Chapter 41
Why was Alfred here?!
Amanda’s forehead broke out in a cold sweat; the words she wanted to say caught
in her throat.
She only knew that once Celeste’s mother’s memorial had entered the family chapel, her own name would vanish from the Duncan family history forever. But she had never meant to provoke the Hopkins family–never!
Around her, the Duncan family members were just as stunned. Herbert was the first
to recover.
“Oh, my dear son–in–law! What brings you here at a time like this? I wasn’t expecting you–I haven’t prepared anything at all.”
Alfred’s gaze turned icy. He arched an eyebrow, his tone cutting. “You didn’t prepare anything, yet you still tried to bar my mother–in–law’s memorial from the chapel? If you had planned ahead, would you have locked me out as well?”
Herbert’s face drained of color. He shoved Amanda aside, snapping, “Why are you even standing here, blocking the way? Celeste’s mother was my first wife. If her memorial doesn’t belong in the chapel, do you really think it’s up to you to decide?!” Amanda flushed with anger, eyes brimming with tears as she fled, covering her
face.
Herbert immediately switched to a fawning smile and hurried Celeste along. “Go on, bring your mother’s memorial inside.”
Celeste saw her father’s two–faced act and felt a bitter ache in her chest.
This was the kind of man he was–he’d tormented her mother for years, and he wasn’t worth a single tear.
She stood there, lost in thought, until she felt a gentle pressure on her shoulder. Alfred’s calm voice broke through. “I checked. The best time for the ceremony is right now. Go on–bring your mother’s memorial inside.”
The best time.
Mother.
Alfred gently nudged her toward the chapel. Celeste glanced back at him. He looked as if he’d rushed over, his usually immaculate suit slightly rumpled. He’d clearly
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dropped everything to stand up for her, and he’d even called her mother “Mother“.
“Thank you, Alfred.”
She managed a grateful smile and carried her mother’s memorial into the chapel.
Alfred watched as she placed the memorial with careful reverence. He finally seemed to relax a little. Mack, his assistant, leaned in and whispered, “The company’s been calling.”
“Let’s go.”
Alfred turned and left quickly, as if he’d come here for no other reason than to help
Celeste.
Herbert watched him go, calculation flickering in his eyes. If Alfred cared about Celeste this much, maybe the Duncan family could make the most of it…
The chapel doors closed behind them.
Alfred had already left, and Celeste, following tradition, knelt before her mother’s memorial, incense burning nonstop for the rest of the day.
The others had gone. She was alone inside the chapel.
Celeste knelt in silent devotion. Suddenly, a flicker of light sparked in the corner. Before she could react, flames roared toward her. Instinctively, she threw up her
hands to shield her face.
“Aah-!”
Pain shot through her arm.
She stumbled backward, horrified, as the fire swept through the chapel, hungry and
fast.
“The memorial-!”
“Celly!”
Philip’s voice rang out from the side door.
Before Celeste could reach for her mother’s memorial, Philip grabbed her arm and yanked her toward the exit. “It’s dangerous! You have to get out–now!”
“No! My mother’s memorial is still-
“Forget the damn memorial! We need to get out of here!”
During his days in Asterwynn, Philip had gotten to the bottom of everything.
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Chapter 41
Celeste was no orphan. She was the missing daughter of the Duncan family.
She hadn’t come back to Asterwynn to leave him–she’d come home.
He’d only come to talk when he heard about the memorial ceremony, but instead he’d found the chapel in flames.
Now, nothing else mattered. He tightened his grip on her arm. “Your life comes first!”
Her life?!
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