Chapter 62

Chapter 62 Claiming a Body Caroline spun around and found the phone.

Upon seeing the unfamiliar number displayed on the screen, a frown involuntarily creased her forehead.

Who was it calling her in the middle of the night?

Compelled by curiosity, she shrugged off the blanket and quietly slipped out of the room to answer the call. With bated breath, she awaited the caller’s introduction.

“Hello? Is this Caroline? This is Angelbay Prison,” the voice on the other end revealed.

Prison?”

Caroline’s heart started to flutter with unease. “What’s going on?”

I regret to inform you that your father passed away at the prison at 3.52 AM. Please come to claim.

his body tomorrow,” the voice informed her solemnly.

Caroline’s mind went blank, a wave of disbelief crashing over her.

“Bradley… he’s dead?” she murmured in disbelief.

Slowly, Caroline lowered the phone, her eyes filled with an overwhelming sense of shock.

Despite harboring resentment toward Bradley, she couldn’t deny the hardships he endured while caring for the family during her childhood.

Suppressing the pain welling up in her chest, she weakly collapsed onto the sofa.

‘Why does everything have to happen so suddenly?‘ she wondered, a sense of turmoil gripping her.

The next morning, Evan received the same news. Without hesitation, he rushed to the prison alongside Caroline in the early hours.

Guided by a prison guard, Caroline made her way to claim Bradley’s lifeless body.

Upon seeing her father’s face, marred by injuries, tears welled up in Caroline’s eyes uncontrollably.

Evan stood outside the door, silently observing her anguish. His own pain became too difficult to bear.

Turning to the prison guard, Evan’s voice grew icy as he demanded, “Who did this?”

The prison guard sighed heavily. “There was an altercation in the prison, and Bradley was beaten Evan furrowed his brow. He knew that seeking compensation for her father’s life would be meaningless After a while, Caroline emerged from the room, her expression devoid of emotion. She approached Evan and spoke with a detached tone, Thank you for driving me here.”

Narrowing his eyes, Evan stared at her intently. The extreme calmness in her eyes cast a somber shadow over his own.

“Caroline…” Evan called out to heri “Thank you. You can leave now,” Caroline interrupted, her lips pursed. “I can handle it.”

Evan fell silent, his gaze fixed on her for a moment before he turned around and departed.

A funeral home car arrived promptly Caroline joined them, and together they headed to the crematorium. 1 With no friends or relatives to bid him farewell, Bradley’s funeral was simple and understated.

While waiting for the cremation to conclude, Caroline reached out to the cemetery.

Once the cremation was over, Caroline received Bradley’s ashes and proceeded to the cemetery for his burial.

Having taken care of all the necessary arrangements, Caroline purchased a bouquet of chrysanthemums and made her way to Katie’s grave.

She gently placed the flowers against the tombstone and knelt down slowly. In a soft murmur, she addressed her departed mother, “Mom, are you at peace in heaven?

“You harbored so much hatred toward Dad, didn’t you? But now, there’s no need for that because he’s passed away as well.”

“Now, I’m the only one left…”

In the distance, both Evan and Reuben quietly observed Caroline as she knelt before the tombstone. T After a while, Reuben let out a sigh and remarked, “Mr. Jordan, Miss Shenton is truly pitiful.”

Evan remained silent, his eyes clouded with gloom, revealing the depths of his emotions.

After a moment, Evan inquired, “Have you found out who was responsible?”

Reuben bowed his head. “Mr. Jordan, the person we’re dealing with is cunning. Every time we uncover a clue, it’s swiftly erased.”

Evan’s displeasure manifested as a frown. “What I want is results.”

“Understood, Mr. Jordan,” Reuben replied Evan averted his gaze, retrieving a cigarette from his pocket and lighting it. After taking a drag, he asked, “How about the orphanage? Any news?”

“The new director is still searching for information from that year. It will take some time,” Reuben reported.

Flicking the ash off his cigarette, Evan made a decision. ‘I’ll go there tomorrow.”

“Mr. Jordan, Reuben reminded, “Your father is coming to Angelbay City tomorrow.”

Evan’s frustration surfaced on his face. “Then I’ll go the day after tomorrow.”

“Got it…”

As Reuben spoke, he noticed Caroliné standing unsteadily.

Without warning, she suddenly collapsed.

“Caroline!” Evan exclaimed, tossing his cigarette aside and rushing to her side.

“Caroline!”

In a room adorned with cartoon pictures, a girl huddled on the bed, clutching her knees tightly.

She wept relentlessly, repeatedly calling out for her mother.

She screamed until her voice grew hoarse, but her mother never appeared.

Suddenly, the door swung open.

The girl straightened up, her gaze fixed on the doorway, only to find a few girls her age entering the room. She pouted and shrunk back.

“You’re crying again. All you do is cry all day long! What a jinx!”

The leader, with her hair tied in a ponytail, was consumed by anger. She grabbed a doll from the floor and hurled it forcefully at the girl on the bed.

“If you cry again, I’ll stuff your mouth with towels.

The girl stopped crying, but she glared at the girl in a ponytail with a deep sense of injustice.

“Don’t you dare glare at me! How dare you!” the ponytailed girl stormed toward her, raising her fists and striking her head repeatedly.

“I’m going to teach you a lesson, you jinx!”

“No… Stop hitting her!” Caroline shouted at the top of her lungs, suddenly jolting awake.

She panted heavily, fear lingering in her eyes as she stared at the ceiling.

She had dreamt once again of that pitiful girl being subjected to violence.

“Ms. Shenton is awake!” a familiar voice exclaimed, jolting Caroline back to reality.

She turned her head and saw Lily rushing out of the room, brimming with excitement.

Chapter 62 Claiming a Body Caroline spun around and found the phone.

Upon seeing the unfamiliar number displayed on the screen, a frown involuntarily creased her forehead.

Who was it calling her in the middle of the night?

Compelled by curiosity, she shrugged off the blanket and quietly slipped out of the room to answer the call. With bated breath, she awaited the caller’s introduction.

“Hello? Is this Caroline? This is Angelbay Prison,” the voice on the other end revealed.

Prison?”

Caroline’s heart started to flutter with unease. “What’s going on?”

I regret to inform you that your father passed away at the prison at 3.52 AM. Please come to claim.

his body tomorrow,” the voice informed her solemnly.

Caroline’s mind went blank, a wave of disbelief crashing over her.

“Bradley… he’s dead?” she murmured in disbelief.

Slowly, Caroline lowered the phone, her eyes filled with an overwhelming sense of shock.

Despite harboring resentment toward Bradley, she couldn’t deny the hardships he endured while caring for the family during her childhood.

Suppressing the pain welling up in her chest, she weakly collapsed onto the sofa.

‘Why does everything have to happen so suddenly?‘ she wondered, a sense of turmoil gripping her.

The next morning, Evan received the same news. Without hesitation, he rushed to the prison alongside Caroline in the early hours.

Guided by a prison guard, Caroline made her way to claim Bradley’s lifeless body.

Upon seeing her father’s face, marred by injuries, tears welled up in Caroline’s eyes uncontrollably.

Evan stood outside the door, silently observing her anguish. His own pain became too difficult to bear.

Turning to the prison guard, Evan’s voice grew icy as he demanded, “Who did this?”

The prison guard sighed heavily. “There was an altercation in the prison, and Bradley was beaten Evan furrowed his brow. He knew that seeking compensation for her father’s life would be meaningless After a while, Caroline emerged from the room, her expression devoid of emotion. She approached Evan and spoke with a detached tone, Thank you for driving me here.”

Narrowing his eyes, Evan stared at her intently. The extreme calmness in her eyes cast a somber shadow over his own.

“Caroline…” Evan called out to heri “Thank you. You can leave now,” Caroline interrupted, her lips pursed. “I can handle it.”

Evan fell silent, his gaze fixed on her for a moment before he turned around and departed.

A funeral home car arrived promptly Caroline joined them, and together they headed to the crematorium. 1 With no friends or relatives to bid him farewell, Bradley’s funeral was simple and understated.

While waiting for the cremation to conclude, Caroline reached out to the cemetery.

Once the cremation was over, Caroline received Bradley’s ashes and proceeded to the cemetery for his burial.

Having taken care of all the necessary arrangements, Caroline purchased a bouquet of chrysanthemums and made her way to Katie’s grave.

She gently placed the flowers against the tombstone and knelt down slowly. In a soft murmur, she addressed her departed mother, “Mom, are you at peace in heaven?

“You harbored so much hatred toward Dad, didn’t you? But now, there’s no need for that because he’s passed away as well.”

“Now, I’m the only one left…”

In the distance, both Evan and Reuben quietly observed Caroline as she knelt before the tombstone. T After a while, Reuben let out a sigh and remarked, “Mr. Jordan, Miss Shenton is truly pitiful.”

Evan remained silent, his eyes clouded with gloom, revealing the depths of his emotions.

After a moment, Evan inquired, “Have you found out who was responsible?”

Reuben bowed his head. “Mr. Jordan, the person we’re dealing with is cunning. Every time we uncover a clue, it’s swiftly erased.”

Evan’s displeasure manifested as a frown. “What I want is results.”

“Understood, Mr. Jordan,” Reuben replied Evan averted his gaze, retrieving a cigarette from his pocket and lighting it. After taking a drag, he asked, “How about the orphanage? Any news?”

“The new director is still searching for information from that year. It will take some time,” Reuben reported.

Flicking the ash off his cigarette, Evan made a decision. ‘I’ll go there tomorrow.”

“Mr. Jordan, Reuben reminded, “Your father is coming to Angelbay City tomorrow.”

Evan’s frustration surfaced on his face. “Then I’ll go the day after tomorrow.”

“Got it…”

As Reuben spoke, he noticed Caroliné standing unsteadily.

Without warning, she suddenly collapsed.

“Caroline!” Evan exclaimed, tossing his cigarette aside and rushing to her side.

“Caroline!”

In a room adorned with cartoon pictures, a girl huddled on the bed, clutching her knees tightly.

She wept relentlessly, repeatedly calling out for her mother.

She screamed until her voice grew hoarse, but her mother never appeared.

Suddenly, the door swung open.

The girl straightened up, her gaze fixed on the doorway, only to find a few girls her age entering the room. She pouted and shrunk back.

“You’re crying again. All you do is cry all day long! What a jinx!”

The leader, with her hair tied in a ponytail, was consumed by anger. She grabbed a doll from the floor and hurled it forcefully at the girl on the bed.

“If you cry again, I’ll stuff your mouth with towels.

The girl stopped crying, but she glared at the girl in a ponytail with a deep sense of injustice.

“Don’t you dare glare at me! How dare you!” the ponytailed girl stormed toward her, raising her fists and striking her head repeatedly.

“I’m going to teach you a lesson, you jinx!”

“No… Stop hitting her!” Caroline shouted at the top of her lungs, suddenly jolting awake.

She panted heavily, fear lingering in her eyes as she stared at the ceiling.

She had dreamt once again of that pitiful girl being subjected to violence.

“Ms. Shenton is awake!” a familiar voice exclaimed, jolting Caroline back to reality.

She turned her head and saw Lily rushing out of the room, brimming with excitement.