Funeral Trap For A Greedy Murderer

My mother used to be the brightest jewel of the Manhattan elitea brilliant business prodigy destined to take over her familys empire.

But love completely blinded her. She threw everything away, defied my grandfathers warnings, and married a man with absolutely nothing to his name.

Stripped of her familys wealth and protection, she was forced to live like a glorified maid, constantly serving her husbands ungrateful family.

And in return? She endured vicious beatings and vile insults every time my father came home drunk.

"You are completely useless! You could not even give me a son!"

His cruelty culminated today.

To clear the way for his mistress and illegitimate son, and to cash in on a massive life insurance policy, my father locked the bedroom door from the outside and set our apartment on fire.

The thick, black smoke choked the air from my lungs. As my consciousness began to slip away, I used every last ounce of my fading strength to dial the one number my mother had not dared to touch in ten years.

The moment the call connected, I heard my grandfathers trembling, aged voice.

"Grandpa... I am giving my life back to you. Consider it an apology on my mothers behalf."

"Please... let my mother go back to being the untouchable Vanguard heiress she was born to be!"

Beep... Beep... Beep...

The call abruptly disconnected.

I clung to my phone as a sea of flames swallowed the room. The toxic smoke clamped tight around my throat.

"Cough... cough..."

My vision blurred. In the very last second before the darkness took me, I forced myself to turn my head.

My mother had thrown her body over mine to shield me from the collapse of our burning wardrobe.

"Mom..." I mouthed the word, but no sound came out.

Suddenly, my body felt incredibly light.

My soul tore away from my physical form, floating gently toward the ceiling.

Crash!

The bedroom door was finally ripped open by a firemans electric saw.

"Hurry! We still have vitals! Get the stretcher!"

A team of firefighters rushed in and lifted my mothers burned body onto a gurney.

"My wife! My daughter!" A devastated, agonizing wail echoed from the hallway.

Marcus stumbled blindly toward the stretcher, his hands desperately gripping the metal frame. Tears and snot smeared across his face.

"How could this happen?! I only went downstairs to buy some groceries! How did a fire start?!"

"Honey, wake up! How am I supposed to live without you?!"

The neighbors crowded in the hallway wiped their eyes, whispering softly about what a devoted, tragic man he was.

My soul hovered in the air, staring dead at him.

From my vantage point, I could clearly see the corners of his mouth twitching upward in an uncontrollable, euphoric smirk.

My grandmother shuffled in right behind him, wailing a hollow, theatrical, "Oh, my poor daughter-in-law!"

But her hands were busy frantically swatting the air, entirely disgusted by the ash settling on her expensive silk dress.

"Make way! The victim has sustained severe third-degree burns! She needs to be transported to the emergency room immediately!"

The paramedics shoved Marcus aside and rushed the gurney toward the elevators.

My instinct was to follow them, to stay right by my mothers side.

But the moment I floated past the apartment threshold, a violent force ripped my soul backward.

I was tethered. Bound to stay within ten feet of Marcus.

Marcus staggered into the emergency stairwell. The second he realized he was completely alone, the agonizing grief wiped clean from his face.

He pulled out a burner phone and dialed a number.

"Hey, Chloe," he whispered, his voice trembling with sheer excitement.

"It is done! Those two worthless burdensone is dead, and the other is burned to a crisp."

"Sending her to the hospital is just a waste of money."

A womans sultry laugh drifted through the speaker. "Really? Did the Vanguard family not show up?"

Marcus let out a cold, sharp sneer and spat on the concrete floor.

"Why should I be scared? I already checked! The last number that bitch dialed before her phone melted was her old mans, and it did not even connect!"

"Ten years ago, she cut ties with the entire Vanguard family just to marry me. Those old-money elites care about their reputation more than anything. Why would they ever rescue a discarded pawn?!"

"And even if they wanted to, she looks like a monster now! God himself could not save her."

He grew more animated with every word, reaching up to loosen his tie.

"Chloe, get ready to become the new Mrs. Kingwell. That thirty-million-dollar life insurance payout is about to clear."

I threw my arms out, lunging violently at Marcus, desperately trying to snap his neck.

But my hands sliced right through his chest. I could not touch him.

"Marcus, what about little Leo getting legally recognized?"

"Relax!" Marcus interrupted her. "Once the heat dies down, I will move both of you right into the master bedroom."

"Leo is the only heir to my bloodline. From now on, everything I own belongs to my son!"

He hung up the phone, instantly twisting his face back into a mask of pure devastation, and stumbled out of the stairwell to meet the police detectives.

"Officer, this is all my fault..." He dropped to his knees, burying his hands in his hair.

"My wife has been so mentally unstable lately. She kept forgetting to turn off the stove."

"I even reminded her right before I left the apartment. I never thought..."

"I failed to protect them! I should just die!"

His sobbing was so utterly convincing that even the seasoned detectives looked sympathetic, pulling him up and assuring him it was just a tragic accident.

An accident?

I let out a desperate, hollow laugh.

He bribed the buildings maintenance man to disable the fire alarms, locked our bedroom door from the outside, and stuffed oil-soaked rags into the doorframe!

Suddenly, the phone in Marcuss pocket buzzed.

He turned his back to the officers and checked the screen. It was a text from a hospital orderly he had bribed.

[Mr. Kingwell, I checked. The woman has burns over ninety percent of her body and is going into organ failure.]

[Since you did not pay the ICU deposit, the hospital only bandaged her. They left her on a gurney in the hallway to die.]

[And her maiden family? Not a single ghost showed up.]

Absolute, unhinged ecstasy exploded in Marcuss eyes.

His thumbs flew across the screen as he replied:

[Keep an eye on her. The second she stops breathing, text me. Tonight, I am moving Chloe and Leo in.]

I stared at the glowing screen, my soul plummeting into an icy abyss.

Grandpa... did you really abandon us?

It had only been three days since the fire.

My soul was permanently chained to Marcus, forcing me to follow him back to the apartment.

Chloe was sitting at my mothers vanity mirror, wearing my mothers favorite silk nightgown.

She popped open my mothers jewelry box, held a diamond necklace up to the light, and scoffed.

"This is garbage. Only a pathetic housewife like Victoria would treat this like treasure."

"Marcus, you are taking me to buy a new diamond ring tomorrow, right?"

Marcus wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, burying his face into the crook of her neck.

"Of course! The biggest one in the store! Once that thirty million clears, you can have whatever you want!"

A burst of childish laughter echoed from the living room. I drifted out of the bedroom.

Five-year-old Leo was standing right in front of the memorial altar set up in the center of the room.

Resting on the altar was my black-and-white funeral portrait.

Leo pulled down his pants, aimed directly at my face, and peed all over my picture.

"Good boy! Look how far he goes!" My grandmother sat on the sofa, aggressively clapping her hands and cheering him on.

She waddled over and affectionately rubbed Leos head.

"Our Leo is so strong! You are going to be a very rich man one day!"

"Not like that worthless little bitch who just took up space and drained our money. She deserved to burn!"

My soul lunged at the little monster, my hands completely wrapping around his throat.

I want to strangle him!

But it was useless. Over and over, my hands phased harmlessly through his flesh.

That evening, Marcus came home waving a preliminary claim approval from the insurance company.

The entire family erupted into cheers.

Marcus raised a glass of whiskey, his face flushed with triumph.

"A toast! To our real family, finally reunited!"

Chloe giggled, tapping her wine glass against his. She took a delicate sip, her eyes gleaming with calculation.

"Marcus, what are you going to do about that woman's funeral?"

Marcus shoved a piece of rare steak into his mouth, chewing vigorously.

"Oh, we are throwing one! The biggest funeral this city has ever seen!"

A dark, venomous scheme flashed in his eyes.

"I am going to rent out the grand hall at the Elysium Memorial Center. I will invite every news outlet in the state to broadcast it live."

"I want the whole world to see how heartbroken and devoted I am to my late wife!"

"Once I solidify my image as the grieving, loyal husband, those stubborn old men on the corporate board will finally hand over complete control of the company."

"And Victoria's shares will legally, and permanently, fall right into my lap."

Chloe dropped her fork and pouted heavily. "So how long do I have to wait to become your actual wife?"

"I am already pregnant with your second baby!"

Marcus dropped his silverware, took her hand, and stroked her knuckles with a sickeningly sweet smile.

"Do not worry, baby," he whispered.

"At the funeral. Right after the lawyer reads the will and I take control of the shares."

"I will announce your pregnancy live to the press. I will tell them it was Victorias dying wish for me to move on and give Leo a complete, loving home."

"Two massive victories in one day. Who would ever dare to question me?"

How could they?! How could anyone be this purely, fundamentally evil?!

Just then, the television in the living room cut to a breaking news alert.

A news anchors solemn voice filled the room.

"Breaking news. The unidentified female victim from the tragic Southside apartment fire three days ago..."

"...has succumbed to her severe injuries. Due to a lack of medical funding and no family members stepping forward to claim her, she passed away in the hospital corridor early this morning."

"Her remains have been transferred to the city morgue. We urge any surviving relatives to step forward..."

A pixelated photo flashed on the screen. Even through the blur, I recognized it instantly. It was my mother.

Marcus shot up from the dining table, staring at the television.

He threw his head back and burst into maniacal laughter.

"Hahahaha! She is dead! She is completely dead!"

"The Vanguard family never showed up! They did not even come to collect her corpse! The old man really did completely abandon her!"

"This entire empire belongs to me now!"

My soul collapsed onto the hardwood floor. My mother was really dead.

My grandfather never came to save her. The Vanguard family had truly left us to rot.

My final, desperate sliver of hope crumbled into dust.

I watched as my grandmother commanded the maid to stuff all of my clothes, my toys, and every single photograph of me and my mother into black trash bags.

"Throw it all away! Everything! It is bad luck to look at!"

She kicked a bag filled with my childhood memories across the room.

Every single trace of our existence in this world was systematically erased.

I drifted up to the ceiling. Pure, concentrated hatred materialized around my soul, radiating as a thick, black aura.

Marcus Kingwell. Even if it means becoming a vengeful demon, I will drag you to hell.

Five days later. Elysium Memorial Center.

Marcus had dropped a hundred grand to rent out the massive main mourning hall.

Massive, framed portraits of me and my mother hung directly in the center of the room.

Marcus was dressed in a sharp black suit, kneeling on a velvet cushion and weeping loudly.

Every time a guest approached to bow their respects, he would aggressively slam his head against the floor in return, looking completely exhausted and on the verge of collapse.

"Victoria... my sweet Victoria..."

His assistant quickly rushed forward, rubbing his back and offering him a glass of warm water.

A massive LED screen on the wall displayed the live comments from the broadcast feed.

[This is so heartbreaking. Mr. Kingwell is such a good man.]

[He lost his wife and his child at the same time. The trauma must be unbearable. Stay strong, Marcus!]

[I heard his wife was incredibly abusive and had a terrible temper, but he still loved her unconditionally. That is true devotion.]

I floated above the crowd, reading the scrolling text, violently trembling with rage.

My mother worked herself to the bone for this family. She woke up before dawn and went to bed past midnight.

She could not even buy a new dress without Marcus making her feel guilty. Since when was she abusive?!

At that moment, the maid helped my grandmother walk over to the press section.

She clutched a tissue, dabbing at her dry eyes as she sobbed into the microphones.

"My poor daughter-in-law... Even though she used to beat me and scream at an old woman like me..."

"Even though she refused to let me eat hot meals with the family, she was still my family..."

"Marcus endured so much abuse just to keep the family together. He always had bruises from where she pinched and hit him."

"Now that she is gone, I just pray she finds some peace and calms her temper in the afterlife..."

The room erupted. Reporters practically shoved their microphones down her throat to catch every word.

The live chat instantly exploded, the narrative completely flipping against us.

[What the hell?! So the dead wife was a total psycho?! She abused her mother-in-law?!]

[And here I was feeling sorry for her. Good riddance!]

[Marcus is a saint for putting up with domestic abuse just to keep the peace. Poor guy!]

[Karma is real! God finally took that evil bitch out!]

They were not just satisfied with murdering us for money. They were actively destroying my mothers legacy, dragging her name through the mud while her corpse was still warm!

I turned my gaze toward Chloe.

She was standing near the entrance, pretending to be a "distant cousin" helping to greet the guests.

"Mr. Davis, Mr. Evans, Marcus will be relying on your continued support in the future."

She flashed them a sweet, seductive smile, quietly establishing her dominance over his inner circle.

The corporate shareholders exchanged a knowing look and chuckled.

Marcus perfectly timed his cue. He stood up, walked over to the board members, and offered a deep bow.

"Gentlemen, Victoria is gone. But I promise you, I will not let this break me."

His eyes were red, but his voice rang out loud and commanding.

"Tomorrow, my thirty-million-dollar insurance payout clears."

"And I have decided to inject every single cent of that money directly into the company, completely covering the budget deficit from last quarter!"

"I know Victoria is watching from heaven, and she would want to see our company thrive!"

The moment the words left his mouth, a few hesitant board members immediately began clapping.

"That is what I like to hear, Marcus! The company is in good hands with you!"

Marcus had officially used our blood money to buy total, uncontested control of his empire.

Just then, his executive assistant hurried into the hall, discreetly slipping a document into Marcuss hand.

It was the official death certificate issued by the city morgue.

Marcus gripped the paper, his fingers lightly trembling.

The crowd thought he was overwhelmed by grief. But from where I floated, I saw the truth.

His eyes were burning with unhinged, absolute victory.

He took a deep breath, preparing to throw himself back onto the mourning cushion.

Clatter!

A loud noise shattered his performance.

Five-year-old Leo had somehow managed to sneak up to the altar.

He was holding a toy truck, aggressively swatting at a fly buzzing near the flowers.

He swung his foot and kicked my urn straight off the table.

The ceramic box hit the floor and shattered, sending a cloud of grey ash spilling across the carpet.

"Ew!" Leo shrieked, stumbling backward, stepping right into the middle of my ashes.

He disgustedly wiped the bottom of his shoe against the carpet. "What is this dusty garbage? It is gross!"

Dead silence fell over the hall. Every single guest inhaled sharply.

Kicking over a dead person's urn was the ultimate taboo.

Marcus looked up. I thought, for just a fraction of a second, he might actually scold the boy.

But he did not. He calmly walked over and scooped Leo into his arms.

He turned around to face the flashing cameras.

Instead of anger, a warm, fatherly glow washed over his face.

"Victoria is gone, and this tragedy has opened my eyes," he spoke directly into the microphones.

"Life is entirely unpredictable. The only thing that truly matters is family bloodlines."

"Today, surrounded by the people I trust most, I have an announcement to make."

He proudly raised Leos small hand into the air.

"Leo is my biological flesh and blood! As of today, he will officially be recognized as a Kingwell."

"He is the sole heir to my family!"

The crowd gasped. The media went absolutely wild, the sound of camera shutters firing like machine guns.

[MASSIVE EXCLUSIVE! CEO MARCUS KINGWELL HAS A SECRET SON?!]

[The wife just died and he is already adopting his bastard? Plot twist of the century!]

The online narrative was entirely controlled by bots Marcus had purchased the night before.

I floated in the air, staring down at my ashes, currently mixed with dirt and shoe prints on the floor.

I stared at the little monster who had just trampled on my remains.

My soul let out an agonizing, blood-curdling scream. "Marcus Kingwell! I will make sure you burn in hell!"

I threw myself at him again and again, but every single time, I phased right through his chest.

The combination of devastating fury and absolute helplessness was physically tearing my soul apart.

Marcus felt like a god. He had won everything.

He set Leo down and slowly walked toward Chloe.

With every eye in the room locked on him.

Marcus dropped to one knee, pulled a velvet box from his blazer, and popped it open.

A massive, flawless five-carat diamond caught the fluorescent lights, blinding everyone near the front row.

"Chloe," Marcus spoke softly, his voice dripping with romance.

"For years, I kept you and our son hidden in the shadows just to spare Victorias feelings. I forced you to suffer without a title."

"But now that Victoria has passed, Leo cannot grow up without a real family."

"Will you marry me, Chloe? Will you be the new Mrs. Kingwell?"

He was proposing at his dead wifes funeral. He was standing on my ashes, proposing to his accomplice in murder!

How could human beings be this vile?!

My soul shuddered violently, the edges of my form beginning to dissipate from pure rage.

"Say yes! Say yes!" My grandmother was the first to break the silence, eagerly clapping her hands.

Her face was glowing with joy as she spoke directly to the cameras. "This is a blessing! We need a happy event to wash away the bad luck!"

"If Victoria is watching from above, I know she is smiling down, happy that Marcus finally has a real family!"

Absurd! This was completely, utterly unhinged!

But what was even more sickening was the reaction of the guests. The corporate executives, the shareholders, the high-society elites.

Blinded by the incoming thirty million dollars and Marcus's total corporate control, they actually started clapping along.

"Mr. Kingwell is a man of honor! Congratulations to you both!"

"A double blessing! Cheers to the happy couple!"

The mourning hall was suddenly filled with cheers and applause. Chloe covered her mouth, squeezing out a few fake, theatrical tears.

She offered her hand, and Marcus slid the diamond ring onto her finger.

Chloe looked directly up at my funeral portrait on the altar.

Her eyes conveyed a very clear message: Look at me now. Everything that used to be yours is mine.

Marcus stood up and confidently waved his hand.

A man in a sharp suit clutching a leather briefcase instantly stepped forward.

"Everyone." Marcus cleared his throat, barely able to suppress the ecstatic grin on his face.

"Before Victoria passed, she held fifteen percent of the Vanguard family shares."

"Today, in front of the press and our closest friends, I have asked Mr. Sterling, our corporate attorney..."

"...to officially read the last will and testament Victoria left behind."

Mr. Sterling pushed his glasses up his nose, pulled a thick document from his briefcase, and cleared his throat.

"I, Victoria Vanguard, voluntarily decree that in the event of my passing, all of my personal assets, corporate shares, and real estate..."

"...shall be unconditionally transferred to my beloved husband, Mr. Marcus Kingwell..."

The will was entirely fake. Marcus had hired someone to forge her signature!

I squeezed my eyes shut, completely unable to stomach this repulsive display.

"...The above statements are legally binding and shall take effect immediate"

BANG!!!

Just as the lawyer was about to utter the final syllable, the heavy mahogany doors of the mourning hall were violently kicked open.

The entire crowd spun around in shock.

Outside, ten identical, matte-black Rolls-Royces were parked in a perfect line, completely barricading the entrance.

Dozens of towering men in tailored black suits poured out of the vehicles.

The reporters, who were just screaming into their cameras a second ago, were instantly paralyzed with fear.

The security team marched into the hall, forming two solid walls of muscle, violently parting the sea of guests down the middle.

Then, the sharp, rhythmic click of stilettos echoed through the silence.

Click... Click... Click...

A woman, wearing five-inch designer heels, slowly stepped through the doorway.

She wore a long, tailored black trench coat. A pair of oversized dark sunglasses concealed the top half of her face.

The triumphant smile completely vanished from Marcuss face.

His pupils dilated in sheer, unadulterated terror.

The forged will slipped from his trembling fingers and hit the carpet with a soft thud.

His knees instantly gave out.

He dropped straight to the floor in a dead faint.

The woman walking into the room was my motherVictoria Vanguard!