Brenda’s world turned upside down when she ran into her late son’s wife, Harper, in the subway. To her shock, Harper denied knowing her. Brenda’s confusion only deepened when she visited her son’s grave and found Harper’s headstone right next to it. Determined to uncover the truth, Brenda turned to her son’s best friend, Jake, but his suspicious behavior only made her more determined to solve the mystery herself.
Christopher had been just 27 when he died in a tragic accident. His death plunged Brenda into deep grief, affecting her health so severely that she spent a whole year in a clinic trying to recover.
Now, Brenda had traveled hundreds of miles to visit Christopher’s grave. As she stepped off the metro in the city where Chris had lived and died, she spotted a familiar face in the crowd—Harper. Brenda had planned to surprise Harper after visiting the cemetery.
“Harper! Harper, wait!” Brenda called, gently tapping the young woman’s shoulder.
“I’m not Harper. You’ve got the wrong person, lady!” the woman snapped, pushing Brenda’s hand away and walking off quickly.
Brenda was stunned. The woman looked exactly like Harper—same eyes, same hair, same voice. But before Brenda could follow her, Harper disappeared into the crowd. Shaken, Brenda took a cab to the cemetery, her mind racing with the strange encounter.
When she arrived at the cemetery, it was eerily quiet as Brenda searched for Christopher’s grave. Overcome with emotion, she broke down in tears as she touched his tombstone. Then she noticed something unsettling—the headstone next to his.
To her horror, the inscription read:
In Loving Memory of Harper S.
January 8, 1995 – December 3, 2020
Forever cherished, forever missed. Rest in peace.
Brenda gasped in disbelief. Harper had died just a week ago, and no one had told her. The chilling question gripped her: If Harper is dead, then who was the woman at the subway?
Disturbed, Brenda went to the cemetery groundskeeper, who was raking leaves nearby. She asked him about Harper’s funeral.
The man took a drag from his cigarette and said, “Her funeral was last week. It was strange—no mourners, just the funeral service workers. They brought the coffin, buried it, put up a simple headstone, and left. It wasn’t much of a funeral.”
“Has anyone visited her grave since?” Brenda asked, growing more worried.
“Not that I’ve seen,” he replied. “I’m here all day and live on the grounds. I haven’t seen anyone visit.”
Feeling more confused, Brenda decided to visit Jake, Christopher’s best friend and business partner, to get answers.
When Jake answered the door, he looked uneasy. He invited Brenda in, and she quickly noticed the luggage in the living room.
“I’m leaving the state, Mrs. Sutton,” Jake said, his face filled with worry. “It’s been a tough year since Chris passed. The company went bankrupt, so I’m moving far away.”
“How could the company be bankrupt, Jake?” Brenda asked, suspicion in her voice. “And why didn’t anyone tell me about Harper? I saw her headstone next to Chris’s grave. What happened to her?”
Jake hesitated before speaking. “Mrs. Sutton, I didn’t want to add to your grief. After Chris’s death, you were devastated. When I heard you were in a clinic, I was afraid the news about the company and Harper would only make things worse.”
Brenda’s heart raced. “What happened with Harper, Jake? I need to know everything.”
Jake took a deep breath. “Harper inherited the company after Chris’s death, but she didn’t want to run it. So, I took over. Things went downhill fast. We were almost bankrupt, and Harper suggested taking out loans to save the company.”
“But you said she didn’t want to be involved in the business?” Brenda pressed.
“We were desperate,” Jake replied. “A week ago, Harper withdrew a five-million-dollar loan and vanished. The police started searching for her.”
“Harper stole the loan money?” Brenda asked, shocked.
Jake nodded. “Yes, but she didn’t escape. The police found her car crashed and burned near the woods. They recovered a body, badly burned, but identified it by Harper’s gold pendant. The case was closed as an accidental death.”
Brenda’s mind raced. “But the groundskeeper said no one attended her funeral,” she said, growing even more suspicious of Jake.
Jake’s anxiety and sudden decision to leave town only fueled her doubts. Something was very wrong.
“Jake, when is your flight?” Brenda asked, trying to think ahead.
“Early tomorrow morning…6 a.m.,” he replied.
“Do you mind if I stay here tonight? I’m not comfortable staying in a hotel alone,” Brenda asked, hoping to buy some time.
Jake reluctantly agreed and showed her to the guest room. Brenda waited until Jake’s lights went out before sneaking into the living room to search his luggage. Her hands trembled as she searched through his belongings, fearing what she might find.
Her worst fears came true when she discovered two fake passports hidden in a secret compartment. One had Harper’s photo but a different name—Sarah. The other had Jake’s photo, also with a different name.
“What are they up to?” Brenda wondered, her heart racing.
She also found two plane tickets to London, booked under the fake names. Realizing the seriousness of the situation, Brenda knew she had to act quickly.
She put everything back in place and hurried to a nearby pharmacy, buying sleeping tablets. The next morning, she was already in the kitchen when Jake came downstairs.
“Good morning, Jake! Have some breakfast before your flight,” Brenda said cheerfully, handing him a glass of juice.
“Thanks, Mrs. Sutton,” Jake said, sipping the juice. Within minutes, he was fast asleep on the couch.
Brenda waited anxiously for Harper to call or text Jake. Finally, a message appeared on his phone: “How could you oversleep? We’re flying to London today! I’m getting a taxi and coming to your house right now.”
“Perfect,” Brenda thought, hiding behind the front door. When Harper arrived, Brenda struck her with a vase, knocking her out cold. She quickly called the police and explained everything she had discovered.
Jake and Harper were arrested and interrogated. Jake stayed silent, but Harper confessed to their crimes, hoping for a lighter sentence. She admitted they had staged her death by bribing a morgue worker to get a body, which they placed in her car before setting it on fire.
Brenda was devastated by the betrayal but relieved to have uncovered the truth. Though her son was gone, she had ensured that those who tried to tarnish his memory were brought to justice.
