Chapter 7 The Funeral
It was an hour’s drive from the villa to the Compton’s home. During the entire hour, I was in a daze.
My mind was full of the child in Janet’s belly and the look in Trystan’s eyes before he left. I felt suffocated.
My chest was tight. Just as the car stopped in front of the Compton’s home, a wave of nausea swept over me. I rushed out of the car and retched by the flowerbed for a long while, unable to throw up.
“Life as Mrs. Compton seems to have made you fragile. You retched like that after only a short ride.” A sharp and mean voice sounded from the front door of the Compton’s home.
I recognized the voice. Arnold had two sons. The elder one was Felipe Compton, who died in a car accident with his wife years ago, leaving Trystan, his only son, behind. Arnold’s second son was Baldock Compton.
At that moment, the one taunting me outside the Compton’s home was Delilah Platt, Baldock’s wife. There were many conflicts within rich families, so I had already gotten used to this.
I endured the discomfort in my stomach as I looked at Delilah, greeting her politely. “Hello, Delilah.”
Delilah never liked me. Perhaps she was jealous that I was favored by Arnold despite my poor family background, or perhaps she was upset that Arnold valued Trystan so much that he handed the family business to him, so she had been venting her anger on me.
Delilah cast me a cold glance before gazing behind me. Upon seeing there was no one else inside the car, she said with a scowl, “So, Trystan didn’t even show up for his grandfather’s funeral?”
There were many guests here today, so Trystan’s absence was indeed inappropriate. I forced a smile and gave her a perfunctory response. “Trystan has something urgent to do, so he might come late.”
Delilah sneered, “This is the person whom Arnold has placed all his hope on. I wonder what Arnold saw in Trystan.”
A lot of people attended the funeral to pay their respects. Although Delilah hated me, for the sake of her reputation, she didn’t make things too difficult for me.
We entered the Compton’s home together. Arnold’s coffin was in the middle of the hall where some white flowers were put on top of it.
Many people appeared one after the other. Arnold was influential, so all of those who came to offer their respects were powerful. Baldock and Delilah greeted them outside while I dealt with them inside the hall.
“Ms. Carson.” Lindsay Porter strode toward me with a sandalwood box in her hands.
“Lindsay, what’s wrong?” The Compton family wasn’t that complex although it was a rich family, because it didn’t have many members. Arnold had always preferred a peaceful life and had only hired Lindsay to take care of him.
Lindsay put the sandalwood box in my hands with a sympathetic look. “Mr. Arnold left this to you before he passed away. Keep it well.”
She paused briefly before continuing, “Mr. Arnold was aware that Mr. Trystan would possibly force you into a divorce upon his death. If you don’t want a divorce, give this box to Mr. Trystan. Once he sees it, he’ll think it over.”
I looked down at the box in my hands. It had a hidden lock. Glancing at Lindsay, I asked in confusion, “Where is the key?”
“Mr. Arnold gave it to Mr. Trystan.” Lindsay looked at me as she advised, “You’ve lost a lot of weight recently. Take care of your health. Mr. Arnold always hoped that you and Mr. Trystan would have a healthy child so that there would be an heir to the Compton family. Now that Mr. Arnold is dead, don’t let him down.”
Hearing this, I was stunned for a while. Then, I gave Lindsay a smile, deciding not to say anything else.
After we mourned Arnold, his coffin would be brought to the cemetery for burial. It was already afternoon when we arrived, but Trystan still hadn’t come.
Trystan didn’t show up even after the funeral. Baldock came to me with Delilah on his arm as he said, “Evie, Arnold has passed away, but life goes on. Go back and tell Trystan to stop holding a grudge against his grandfather. Arnold doesn’t owe him anything.”
