9
After my junior year, I had the best test
scores in the city.
The Smiths threw me a party.
At the party, my dad gave me thirty percent
of the company. I accepted it.
My dad couldn’t handle work anymore, so I
started taking over the company.
After the party, I asked Ethan to drink coffee
in the garden.
Ethan’s mom looked at me. She patted Ethan
on the back and said, “Go with her. Take care
of Grace.”
Ethan’s ears turned red, but he followed me.
The garden was the only place without
cameras, so it was good for secrets.
I sat down and said, “I need you to help me
kill my dad. I’ll find the evidence, you can help
me make sure he gets arrested.”
Ethan thought I would do something romantic,
but I asked him to do this.
He didn’t ask why. He said yes.
I was surprised. “You won’t ask?”
Ethan shook his head. “You’re responsible.
There must be a reason.”
I nodded and we talked about it. Then I went
back to the party.
Two weeks later, someone said my dad was
buying organs, and gave a report of Brittany’s
body.
It said Brittany’s body was missing a kidney.
Brittany’s psych tests said she was normal.
Everyone started hating the Smiths. There
were rumors they weren’t paying taxes.
My dad wanted to stop the rumors, so he
gave me all of the stock. He wanted to stop
the rumors of our company being bad.
I got fifty–one percent of the company. I used
the opportunity to replace all of my dad’s
men.
After firing the old workers, new people came
to the company. They were loyal to me, and
my dad was an outsider.
By the time he found out, it was too late.
The surgery had been done at the Smith’s
hospital, so it was easy to get the truth.
The rumors were spreading. The Johnsons
helped arrest my dad.
When I went to see him in jail, he wanted me
to help him get out.
I smiled and said, “Do you know who got the
report of Brittany’s body?”
My dad looked mad. “It was you! You! I was
good to you!”
I looked at him and laughed. “If Brittany
hadn’t gone to the Smiths, I would be the one
on the table.”
My dad wanted to say something, but it was
time to leave. The guard pulled him away.
My dad kept trying to get away. I smiled and
waved goodbye.
The lawyer asked, “So, should I just take care
I smiled. “Please do. I’ll make sure your fees
are good.”
The lawyer nodded.
I went home. My mom’s eyes were red. She
looked at me and said, “Is your dad going to be okay?”
I said, “He’s going to get the death penalty.” My mom fainted.
I didn’t want to wait for her to wake up. I
looked at the doctor, and he shook her
awake.
I said, “Mom, because you’re worried about
my dad, you got sick. You should stay at the
South Hill Sanitarium.”
South Hill was for people who had gone.
crazy.
My mom screamed, “I’m not crazy! I’m not
crazy!”
I snapped my fingers. The staff ran in and
took her to the car
Last life, I had asked her for help, but she had wanted me to die. Now, she would stay in the
sanitarium for the rest of her life.