Chapter 344 — The Truth
Flaherty Family Cemetery.
The stone tombs stood in solemn order, their cold, weathered facades a silent testament to the generations of Flaherty blood that had returned to the earth. Only those of direct lineage were allowed to rest here—no distant relatives, no in-laws—unless they had made extraordinary contributions to the family legacy.
Among the rows of ancestral graves was one peculiar tomb. Its inscription read:
"From the very beginning, this man failed his exam three times. Later, while practicing martial arts, the hilt slipped and severed his little finger. Then, he turned to medicine, made some modest achievements, and even created a promising prescription. But after taking it, he died."
John couldn't help but chuckle. The absurdity of the tale carved in stone caught him off guard. This particular Flaherty had quite the journey—killed by his own prescription. Tragic, yes, but somehow deserving of remembrance for the sheer irony.
Still smiling faintly, John turned his attention back to Alexandra, who hadn't spoken a word since their arrival. She strode ahead in silence, her back rigid, ignoring whether he followed or not. Her silence unnerved him more than anything she might have said.
Eventually, she stopped in front of a tombstone that stood out among the rest. It was smoother, newer, not yet worn by time. It hadn't been there for more than twenty, maybe thirty years.
John approached, and his gaze landed on the inscription:
"Tomb of the beloved daughter, Aviana Flaherty."
The smile vanished from his lips.
A chill crept down his spine.