Ryan’s day had started like any other, but it took a shocking turn when his dog, Bella, went wild at the church. As soon as Bella dashed in and started barking furiously at his father’s casket, Ryan’s heart sank. Something was clearly wrong.
Ryan had barely stepped out of the car when he felt a heavy, sinking feeling. “I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to Dad,” he thought, struggling with the thought of not being able to give his father a proper farewell. Bella’s sudden barking yanked him out of his sorrowful reverie.
“Bella!” Ryan called, trying to calm her down with a hand signal. Bella obeyed, but her whimpers didn’t stop. Ryan gently patted her head through the open car window. “Stay here, Bella,” he told her, feeling a pang of guilt for leaving her behind.
Inside the church, the mood was somber. The casket of his father, Arnold, was placed in front of everyone, closed tightly as a precaution due to his illness. Ryan sat beside his mother, the weight of the situation pressing heavily on him. His father was supposed to be cremated, not buried.
As the mass ended and the congregation rose for the final hymn, Bella’s barking pierced through the quiet. She had somehow leapt onto the casket, knocking over the flower arrangement and barking non-stop. Bella’s intense gaze and alert stance made Ryan’s unease grow.
“Open the casket!” Ryan’s voice rang out, slicing through the stunned silence of the room. The crowd gasped in shock as Ryan pushed past them, yanking the casket open—only to find it empty.
“Wh-Where’s my brother?” Ryan’s uncle stammered, bewildered, looking at the funeral director.
Ryan’s mother fainted from the shock. Ryan rushed to catch her, preventing her from hitting the marble floor, and hurried her to the hospital.
At his mother’s house, Ryan called the police. Detective Bradshaw told him, “We know your father’s death was confirmed by the coroner, and the remains were released to the funeral home. Was your father involved in anything unusual?”
Ryan had distanced himself from his father’s business since starting his own dog training center. He was sure Arnold wouldn’t have done anything to jeopardize his reputation.
Detective Bradshaw promised to keep Ryan updated and left. But Ryan wasn’t about to wait around. After making sure his mother was stable at the hospital, he left Bella at home and headed to the morgue for answers.
At the morgue, Ryan was stunned to learn from the nurse that the coroner had resigned, and there was no replacement yet. When Ryan asked to see his father’s file, the nurse refused, citing hospital policy.
Undeterred, Ryan slipped $1,000 onto the counter. The nurse, turning a blind eye, let him slip into the coroner’s office. Ryan frantically searched for Arnold’s file but found nothing.
Frustrated, Ryan’s phone buzzed with an urgent message from his father’s lawyer, Mr. Stevens, requesting a meeting. At the office, Ryan found Arnold’s email inbox empty—someone had deleted everything.
“Ryan! Good to see you,” Mr. Stevens said, shutting the door behind him.
“Who’s been using this computer?” Ryan demanded.
“No one,” Mr. Stevens replied, looking confused.
Ryan noticed two figurines missing from Arnold’s collection. Mr. Stevens explained, “He took them home. Poor Arnold was trying to complete that set, but the third one costs half a million.”
Ryan knew those figurines weren’t at his parents’ house; he had searched everywhere. Mr. Stevens also revealed that Arnold’s company was in severe debt, and hinted at a possible affair with his new secretary, Miss Pearson.
Fuming at the thought of his father’s betrayal, Ryan wanted to confront Miss Pearson but was advised against it to protect Arnold’s reputation.
Spending the day dealing with the company’s issues and calming investors, Ryan decided to follow Miss Pearson. He tracked her to a modest suburban home and waited outside. After she left, Ryan sneaked into her garage, found a hidden doorway, and searched the quiet house.
He finally discovered a slightly open drawer in the coffee table, containing a Manila envelope with Arnold’s $7 million life insurance policy. Miss Pearson was the sole beneficiary. Ryan took the document straight to the police.
“This is significant evidence,” Detective Bradshaw said. “We’ll investigate further and bring Miss Pearson in for questioning.”
Just as Ryan was about to leave, Detective Bradshaw approached him with urgent news: Miss Pearson had booked a flight to Morocco, where the U.S. couldn’t extradite her, and the plane was set to depart in half an hour.
Ryan insisted on joining the police at the airport, despite Detective Bradshaw’s protests. He followed them, slipping through security unnoticed.
At the boarding gate, Detective Bradshaw shouted, “You there! The dark-haired woman in the white shirt! Step out of the line and raise your hands!”
Ryan felt a rush of relief—until the woman turned around. It wasn’t Miss Pearson. After hours of searching, it became clear that Miss Pearson had already disappeared.
Determined, Ryan knew his father was still out there. He recalled the missing figurines and decided to track down the collector who owned the third piece.
“So, how much will you take for it?” Ryan asked Mr. Frederick, the collector.
“$750,000,” Mr. Frederick said firmly.
“That’s way above market value,” Ryan pointed out.
“Then don’t buy it. The price is non-negotiable,” Mr. Frederick retorted.
Determined, Ryan agreed to the price and quickly sold $750,000 worth of shares in his father’s company.
“Ryan,” Mr. Stevens warned, “you’ll lose your controlling stake in the company.”
“I know,” Ryan replied, “but this is urgent.”
With the money in hand, Ryan bought the figurine and organized an auction to lure his father out of hiding.
On the day of the auction, Ryan watched from the back as bids climbed. Just as the bidding reached its peak, a voice shouted, “One million dollars!”
Ryan froze—his father’s voice. Arnold stood up, removing his hat. The room fell silent as Arnold headed for the exit. Ryan and Detective Bradshaw intercepted him.
“Ryan? You tricked me!” Arnold shouted, realizing the trap.
“Don’t pretend I’ve betrayed you, Dad. You faked your death, leaving us to mourn while you ran off with your mistress!” Ryan confronted him, furious.
Arnold admitted that he had staged his death to escape his old life and start anew with Miss Pearson. He had bribed the coroner, faked his death, and taken out a massive insurance policy to fund his new life.
“A man should do what is right, not follow his selfish desires,” Ryan said, quoting his father’s own principle. “I’m sorry you couldn’t follow your own principles, but your betrayal led to your downfall.”
Detective Bradshaw assured Ryan that Miss Pearson would be caught soon. As Arnold was led away in handcuffs, Ryan felt a bitter sense of justice.
What do you think of this story? Share it with your friends—it might inspire or brighten their day.
