Chapter 163 The Death of Kathie
Chapter 163 The Death of Kathie
Hearing Monica's words, the young firefighter clenched his jaw and said, "When we got there, your mom had already passed. The funeral home has her now. If you go, you can still see her one last time."
Each word hit Monica like a sledgehammer, pounding her heart.
"What? The funeral home took my mom? She was already gone when you arrived? Didn't you call 911 for emergency help?"
Monica's eyes widened in disbelief, her voice trembling with shock as she kept questioning.
The young firefighter broke free from his colleagues' restraining hands and continued, "When we arrived, your mom already had livor mortis and rigor mortis. There was no way to bring her back."
"Of course, we tried CPR and used the AED, but it was no use."
"Miss, when I got there, your mom's body was already stiff."
As he spoke, he recalled the scene, his heart heavy with sorrow.
After finishing, the young firefighter lowered his head, his voice somber, "When we found your mom, it was clear she had no strength left, her muscles were severely atrophied."
"And she was very thin. I carried her out myself, and she weighed only about 60 pounds. Your mom must have suffered a lot before she passed."
Hearing the firefighter's words, Monica felt the world spinning, her grief overwhelming her like a tidal wave.
Unable to contain her sorrow, her legs gave way, and she fainted, crying.
Brandon, quick to react, caught Monica and held her tightly in his arms.
He looked at Monica's pale face, his heart filled with pain and anger.
Then, he looked up at the firefighters, nodded, and said in a low voice, "Thank you."
Despite his anger, he knew the firefighters had done their best.
Brandon then nodded at Justin, who understood immediately.
Justin quickly pulled out a checkbook, scribbled a few lines, tore off a check, and respectfully handed it to one of the captains, saying, "The Robinson Group would like to donate 10 fire trucks to your station. Please don't refuse; it's for charity."
After speaking, he turned and followed Brandon away.
The fire captain looked at the $10 million check in his hand, his hand trembling slightly, almost unable to hold it.
Seeing this, the young firefighter grabbed the captain's hand excitedly, "Captain, don't shake. If it gets burned, we're done for. We really need those fire trucks."
His face was filled with excitement and joy.
The fire captain lightly slapped the young firefighter's head, slightly reproachful, "Don't spill everything next time. Look, you scared her into fainting."
But his eyes showed more understanding and helplessness.
"Captain, I just felt really bad for her. If we didn't tell her the truth, she'd never know if her mom died in the fire or was murdered."
The young firefighter explained, his eyes showing a hint of stubbornness.
"That's not our job. We're firefighters, not medical examiners."
The fire captain sighed, feeling helpless.
Behind this fire seemed to lie a more complex truth, and as firefighters, all they could do was their job.
"But will the medical examiner tell her?" the young firefighter asked, still worried.
The deputy fire captain suddenly chimed in, "It's not like we can't say more. Look, saying a few extra words got us 10 fire trucks."
His words carried a hint of sarcasm but also revealed some reality.
The three of them watched Brandon and Monica's departing figures and sighed in unison.
In their eyes, the world of the wealthy seemed far more complex than they imagined, and the story behind this fire was likely beyond their understanding.
Monica found herself in a strange, white, seemingly primordial space, empty and silent, where she could hear her own heartbeat.
Her steps moved mechanically forward, as if guided by an invisible force, wandering aimlessly, with time losing its meaning in this blurred world.
After an unknown period, a large garden appeared before her, filled with blooming jasmine flowers, their rich fragrance enveloping her, as if transporting her to a dreamlike realm.
At the end of the garden stood a small house with red tiles and white walls, covered in green ivy, adding life to the serene scene.
In front of the house, a fountain gently flowed, its water sparkling in the sunlight.
A tall, handsome middle-aged man was holding the hand of a cute little girl, carefully weaving flowers.
Their faces were filled with happiness, seemingly planning to tie the flowers to the nearby swing, adding warmth to the beautiful garden.
Feeling her presence, they looked up and saw Monica approaching, waving enthusiastically, their voices echoing from distant memories, "Monica, why did you take so long?"
The voice was gentle, familiar, filled with endless affection.
Monica, as if under a spell, reached out her hand.
In that instant, a strange change occurred.
The little girl transformed into Kathie, and the middle-aged man into Eugene.
Their faces remained kind, their eyes filled with deep love for Monica.
Eugene and Kathie bent down, gently picked up the woven flower crown, carefully placed it on Monica's head, then softly seated her on the swing.
The swing began to move, higher and higher.
Monica looked at her loved ones, her heart swelling with emotion, unable to contain herself, she shouted, "Grandpa, Mom, Grandpa, Mom!"
Her voice echoed in the garden, filled with endless longing.
But in the blink of an eye, the two figures vanished like bubbles.
The garden, house, fountain, everything disappeared, leaving only a dark void.
Monica suddenly sat up in bed, gasping for air.
Her eyes darted around in panic.
She realized she was neither in the familiar Robinson Mansion nor the Maplewood City Grand Hotel room, but in a hospital room filled with white and blue, smelling strongly of disinfectant.