Free Web NovelChapter 62: Chapter 62
She truly did not care anymore.
She no longer cared what had happened to Dylan.
She no longer cared what secrets he was hiding, what wounds he carried, or what burdens had driven his choices.
More importantly, she no longer cared about him.
Aaron stood motionless, watching the taillights disappear into the darkness until they were swallowed completely by the night.
He rubbed a hand across his face and released a long, weary sigh.
Some things, once broken, could never be restored.
The drive home passed in silence.
Elise never spoke a word.
Zoey understood that her grief ran deeper than she would ever admit aloud.
Mrs. Bennett had loved Elise no less than a biological grandmother would have loved her own granddaughter. Even though the old woman had later hurt her feelings by taking Robin’s side, twenty years of affection and companionship could never be erased by a single wound.
And Elise was the kind of person who treasured loyalty and love above all else.
Now Mrs. Bennett was gone.
Which meant that one of the only two sources of genuine familial love she had ever experienced in her life had vanished forever.
By the time they arrived home, Elise went straight upstairs without saying anything.
Zoey knew she had not eaten all evening.
She quietly instructed Melissa to prepare a bowl of noodle soup.
When it was ready, Zoey carried the tray upstairs herself and knocked on the bedroom door.
No response came.
She waited.
Still nothing.
Unease settled in her chest. Fortunately, when she tried the handle, the door opened.
The room beyond was dark. Only a faint glow from the hallway spilled inside.
In the dim light, Zoey spotted Elise curled up on the sofa. Her face was buried against her folded arms.
She sat perfectly still. So still that she looked heartbreakingly fragile.
Zoey couldn’t help but sigh.
She stepped inside, switched on the light, and placed the bowl of noodles on the nearby table.
Then she sat beside her friend. Gently, she reached out and rubbed her back.
"I figured you hadn’t eaten tonight," she said softly. "Melissa made some noodles. Try to eat at least a little."
After a long moment, Elise slowly lifted her head.
Her face was pale. The exhaustion etched into her features was impossible to miss.
She looked at Zoey quietly.
For nearly half a minute, she said nothing. Then her voice finally broke the silence.
"Grandma is gone."
The words sounded distant, as though she still could not fully accept them. ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm
"She must have been so disappointed in Dylan and me."
"Don’t say that." Zoey’s expression immediately hardened. "Being disappointed in Dylan is understandable. Being disappointed in you is impossible."
Her tone carried rare firmness.
"She watched you grow up. She knew exactly what kind of person you are. She knew how much you’ve suffered all these years. If anything, she loved you too much. She was worried about you until the very end."
Elise lowered her elbows onto her knees and pressed a hand against her forehead.
A long breath escaped her lips. She sounded unbearably tired.
"Zoey..." she whispered. "Why is living so damn hard?"
Her voice cracked slightly.
"It feels like every time I try to hold on to something, I lose it instead."
She closed her eyes. "I’m so tired."
The ache in those words struck Zoey directly in the heart. Without hesitation, she wrapped her arms around her.
"It will pass." Her voice softened. "You still have your baby."
She glanced toward Elise’s stomach.
"Soon you’ll be able to leave this place and start over abroad with your child. All these painful things, all this chaos and heartbreak, will become part of the past."
Elise nodded. A quiet sound of acknowledgment escaped her lips.
Then she leaned against Zoey’s shoulder and closed her eyes. For the first time in days, she allowed herself to rest.
***
The following morning, Mrs. Bennett was laid to rest.
Elise attended the funeral dressed entirely in black.
A fine drizzle fell from the gray sky above. Black umbrellas dotted the cemetery like dark flowers blooming beneath the rain.
Under each umbrella stood mourners with solemn faces and heavy hearts. frёeωebɳovel.com
Robin stood beside Susan. Whenever he was told to greet someone, he obediently bowed.
Whenever he was told to say something, he said it.
He was remarkably well-behaved.
Yet confusion lingered within his innocent eyes. He was still too young to understand death.
Curiosity eventually won over restraint.
He tugged gently on Susan’s sleeve and lowered his voice.
"Why does Great-Grandma have to sleep here?" His eyes turned toward the freshly prepared grave. "Won’t she be cold?"
The question pierced every heart present. Before anyone could recover, he asked another.
"If she sleeps here, what do I do when I miss her?"
His childish innocence carried no malice, yet every word struck harder than any lament.
Many of the mourners quietly lowered their heads. Several wiped tears from their eyes.
Susan knelt beside him and stroked his hair. Her own voice trembled.
"Great-Grandma has gone to the sky and become an angel. She’ll always remember you, and she’ll keep watching over you."
The child tilted his head thoughtfully.
"There are so many stars in the sky... Are they angels too?" His voice was soft. "Are they all people like Great-Grandma?"
The innocent question drifted into the mournful funeral music as the ceremony neared its end.
Finally, Dylan stepped forward. He held Mrs. Bennett’s urn in both hands, as though carrying the most precious thing he had ever known.
He lowered it into the grave. Then the earth began to fall, one shovelful at a time.
Dark soil gradually filled the space, covering the urn, sealing the farewell.
The dead returned to the earth. The living were left with memories.
And thus, the story of Mrs. Bennett’s life came to its final conclusion.
Elise stepped forward, carrying a white chrysanthemum. She placed it gently before the gravestone and bowed deeply.
A lone tear slipped silently down her cheek––the final goodbye she would ever give.
As the funeral concluded, mourners began departing one after another.
Elise opened her umbrella and turned toward the cemetery exit.
The rain continued to fall softly.
Behind her, a familiar voice suddenly cut through the sound of rainfall, heavy with exhaustion and grief.
"Elise."
The single word stopped her footsteps.
For a moment, the world seemed to grow very still.
