Emerging from a five-year stint behind bars, Anthony chose to pay respects at the grave of his deceased girlfriend, Sophia. As he bent closer to the headstone, his face drained of color at the sight before him…

AFTER BEING RELEASED FROM PRISON, HE WENT TO VISIT HIS GIRLFRIEND’S GRAVE… WHEN HE LEANED OVER…

A light rain was falling on the muddy ground as Anthony walked slowly through the cemetery.

The cold air carried the scent of wet earth and damp leaves, but he barely noticed. His steps were guided by a mix of pain and resignation. After five years of imprisonment, this was his first opportunity to face what was left of Sophia—a tomb, a headstone, and the unbearable weight of guilt he had carried since that fateful night.

Upon finding the grave marked with the name he knew so well, a shiver ran through his body. The headstone was simple, with letters carved in white marble that seemed to defy time. Anthony knelt down, letting his hands touch the cold stone.

His eyes scanned the details of the inscription, but suddenly he froze. Something didn’t make sense. The dates didn’t match.

They indicated that Sophia would have died before the accident. He ran his fingers over the carvings, as if touching them could correct the obvious mistake. Unease began to grow, suffocating the mourning he had expected to feel there.

Anthony stood up quickly, looking around as if searching for answers in the silence of the cemetery. He walked toward the small shed where the caretaker usually stayed. Upon arriving, he found an elderly man hunched over an old table, distracted by a battery-operated radio.

«‘Excuse me, sir,’ Anthony said, trying to control the anxiety in his voice. «‘I need some information. How long has this headstone been here?’ The man raised his weary eyes, assessing Anthony for a moment before responding.

«‘Which headstone?’ he asked disinterestedly. «‘Sophia Clarke’s. I—I heard she was buried here.’ Anthony’s voice faltered at the end of the sentence.

The caretaker frowned and scratched his chin before replying. «‘There’s no Sophia Clarke buried here. I’m certain of that.’ Anthony blinked, stunned…