It was the first of several sleepless nights to come, for Avery.
She was back in the hallway with Valentina by her side, and the rest of her former family and fiancee walking right behind them. Her heart wallowed in the excitement of seeing her grandfather soon, even though she was not sure what state he would be in. The news might have said he was dead but still…Uncle Jon would not kill her grandfather that easily, right?
But then, they had killed Arthur so what would stop them from killing anyone else.
Kathy's voice came from behind her, breaking into her thoughts, "Take care of her, Tina. We still have a lot to handle so we will be leaving her with you."
"Of course, Mom."
One after the other, Avery noticed the footsteps behind her decreasing until she was only hearing hers and Tina's.
"It's gonna be a long walk to the funeral parlor, Avery. Why don't I tell you a short story on the way?" the latter's voice resounded in her ears.
Funeral parlor…that answered her question. Grandfather was dead.
Avery stopped dead in her tracks, letting the news and despair that accompanied it sink into her mind. She had guessed it and also heard it announced on TV but when it came from someone whom she knew wasn't lying about it, the news hit different.
"How was he killed?" she breathed. "Is it as the news said?"
Her lips pulled up at the sides, Valentina nodded, "The most part of the news is accurate. You know the parts that aren't and I will tell you those you might not know."
Taking her hand off Avery's shoulder, she pulled at the latter's hair and jerked her forward, before she continued with her speech, "Roberts and Brian handled the shareholders and the police. And Dad, he killed Grandpa with his own hands. Can you imagine?" she chuckled. "He made tea for Grandpa the exact same way you always do and as expected, the senile old man thought you made it to apologize. He drank it without hesitation and the very next minute, his eyes were almost popping out of their highballs."
"Did-did Grandpa struggle? He wasn't in too much pain, right?"
Valentina's seemed surprised at the question, before bursting out in laughter.
"Pain? Don't you wonder why we are holding the funeral the same day he died?" she asked. By this time, they were already in front of the room used as the McCallum's ancestral funeral parlor. Valentina released Avery's hair and pushed her forward, "See the answer yourself."
Stumbling into the room, Avery managed to halt before she could get to the coffin placed up front. Her grandfather's picture stared down at her from above, and she felt her legs weaken beneath her.
"Grandpa…" she whispered.
"Jeez, don't give a dramatic show for someone who's long dead and gone. You will be joining him soon enough anyway," Valentina taunted from behind her.
Avery ignored her. Not like there was anything she could do otherwise. Taking a slow step forward, she closed the distance to the coffin and peered into it, expecting to see her grandfather's peaceful sleeping face. However, the sight and odor that met her eyes and nose respectively, pushed her away from the coffin.
"What did you guys do to Grandpa's body?!" she yelled, the rage that had earlier left her eyes now returned in full force.
"We didn't do anything. The poisoned tea did," Tina deadpanned. "I wasn't there but Dad told me how he watched the old man writhe in pain before him. Grandpa even begged him for five minutes before finally surrendering to death, believe that? There's nothing I wouldn't have given to see that scene?"
Avery was seething in rage and her tightened grip on her wedding gown did nothing to alleviate her anger. It was all she could do to control herself, knowing what Tina and the rest wanted was for her to lose it.
"Are you insane, Valentina?" she hissed. "If you wanted to kill him, couldn't you guys have done that painlessly?!"
"Why ask me that?" Tina asked back, her expression blanking out as if she truly had no idea why. Met with silence, she volleyed, "We had rules in this game, Avery. Everyone could handle their target anyhow they liked as long as they left no evidence behind."
"Oh really?" Avery muttered sarcastically. This was a game to them, while she and her beloved family were their targets. Could this be any more painful than it already was? With every word that came out of them was a revelation more shocking and excruciating than the last.
"Yeah," Tina affirmed. "Dad poisoned Grandpa and he made the cook testify that you asked her to do it; Roberts handled Arthur and oh! I don't think you know yet but his body will be delivered to the house soon. We will be holding his funeral tomorrow. So sorry you won't be able to make it."
Avery made a small note at the back of her mind. Grandpa is gone, and he made a painful exit to the other world. Arthur had pretty much the same experience and Emma? She could only hope…
"Where is Emma?" she asked out loud, to see a wife smile bloom on Tina's face.
"Oh be patient, Avery. We will surely come to that since I handled her."
But Avery was not having that. If Emma was dead, then there was no reason for her to keep herself under control. She could find her way to the kitchen from here to get a knife, bring down these murderers one by one, before turning herself in to truly suffer for her stupidity. "Apart from the video I watched, did you do anything else to her? Tell me you didn't kill her!"
"Not yet," Tina replied. "We will send her to the mental asylum tomorrow and then arrange for her to join you and the rest later on. We can't risk her coming back to her senses, can we?"
Avery's brows furrowed in confusion, hoping again hope that something worse than death had not been done to Emma.
"Mental asylum? Why would Emma go there? What do you mean come back to her senses?!" the questions rushed out of her mouth, and she didn't even attempt to hold them back.
Tina shrugged and replied, "I don't think you will believe if I tell you why. You should see for yourself instead. Emma is in her room."
"She is in this build…" Realizing once more that she did not have enough time to ask questions, Avery dashed out of the funeral parlor and retraced her steps the same way she had come. Emma's room was right beside Arthur's.
She could remember them chosing those rooms because it was closest to hers. The two who had given her love she didn't deserve.