my mother-in-law, which was supposed to be in the cooling casket, had been replaced with the carcass of an old sow.

There were wreaths on both sides of the casket with my own mother's name on them.

The funeral banners were covered in disgusting, vulgar insults.

Dante and Tessa arrived shortly after.

She caught a glimpse of my phone screen, her voice dripping with malice.

"Justin, this is what happens when you're stubborn!"

"If you insist on going into that courtroom today, you'll never see your mother's body again!"

Dante pointed at the pig in the casket on the screen.

"See? Doesn't it look just like your mom? Tessa and I went through a lot of trouble to find such a perfect replacement."

"Your relatives can just kneel and bow to this pig. It's the same thing."

"I'll give your mother's body back only after my brother is acquitted."

I couldn't believe they could be this shameless.

They were doing everything possible to stop me from testifying because they thought it was my mother who died.

If I, the direct relative, didn't agree to the settlement, Tessa's letter would be useless.

I grit my teeth and threw a punch straight into Dante's face.

"You absolute animal!"

Tessa screamed and rushed to shield Dante.

"Justin! Do you want me to throw you in jail too?"

I looked at her with bloodshot eyes.

"The ones who belong in jail are you two! Desecrating a body is a crime!"

Tessa looked at me with a smirk.

"Did you forget? I'm a lawyer. No matter who goes to prison, it won't be me. Your threats mean nothing!"

"You better decide. Do you want to go to court, or do you want your mother's body?"

I let out a cold, sharp laugh.

"Tessa, has it ever occurred to you that the body isn't my mother's? It's yours!"