Ryan stepped out of the car, chest tight with grief. Saying goodbye to his father felt impossible. The sorrow lodged in his throat like a stone. We couldn’t even have a proper funeral, he thought bitterly. Then Bella, his faithful German Shepherd, barked sharply, snapping him from his thoughts.
“Bella!” Ryan signaled her to lie down, and she obeyed, though her whine betrayed unease, her gaze locked on the church door. He patted her head through the car window. “Stay, girl.”
Inside, the church smelled of lilies, dim light filtering through stained glass. Arnold’s casket was closed, roped off. Because his father supposedly died of an infectious disease, the coffin was sealed and cremation ordered.
Ryan sank into a pew beside his mother, who clutched her handkerchief like a lifeline. The service blurred past him. Then, just as the final hymn began, Bella erupted in furious barking again. She forced her way in, leapt onto the casket, scattering flowers across the marble floor.
Ryan froze, staring at her alert posture and intense gaze. His stomach dropped.
“Open the casket!” he shouted.
Gasps filled the room. Relatives murmured in shock. Ignoring them, Ryan rushed forward and lifted the lid—only to find it completely empty.
Chaos ensued. His uncle demanded explanations. His mother collapsed, fainting from shock, and Ryan barely caught her before her head hit the floor.
Hours later, with his mother hospitalized, Ryan called the police.
Detective Bradshaw’s tone was grave. “The coroner confirmed the death and released the body. Was your father involved in anything suspicious?”
Ryan shook his head. He had left his father’s business years ago to run a dog training center. Arnold wasn’t perfect—but would he really stage this?
Bradshaw promised to investigate, but Ryan couldn’t wait. At the morgue, a nurse casually mentioned the coroner had resigned—no replacement yet—and Arnold’s file was missing.
Frustrated, Ryan bribed the nurse and sneaked into the coroner’s office. Shelves were empty; records gone. Then his phone buzzed—it was his father’s lawyer, Mr. Stevens.
“You’re the new CEO,” Stevens said bluntly. “We need to meet.”
At Arnold’s office, Ryan accessed his father’s email—wiped clean. Two valuable figurines were also missing. Stevens dismissed it, claiming Arnold had taken them home, but Ryan knew better.
The revelations kept coming: the company was in debt, investors pulling out, whispers of Arnold’s affair with his secretary, Miss Pearson. Ryan clenched his fists but stayed focused—he had to protect his mother.
That night, he followed Miss Pearson and slipped into her home. Inside, a framed photo of her kissing Arnold and a $7 million life insurance policy naming her as sole beneficiary made his stomach twist.
Detective Bradshaw was stunned. “This is fraud. She’s booked a one-way flight to Morocco. If she leaves, she’s gone.”
Ryan followed police to the airport. Despite their attempts, Miss Pearson slipped away. Another dead end.
Still, Ryan’s instincts screamed that Arnold was alive. The missing figurines nagged at him. He tracked down the last collector, Mr. Frederick, who demanded $750,000. Ryan sold company shares to buy the figurine and set up an auction—certain his father couldn’t resist completing the set.
On auction day, Ryan hid in the shadows as bids climbed. Then a deep voice broke the tension.
“$1 million.”
Ryan’s heart froze. Arnold—his father—disguised in a beige coat and wide-brimmed hat.
“Sold!” the auctioneer declared. Arnold turned to leave—but Ryan stepped in his way. Detective Bradshaw moved forward and cuffed him.
“You tricked me!” Arnold spat.
Ryan’s voice trembled with rage and heartbreak. “You faked your death. Lied to Mom, to me, to everyone—all for money and a mistress.”
Arnold lowered his head, admitting he bribed the coroner, staged the illness, and planned to run off with Miss Pearson.
“You taught me to live by principles,” Ryan said coldly. “Instead, you buried yours in an empty coffin.”
As Arnold was taken away, Bradshaw assured Ryan Miss Pearson wouldn’t remain hidden for long.
Ryan exhaled, Bella’s earlier bark echoing in his mind. His loyal dog had known the truth long before anyone else.
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