Chapter 1 The Loss of Your Sister
“Good day, sir. This is Mercy Hospital. Your sister, Ms. Milly, passed away in our hospital three days ago. Please come to our hospital promptly to sign the cremation consent form. Otherwise, we will …” Before the female voice could finish, it was interrupted by a large hand with prominent knuckles. Six men who received the news were seated in a luxurious restaurant, their expressions blank, as if the deceased was not their own sister. “Haha, I suspect this is another one of her schemes, attempting to indirectly request money from us.” The speaker was a man with stylish grey hair and delicate features resembling a character from a comic book.
He was Milly’s fifth brother and also the youngest movie star in Halturia. “Indeed, when the Burnetts faced bankruptcy, we were evicted and left to fend for ourselves. It was Stephanie who went abroad alone to earn money to support us. Milly vanished without a trace. Now that she sees we are well-off, she is trying to find ways to ask us for money again!” Xavier Burnett, the fourth brother, remarked. He was now the youngest academician at the National Academy of Sciences and a professor at the research institute. The woman he mentioned was the adopted daughter of the Burnetts, Stephanie Burnett. When Olivia lost her youngest daughter, Milly, she was constantly in a state of melancholy. To bring joy to his wife, Carlos adopted a daughter from an orphanage. As soon as he finished speaking, a black phone on the table began to vibrate. The owner of the phone was dressed in a suit with a handsome face. Upon closer inspection, one would recognise him as a man frequently featured in financial magazines and a legend in the business world. In less than two years, he had propelled a declining company into the top five globally. The eldest of the brothers, Jordan Burnett, furrowed his brow but still answered the phone. On the other end of the line, the same female voice from earlier said, “Good day, sir. This is Mercy Hospital. We just called Miss Milly’s fifth brother, and the call was disconnected. We noticed that Ms. Burnett’s phone indicates that you are her eldest brother. Would you kindly come to our hospital to claim Ms. Burnett’s body or sign a cremation consent form? The body has been in our hospital for an extended period, and if you do not attend to it soon, it will pose difficulties for us. Please understand.”
The hospital staff’s voice conveyed a sense of cautious negotiation. Having worked in the industry for over a decade, this was the first time she had encountered a family member behaving in this manner. “Understood. Thank you.” A deep voice came through, leaving the staff on the other end astonished. Before they could react, there was a dial tone on the line. Observing Jordan end the call, the third brother, Jeffrey, grew restless. “No, Jordan, are you truly going?” Jordan elegantly wiped his fingers with a wet towel, stood up, and said, “Yes, I intend to go and see.” Upon hearing this, Jeffrey understood that his brother was resolute in his decision. He couldn’t help but roll his eyes and rise to his feet as well. “I will accompany you.” Although Jordan was a decisive figure in the business world, he remained compassionate towards his younger siblings. Now, he had to ensure that Milly, that conniving woman, did not have the opportunity to take advantage! Upon seeing the two depart, the remaining four men lost their appetites. “Let’s also go. I am curious to see what tactics this woman employed to manipulate the hospital into cooperating with her charade!” …… They came to the hospital. Upon realising that they were relatives of Milly, the nurse promptly escorted them to the morgue, fearing they would depart without acknowledging it if delayed for a moment. The morgue was cold and eerie. Despite daily disinfection, there lingered a faint odour of decay. All six men couldn’t help but furrow their brows. The nurse unlocked a room containing three beds, but only one bed was occupied by a body covered with a white sheet. “Sir, this is Ms. Milly’s body. Would you like to make your own arrangements for her, or shall our hospital proceed with cremation? If you choose cremation, you will need to sign a consent form and pay a fee of thirty dollars.”
The youngest, Anthony, was startled by the sight before him. “Is she … really gone?” Jeffrey sneered, rolled up his sleeves, and approached. “Let’s see for ourselves.” As a medical prodigy from the school of medicine, he had the ability to cure cancer. Checking if a corpse was a corpse was a child’s play. With a swift motion, the white sheet was lifted. A pallid, almost translucent face with a greyish hue came into view. She appeared emaciated, almost skeletal. It was Milly. Upon witnessing this, not only Jeffrey but the other five individuals also stood frozen in shock. Milly was indeed deceased; she had not deceived them. Observing their silence, the nurse grew anxious. “Gentlemen, how do you wish to proceed?” This question snapped the six men back to reality. Jordan spoke up. “We will handle it ourselves. There is no need for the hospital to arrange for a cremation.” The nurse breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this. “Very well, but please remove her promptly, as she has been here for three days.” In a moment of recollection, the nurse added, “Oh, and Ms. Milly’s belongings are still in room 541, so please take them with you.” Upon entering the room, they found an elderly woman present. Upon seeing the six of them, she greeted them warmly, “Ah, you must be Milly’s six brothers, right? Just like she described, so handsome.” Xavier was taken aback. “You know us?” The elderly woman continued, “Of course I do, Milly always spoke highly of you, praising your accomplishments and emphasising that you are her true brothers. She was immensely proud of all of you.” Milly praised us? “Poor Milly, she faced so many health challenges at such a young age.” Recalling something, she retrieved an iron box from the bedside table and handed it to them. “Oh, this is from Milly. She mentioned she didn’t have much time left and asked me to assist with transferring some money. Being an old lady, I am not well-versed in these matters. I was waiting for my grandson to help, but since you are here, I will entrust it to you.” Jordan accepted the box, noting its light weight. The iron tea box was already tarnished with rust, and much of its paint had peeled off.
