Chapter 3 On the eve of the trial, I held a funeral for my sons. But overnight, public opinion turned venomous. In the span of a single night, all evidence related to the car accident was erased. A premeditated hit-and-run became a blameless traffic accident. [That driver's so unlucky, running into two bratty kids.] [The kids didn't know better-but what about the mom? Can't even watch her own kids, then tries to sue the driver. Shameless.] [I heard the dad already signed the settlement, but the mom won't let it go. She's just after the money.] [Like mother, like son. Those brats deserved what they got.] The internet exploded with hate. A mob of outraged netizens even stormed the funeral hall, smashing everything. They carved the most vile, disgusting words onto my sons' memorial tablets. I clung desperately to their urns, but I was outnumbered- The gunshot wound in my abdomen tore open. Blood soaked through the gauze. Crack! The urns were ripped from my arms and smashed to pieces. My sons' ashes scattered across the floor, trampled into dozens of footprints. Amid the chaos, Reed's men just stood by and watched-they had their orders. Suddenly, a gust of wind swept through making ashes lift into the air. The last trace my sons left in this world... gone. I collapsed to the ground, powerless. The twins died on Reed's birthday. They'd gone out to buy him a present. "It's Daddy's birthday. We're gonna surprise him." "If Daddy's happy, he'll come home more. He won't go see that bad woman anymore." Their voices echoed endlessly in my mind. God! I hated him. I hated him so much! "Do you get it now?" Reed's icy voice approached from a distance, his dress shoes imprinting new tracks through the ashes scattered on the ground. "The trial's tomorrow. I've invited every major media outlet to livestream it." "You'll going to appear as the defendant's family. You'll apologize to Calla and her father. You'll offer compensation. And you'll promise never to appeal again-by any means." You'll... You'll... You'll... Not discussion. Pure command. I clenched my fists so hard. "And if I don't?" Reed smiled-calm, towering. "Tate, we grew up in that psych ward together. You know what I'm capable of. If I remember correctly, your mother's still in that care facility receiving treatment, right?"