Even Tilly stared at me, ears drooping, as if he couldn’t understand.
Tears welled in my daughter’s eyes.
While the three of them stood stunned, I stepped forward, grabbed Tilly, and pushed him into the sack myself.
He didn’t struggle. Didn’t even whimper.
The dealer slung the sack over his shoulder and left. My sister-in-law wiped at her tears, her voice trembling with accusation.
“Sister-in-law… you and my brother raised him for seven years. How could you let him go?”
My mother-in-law, swallowing her grief, spoke gently but urgently.
“Evelaine, even if seeing Tilly reminds you of Edmund, there’s no need to send him to a dog meat restaurant. Are you feeling unwell? Did something happen to you?”
My daughter’s gaze locked on mine, her voice breaking.
“Mom… you can see it too, right? Tilly’s becoming more and more like Dad. You should be happy he’s here—taking Dad’s place. Why did you kill him?”
I looked at the three of them—confused, grieving, desperate for answers.
“You’ll know everything tomorrow,” I said quietly.
---
The next day.
It was my daughter Candace’s graduation banquet—celebrating her admission to two of the nation’s top universities.