The basement door creaked open. When Chelsea saw what was inside, she gasped. “Fabian! Fabian! What happened to you?” She rushed in, falling to her knees beside him.

Fabian didn’t move. His fingernails were caked in dried blood. On the wall, numbers were smeared in blood—one, two, three, all the way to six. As the numbers continued, they became harder to read. The last two, a “five” and a shaky “six,” were barely legible.

By day six, he must’ve lost consciousness. Maybe he passed out right after writing the final number.

Tears streamed down Chelsea’s face. “Mom, I’m begging you, please… please save him…”

Miriam couldn’t stand to see her precious daughter cry like that. She turned to the bodyguard beside her. “Go. Bring in a doctor to check him.”

The bodyguard nodded and stepped out to make the call.

Thirty minutes later, the doctor arrived. He checked Fabian’s pulse and heartbeat. After a thorough exam, his face darkened. “Mdm. Yardley, I’m afraid… we found him too late. The child has already…”

“No!” Chelsea cried out. “That’s impossible! Fabian can’t be dead!”

He had always been strong. Even when he fell out of a tree once, he hadn’t cried. Seven days without food shouldn’t have been enough to kill him. The doctor must be lying. He probably doesn’t like Fabian, so he’s saying this on purpose!

The doctor sighed. “Little one, I’m not lying to you. No matter how many doctors you ask, the result will be the same.”

Chelsea didn’t want to hear it. “You’re lying!”

She didn’t know what “love” meant, but she knew what death was. Death meant never opening one’s eyes again—no talking, no crying. The snacks she liked would go to someone else. Her books would be read by someone new. Everything she loved would be gone.

“Chelsea…”

To Miriam’s surprise, something tightened in her chest. Is this what maternal love is? She hadn’t been a mother yet, so she didn’t understand. She hadn’t planned on letting that boy die. He was fearless. Even at his age, he’d dared to stand up to her. Given the chance, he might’ve grown into someone powerful. Keeping him alive could have been useful.

Miriam sighed. She turned to the doctor. “Find a quiet place and bury the child.”

“Yes, Mdm. Yardley.” Then he asked, “Should we inform his parents?”

He regretted it immediately. Miriam’s face darkened. “Stick to your job. Don’t poke around where you don’t belong.”

“Understood.” The doctor bowed his head, cradling Fabian’s body as he turned to leave.

But Chelsea ran after him and threw her arms around his leg. “Don’t take him! Give him back!”

She didn’t believe he was dead. If they took him away now, then he really would be gone for good. Summoning strength she didn’t know she had, she clung tightly to the doctor’s leg, refusing to let go.

The doctor looked helpless. “Mdm. Yardley, this…”

Miriam’s eyes narrowed as she glanced at the bodyguards. “What are you all waiting for? Pull her off!”