Chapter 2
Zane moved quickly, and before long he had the body cremated and brought back a box of ashes.
The house had already been set up as a mourning hall, and neighbors who heard the news came rushing over to help.
Looking at what was once a vibrant life now reduced to just a black–and–white photograph and a box of ashes, everyone couldn’t help but sigh with emotion.
My face was deathly pale, appearing especially haggard due to my past life’s experiences, truly like a widow who had lost her husband and was heartbroken.
Zane put his arm around Arya and said to me, “Arya just found out she’s pregnant. She needs more rest.”
He carefully helped Arya sit down, his face full of tenderness.
I deliberately ignored their intimate display.
But Arya took the initiative to speak to me: “Claire, now that your husband is dead, you’ll inevitably need to ask Aiden for help with things. You can’t just take advantage for free, can you?”
Her eyes gleamed with greed, clearly wanting to demand benefits from me.
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Chapter 2
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Zane chimed in as well: “Claire, don’t you still have some gold bracelets and gold earrings? Why don’t you give them to Arya? You won’t have any use for such precious things anyway.”
I suddenly looked up, staring at him intently.
Those were bought with money my mother had saved her entire life, the only keepsake she left me before dying, and he dared to covet them!
However, Zane showed no guilt whatsoever, making his demand with complete righteousness: “You don’t wear jewelry when doing housework anyway, so giving them to Arya would put them to good use. Besides, Zane asked me to help him with some things before he died, so you should give me all the money he left in the house.”
I was silent for a few seconds, then covered my face and started crying: “I have no money left. Zane’s money was used up long ago, and I even spent all my own money supporting him. I don’t have a single penny left now.”
Zane said urgently, “That’s impossible! Zane clearly said he still had over five hundred dollars!”
But I wasn’t flustered at all, letting out a cold laugh: “He was lying. He thought it was shameful to have no money, so he said that to save face. Aiden, now that Zane is dead, you’re the only man left in the family. Instead of helping me, you’re asking for
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money. Are you trying to drive Lily and me to our deaths?”
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My words were naturally false, but Zane had no way to refute
them.
The neighbors, hearing this, all looked at me with pity and advised Zane that he should help me.
Zane’s face looked terrible: “Zane said he still had five hundred dollars left. He absolutely couldn’t be wrong!”
I got up with a cold smile and brought out all of Zane’s belongings: “He only left behind this pile of junk. I’m going to burn it all right in front of you now.”
I dragged over a basin and threw Zane’s documents and letters into it, even setting his clothes on fire.
Zane instinctively wanted to stop me but forced himself to hold back, his face extremely grim.
When I was about to throw the things Zane had given me into the basin as well, he finally couldn’t help but say: “Claire, these are all things Zane gave you. Why do you want to burn them all?”
My voice choked with emotion, carrying some grief: “He’s already dead, what use do I have for keeping these things? Besides, you’ve been pressuring me all along. The moment Zane died, you started asking me for money. Where would Zane have
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any money to leave me?”
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I cried as I spoke, utterly heartbroken. Everyone was moved by my emotions and sighed with sympathy.
Zane’s face was dark with frustration, and he could only watch helplessly as I burned all of his belongings.
Back in the house, Lily opened her big eyes wide and asked me in confusion: “Mommy, that person is clearly Daddy, so why is everyone saying he’s Uncle Aiden?”
B
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