The Grave Nobody Visited

Chapter 3

Early the next morning, Leander was getting ready to head to his law firm.

I stood at the doorway. "I want to go with you."

He turned back, visibly stunned. "What are you going to the firm for?"

"Aren't you refusing to let me work?" I looked at him calmly. "Then I should at least go out for a walk and get some fresh air."

He opened his mouth, but ultimately did not stop me.

When we arrived at the law firm, the receptionist girl came forward, sweetly calling out, "Mrs. Worthington."

My gaze passed right over her, landing on the woman behind her who was organizing packages.

She raised her head, met my eyes, and her face turned pale instantly.

It was Vanessa.

Almost instinctively, I clenched my hands around my purse. "Why is she still here?"

Leander's complexion changed. He strode over in a few quick steps, frowning as he scolded her, "Didn't I say you shouldn't come to the company today?"

Vanessa lowered her head in panic, tears welling up in her eyes. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to! I just thought I'd organize the storage room in the back and wouldn't disturb you..."

"Organize the storage room?" I heard my own voice trembling. "She is the person who ran my daughter over, and she's continuing to work at your company?"

"Margaux, listen to me." Leander rushed back and pulled me into a firm embrace. "She kept harassing you, so I thought rather than letting her run around everywhere, it was better to keep her right under my eyes where I could watch her."

I shoved him away forcefully, stepping back at half a pace, my entire body shaking. "Fire her! Leander, fire her!"

The office fell silent for a moment. Then, someone spoke up. It was unclear who started it.

"Mrs. Worthington, don't take it too hard. Vanessa hasn't had it easy these past few years..."

"That's right. She served three years in prison and paid compensation. You have to look forward eventually."

Those people who had once eaten and chatted with me, at that moment, every single one of them stood up to speak on behalf of the woman who had killed my daughter.

Standing in the center of the crowd, I suddenly felt suffocated.

With red eyes, Vanessa took two steps toward the wall, her voice choked with tears. "I deserve to die. It's my fault I harmed Gracie... I... I might as well just go die."

I suddenly laughed. "Great! I want to die too. I'll go with you!"

I grabbed her wrist tightly and charged toward that wall.

In the next second, Leander rushed over, shielding Vanessa tightly in his arms. My forehead crashed heavily against the wall, and warm blood began trickling down from my temple.

"Mrs. Worthington!"

"Get some tissues, quick! Hurry!"

A group of people gathered around, fussing over me to stop the bleeding.

Leander shoved Vanessa aside, rushed up to me in a few strides, and pulled me into his arms, his voice trembling violently. "Margaux! How are you? Do you have any idea what you were doing just now? You're going to be the death of me!"

I raised my head and looked at his panicked face. "Why?" I asked him. "Why did you protect her?"

His breathing hitched. "I... I was afraid she'd actually die." He averted his eyes. "She ran Gracie over. How could she die so easily? The punishment she ought to suffer isn't finished yet."

I looked at him and slowly calmed down.

He protected Vanessa because he was afraid she would die. But as for whether I would die when I hit the wall, he hadn't even had time to think about it.

I pushed him away and stood up. "I want some peace and quiet."

Hearing this, Vanessa dropped to her knees with a thud once more. "I really can't go on living anymore. Just let me die." As she spoke, she made to charge toward the wall again.

Leander's expression changed, and he rushed over to stop her.

Without hesitation, I turned and walked out.

"Margaux! Wait for me!"

I didn't turn back, only hearing him hurriedly instruct his assistant nearby. "Penny! Follow my wife! Don't let anything happen to her."

Penny agreed and quickly caught up with me.

I pushed open the glass doors, and the wind outside rushed in, making my eyes sting.

Penny walked up beside me, hesitated for a moment, and gently took my hand. "Mrs. Worthington, I... I'll wait here for a bit before going back up."

She paused, as if afraid I might misunderstand, and added, "Don't worry, when I go up, I'll just say you went home."

Looking at her flustered yet sincere face, my nose twinged, and I offered her a faint smile. "Thank you."

I let go of her hand, walked to the curb, hailed a cab, and headed to Oakridge Cemetery.

This was the first time I had come here since Gracie was buried. Following the memory of its location, I searched stone by stone.