Lana's POV
It wasn't raining, but it should have been.
If there was any justice left in the world, the skies would've split open and wept for my sister.
Instead, the sun burned bright, sharp, and cruel, like it had no idea a beautiful soul was being buried six feet under.
I walked gracefully to her grave, trailing behind a few friends of hers who had just arrived at the funeral.
"Sorry for your loss," one of them said to me. "You must be really heartbroken that she isn't even here to reap the fruits of her labour in you."
"Thank you," I replied softly, trying to force myself to drop a tear — at least one — but...
I didn't cry.
Not because I wasn't broken — I was. In fact, I was shattered into pieces so sharp I could cut someone with them.
Eva was the parent I had lost at a very young age. She wasn't just a sister — she was my everything. She was so selfless that she would do anything for me. I had hoped to return home after college, work hard, and pay her back for being my sponsor while in school. But as cruel as fate could be, I returned home not to her warm embrace but to a body too still, too cold… because she'd used every last breath not to welcome me, but to die.
I finally dropped a tear ,but those tears were for the innocent.
And I didn't come here to mourn.
I came to plan a murder. A murder no one would see coming. Not even the victim himself.
But am I even ready for this? You might think I had double minds about avenging my sister's death but that wasn't the case. I had been patiently waiting for an opportunity to kill him but none seem to come up and I certainly cannot disrupt my sister's enternal sleep with his ugly cry for help when it's finally time to take him out.
So I would rather–
The ladies gave me a weak smile, dropping their bouquet of flowers at Eva's feet. They made their way to the shades while I stood there, trying so hard not to lose it.
The priest gazed at me as soon as he finished with his funeral sermon. He probably wanted me to give a eulogy, but figured how lost and traumatized I looked, and decided to skip that part.
"May the soul of Eva Summers King, and the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace, Amen," he said, sealing his prayers with the sign of the cross before dismissing the crowd.
"I'm sorry for your loss."
His voice slithered down my spine — deep, smooth, almost convincing — as he walked towards me. Almost. Convincing.
I turned slowly to face him.
And there he was — the man who killed my sister.
My brother-in-law.
A perfect monster in a tailored black suit — handsome enough to fool a town, cold enough to push a woman hard enough to hit her head against the table and call it an accident.
"Thank you," I whispered, forcing the sweetest smile I could ever fake. "We'll get through this... as a family."
His eyes held mine for a beat too long. Maybe calculating. Maybe perturbed. Maybe dangerous. But I didn't flinch.
I let him believe whatever he wanted.
That I was grieving. That I was lost.
That I was just another broken woman burying her heart in the ground.
But I had buried something else along with my sister, Eva.
My mercy.
And when I was done with him...
He'd wish he were the one in that coffin.
"You know you shouldn't be here. I'm worried about you, Xavier," I broke the silence, feigning concern.
His eyes softened, squinting lightly at the edges. "I know, Lana." He continued, "I—"
"You should go," my voice came off in a deadly tone rather than a concerned one. "I mean, you are a wanted murderer... according to the cops and you—" I said, correcting my tone.
"I know that as well, Lana. There wasn't just a way I would miss my wife's funeral," he said tearfully.
Tears. Crocodile tears.
That was all I saw, and that didn't move me. There was no way he would cajole me into believing he was hurt not after my sister died at his hands.
"Where are you staying?"
"Falana, here in Calderm City."
"Is it safe there?"
"For now,"
"How long will you be staying?"
"Until I am able to prove my innocence."
I clamped my hand into a fist. Innocence.
It was one thing to kill my sister — it was another thing to deny it.
I could remember vividly calling Eva's line countless times to tell her I was ready to return home, but it wasn't available. And the only option was to call the bloody killer and pretender, her husband. I hated it so much, especially after Eva had told me how he'd been treating her. He cheated on her, lied about it, and asked for a divorce if she wouldn't accept that he had never cheated, even when she had proof.
But I had no choice. I just needed to get through to my sister. But then, his number was unavailable as well.
I was too broke at that moment to make a move, hoping Eva would reimburse me when I arrived. So I had to ask a friend and fortunately, she helped me.
I rushed home only to be met with my sister's cold, dead body.
Blood clots were everywhere. For minutes, I was stuck in place. I couldn't move. Eva was lifeless, right before my eyes, and I wasn't there.
I wasn't there to save my sister.
My heart was shattered, but it shattered even more when I saw it — the note.
A confession note.
Xavier confessed that he killed my sister. He said he was sorry. He said it was a mistake. He vowed and promised to turn himself in.
Then suddenly, he claimed innocence.
He denied writing the note, even though it was his handwriting, and swore he wasn't even on bad terms with his wife. He insisted nothing could have warranted a heated argument, let alone her death.
Numerous times, I had lost it, cursed him for killing my sister, threatened him for hurting the only family I had left, pleaded with him to turn himself in, but he stood his ground.
And I had just decided to pretend to forgive him, to even believe that he didn't murder my sister, until I was able to kill him the same way he killed Eva.
"I could help you if you want."
His phone chimed, but he ignored it.
"It's alright, Lana. I can handle it. I have put you through a lot already. I can't risk it anymore."
"It's fine,"
"Can I get a hug, at least?" I leaned in.
He closed the distance between us, giving me a hug.
"Thank you, Lana. And I am sorry."
I blinked my eyes to fight back the tears welling up in my eyes, saying it's okay with a sad smile. I hate to have him pity me.
He walked away, heading toward his car. It was the latest Porsche he got for my sister. He had taken it after realizing his cars were being tailed — courtesy of the cops.
He gave me a sad smile before getting into the car and driving off.
I quickly pulled out my phone, texting the code of the tracker I had just pinned on Xavier's neck to the cops.
Getting Xavier to pay for what he did came too early. I didn't even need to do much. Tagging him was such a smart plan and was carried out smoothly.
In just a few hours, Eva would get the justice she deserved.
And I hoped he'd get to serve a lifetime sentence.
Only that way would I not be forced to kill him myself.