Brenda is left stunned when her late son’s wife denies knowing her, and she’s even more shocked when she visits her son’s grave, only to find her daughter-in-law’s tombstone nearby. Desperate for answers, Brenda turns to her son’s best friend, but his suspicious behavior forces her to investigate on her own.
Christopher tragically passed away in a horrific accident at just 27 years old, leaving his mother, Brenda, consumed by overwhelming grief and declining health.
After a year in a clinic, Brenda traveled hundreds of miles to visit her son’s grave. As she was about to leave the station, she noticed a familiar face in the crowd: Harper, her widowed daughter-in-law. Brenda intended to catch up with her after visiting the cemetery and hurried after her.
“Harper! Harper? Wait a second!” Brenda called out, tapping the woman’s shoulder from behind.
“I’m not Harper. You’ve got the wrong person, lady!” the young woman snapped, brushing off Brenda’s hand before hastily walking away.
The taxi driver’s voice interrupted Brenda’s thoughts. “Ma’am… we’ve arrived.”
The silence at the cemetery was eerie as Brenda searched for her son’s grave. Her heart sank when she touched the tombstone, and the inscription took her breath away.
In Loving Memory of Harper S.
January 8, 1995 – December 3, 2020
Forever cherished, forever missed.
Rest in peace.
“Oh my God… Harper passed away last week and no one told me?” Brenda gasped, unable to comprehend the words.
The unsettling question lingered: “If Harper is dead, then who was the woman at the subway?”
As Brenda pondered, she heard the sound of someone rustling dry leaves. A man, standing nearby, lit a cigarette and exhaled, speaking cryptically. “It happened last week… kind of strange, really. No mourners, just the funeral crew. They buried the casket, put up a small headstone, and left. No one even came to visit.”
“Has anyone visited her grave?” Brenda asked, frowning.
“Not that I know of, Ma’am,” the man replied. “I work here, live on the grounds. I keep watch, and no one’s been by.”
“Thanks,” Brenda murmured, her mind racing.
Determined to uncover the truth, Brenda visited Jake, her late son’s best friend and business partner. Jake seemed startled but invited her in. His uneasy demeanor immediately raised Brenda’s suspicions.
When she noticed luggage in the living room, she asked about his travel plans. “I’m leaving the state, Mrs. Sutton,” Jake said. “Things have been rough since Chris passed, and the company’s bankrupt. I’m heading far away to escape the mess.”
“Bankrupt?” Brenda questioned. “How could the company go under after Chris’s death?”
Brenda’s mind was spinning as she demanded answers about Harper. “I saw Harper’s grave next to my son’s. Nobody told me she died. What happened to her?”
Jake hesitated, looking conflicted. “After Chris passed, Harper inherited the company but didn’t want to manage it. So, I took over. Things spiraled out of control, and we were about to declare bankruptcy when Harper suggested taking out loans to save the business.”
“But you said she didn’t want to get involved,” Brenda pointed out, confused.
“Yes, but we were desperate. A week ago, Harper withdrew five million dollars from the loan and disappeared. The police are looking for her,” Jake explained.
Brenda was stunned. “Harper stole the money?”
“We never saw it coming, but then her car was found burned in a crash. The body inside was identified as Harper’s—completely charred with her gold pendant and some burned cash. It was ruled an accident,” Jake added.
Brenda was horrified. “But what about Christopher’s legacy? The company shouldn’t have gone bankrupt.”
“I understand your frustration, Mrs. Sutton,” Jake said, “but everything got out of hand. Harper paid a heavy price for her betrayal. Her funeral was attended by many, even though she had done us wrong.”
Brenda’s suspicions grew. “But the cemetery groundskeeper told me no one came to her funeral. Something’s off here. Jake, why are you leaving so suddenly?”
“I’m flying out early tomorrow,” Jake replied.
Brenda, sensing something deeper was at play, asked to stay the night. Jake agreed, and Brenda waited for him to fall asleep before snooping around his room.
Her heart dropped when she found two fake passports, one with a photo of Harper under a different name. The other contained Jake’s picture under another alias. Brenda’s gut twisted as she realized they were involved in something much darker than she had imagined.
She quickly replaced the items and rushed to a pharmacy. Returning with sleeping pills, she carefully executed her plan.
The next morning, Jake was out cold after drinking the orange juice Brenda offered. She waited, knowing Harper couldn’t leave without the passport. Just as Brenda feared, Jake’s phone rang, displaying “Sarah” as the caller. Brenda didn’t answer but read the message that followed: “Have you forgotten? We’re flying to London today! I’m coming to your house.”
“Come on, I’m waiting… HARPER!”
Brenda struck Harper with a vase as the woman entered, knocking her out cold. Brenda quickly alerted the police, showing them the passports and flight tickets. Jake and Harper were both arrested after being treated in the hospital.
While Jake hesitated, Harper confessed, knowing her cooperation would reduce her sentence.
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