Edward looked indifferently at George and Meghan, who were shouting. His eyes were cold.

"Eddie, what are you standing there for? Hurry up and help me untie this!" George shouted.

"Eddie, it hurts so much" Meghan complained.

Edward looked at them coldly and said, "Mom is so kind. She tied you up all day and night, but you surprisingly don't have many injuries."

George's heart sank. "What do you mean by that? Don't talk nonsense. Just let me go!"

Edward suddenly laughed, turning the dagger in his hand. Then, he thrust it into George's shoulder.

“Ahhh!” George screamed uncontrollably in pain.

"Do you understand what I mean now?" Edward asked indifferently, twisting the dagger, scraping the blade against the flesh. George's body trembled; his face contorted.

He roared, "You you're such a rebellious son! I'm your father! I can't believe you did this to me! You'll have a miserable end!"

Edward sneered. “When you were plotting to kill me, did you ever think that I'm your son?”

George trembled. "No matter what, you can't kill me. You owe your life to me. Even if I end your life, you have no right to blame me. I've let you live for so many years!"

Edward smiled. "Dad, your genes are strong. I perfectly inherited your selfish genes. When I stabbed you, I didn't feel guilty at all. Just like when you said you wanted to kill me, there was no hesitation or reluctance. Neither of us is humane, so let's not accuse each other."

George looked at Edward in horror. Edward smiled lightly, a hint of warmth oddly chilling George to the bone. He always knew Edward was rational, sometimes too rational, lacking human kindness. Even if something happened to George and Meghan, Edward prioritized preserving the Gallagher family's reputation. But at least, he hadn't harmed them before. Now, George was filled with fear.

"Eddie, calm down. We're a family. Let's talk," George pleaded, his voice trembling. "Besides, killing people is illegal. You still have a bright future. Don't ruin your career because of impulse! You've always been calm. Don't do anything stupid!"

Edward shook his head. "I have no future. But Mom, Jas, and Sam do. You two selfish, vicious individuals will become burdens to them, even drag them down. Evangeline hates us most; she wants us dead because only we three wanted to kill her. Mom, Jas, and Sam are indifferent to her. The punishment they've received compensates for the harm they've caused her. Only the three of us need to die to atone for our sins."

George's face was filled with terror. "What what do you mean? What are you going to do?"

Meghan trembled with fear, terrified even though Edward hadn't touched or spoken to her. She understood: he wanted them to die with him. She didn't want to die. Even with a ruined reputation, she wanted to live in comfort.

"Boo-hoo! Eddie, please let us go! I I'll try to kill Evangeline. She's the culprit! If she dies, we'll be alright! We should be united, not killing each other! You're the most rational person in our family. Don't do anything stupid!" Meghan pleaded, tears streaming down her face.

Slap! Edward turned and slapped Meghan hard. Her head hit a pillar, making a loud noise. Her head swayed, then drooped; it was unclear whether she was knocked unconscious by the slap or the impact.

George trembled, staring at Edward in horror, too afraid to breathe. Edward turned and walked out. George dared not speak, only watching him close the door, the dagger still in his shoulder.

When Edward returned to the living room, Bethany sat dazedly on the couch, phone in hand, clearly aware of the online public opinion and Edward's actions.

"Mom," Edward said softly.

Bethany looked up dumbly. After a while, she asked, trembling, "Eddie, is everything on the internet true? Did you really tell Pamela to die and frame Evangeline?"

Edward pursed his lips and nodded. Bethany's eyes reddened. She stood abruptly and slapped Edward.

Slap! Edward's face tilted slightly, his expression unchanged.

Bethany cried hoarsely. "How could you do such a thing? Instigating suicide is a crime! Besides, Evangeline is your sister! How could you use such vicious means against her? If your plan succeeds, Evangeline will become a murderer and lose her life!"

Edward remained silent. Bethany burst into tears. "I always thought you were just indifferent to family ties. I didn't expect you to be so cruel. You wanted to kill your sister and even forced an innocent girl to die for her! You're so frightening. Why did you become like this?"

Bethany cried heartbrokenly, more shocked than when she discovered George's affair with Meghan. Edward watched her silently. After a few seconds, he turned and walked upstairs. A few minutes later, he returned, placing a card on the table.

"I've liquidated all the Gallagher family's liquid assets. The money is in foreign banks. The Gallagher family can't recover; Arthur is targeting the Gallagher Group. Selling the shares now will save some money. As long as you don't gamble, this money will last your lifetime. I've left some for Jas and Sam."

Bethany stared at Edward, dazed. He'd made preparations. Edward poured her a glass of water. "Drink some water and calm down."

Bethany drank the water, then felt dizzy and fainted.

She awoke in her room, covered with a quilt. It was 8:30 AM. She rushed downstairs, then to the basement. George and Meghan were gone! The dagger was missing; the floor was clean. Were they taken by Edward? she thought.

She called Edward, but got no answer. The doorbell rang. Several police officers stood outside.

The lead officer showed his ID and an arrest warrant. "Hello, we're from Hofcaster Police Station. Last night, it was exposed online that Edward induced suicide and framed someone. After investigation, it's confirmed. We need to bring Edward in for questioning. Are you Edward's mother? Please cooperate."

Bethany turned pale. "Edward isn't home"

"Do you know where he went?"

Bethany shook her head. "I don't know. I tried to contact him, but couldn't reach him." She showed them her call records.