Chapter 6

6

Grace Lopez had an ex-boyfriend named Liam Anderson, a local troublemaker from their town.

Grace never attended college. She dropped out after middle school and was lured by Liam into working at nightclubs.

Tired of their impoverished life, they dreamed of climbing the social ladder.

At a party, Grace, working as a nightclub dancer, met my son. Learning he was the sole heir of a wealthy family, she followed Liam's scheme to get close to him.

My naive son, fresh from studying abroad, was captivated by Grace's facade of a hardworking girl from a poor background. He fell right into their trap.

Right after their wedding, they traveled to Thailand.

I recalled my son wanted to take her to the romantic Maldives, but Grace insisted on Thailand.

The day they returned from their honeymoon, my son was in a car crash and became comatose. Grace escaped with minor scratches.

The next day, she brought home that Golden Retriever.

That dog was Liam Anderson.

Grace's insistence on going to Thailand was all part of their soul-swapping ritual.

I flew to Thailand overnight and, after much inquiry, found the white-robed shaman who could break the curse.

"Ajarn, money is no object if you can save my son."

I would pay any price to restore my son's life.

The shaman studied my son's photo and a lock of his hair for a long time before speaking.

"Your son's soul is trapped. At midnight two days from now, his body will be taken over."

Hearing my son's life was at stake, I panicked.

I thought Grace's curse was just to keep him unconscious. I never imagined she wanted to steal his life entirely.

Midnight in two days coincided with my son's birthday.

I knelt before the shaman, begging her to save him.

"Please, I'm begging you. He's my only son."

She glanced at me, closed her eyes for a few minutes, then said, "His fate isn't sealed. I won't let him die, but..."

She held up three fingers. I understood immediately.

"Thirty thousand? No problem."

"Three hundred thousand. US dollars."

"Deal."

Money was the least of my concerns. Three hundred thousand was a small price for my son's life.

Two days passed quickly. I waited outside the shaman's temple, praying silently.

To ensure nothing went wrong, I checked the hidden camera I'd installed at home.

On the screen, Grace had brought a black-robed Ajarn from Thailand.

In the dimly lit living room, candles circled my son's bed.

Liam, the Golden Retriever, lay on top of my son's body.

Grace looked more hopeful than I'd ever seen her.

I heard her say, "Liam, you'll be human again soon. We'll be rich."

The dog barked twice, excited.

I stared at the screen, my palms clenched so tight they hurt.

Shameless thieves. Your dream is about to shatter.

Anticipating the outcome, I looked forward to seeing Grace's despair.

Both shamans performed their rituals as time ticked by.

I deliberately had the white-robed shaman hold back just as Liam's soul was leaving the dog's body.

Liam's cancer-ridden body had long been sacrificed to the black-robed Ajarn, likely used for dark rituals.

I wanted Liam Anderson to become a wandering ghost, forever lost.

Just as expected, the black-robed Ajarn sensed something wrong. No matter what she tried, Liam's soul couldn't enter my son's body.

Evil could not prevail. Their dark scheme failed.

The black-robed Ajarn's ritual broke. She vomited blood onto Grace's face.

Grace froze for a moment, then turned pale. Trembling, she asked, "What happened? Did my boyfriend succeed?"

The black-robed Ajarn shook her head, defeated. "It failed. Someone interfered."

She pointed at the lifeless Golden Retriever. "His soul has been shattered. Gone forever."