bChapter /bb404 /bbAshes /band Goodbyes

Chapter 404 Ashes and Goodbyes.

Charles had originally nned to watch Mathilda burn.

But when the rest of the Ginger family woke up and began screaming hysterically, he bremembered /bhow skilled the men in that family were. He still had to deal with Susie and couldn’t afford to bbe /bbcaught /byet. 56. after setting fire to Mathilda’s bedsheets, he left quickly.

He hoped that by the time they rushed in, Mathilda would already be dead–or at least crippled.

The one who had screamed was Luna.

At the time, Mathilda had been fast asleep. Luna, who couldn’t sleep, had stepped outside the bbedroom /bbfor /bsome air and caught sight of mes erupting from her daughter’s room.

Panicked, she rushed in and tried to wake Mathilda.

But arge framed crystal portrait on the wall came crashing down. In her panic to avoid being crushed, Mathilda shoved Luna away.

The zing hot frame mmed down on Luna.

The floor was already covered with burning sheets, pillows, and other mmable items. She copsed bto /bthe ground,pletely unprotected, and was badly burned–so badly she passed out from the pain.

The men of the Ginger family arrived just in time to pull her out and save her life.

Still, the burns were severe enough to make her wish they hadn’t.

The Ginger family incident wasn’t reported by the media, so Lily had no idea Luna had suffered critical burns and been taken to intensive care.

She only knew that Charles and Sharon’s lives had been filled with pain and tragedy.

They had supported each other, encouraging one another all the way into the country’s top university— Imperial University.

They should’ve had a bright future. They should’ve lived happily ever after.

But because of Susie’s selfishness, because of Mathilda’s cruel malice, the light was stolen from their lives forever.

Lily knew that for Charles, staying alive was more painful–more hopeless–than dying.

After avenging Sharon, taking his own life was a kind of release.

Still, when she saw the photos online–of Charles sitting motionless beneath the phoenix tree, cradling Sharon’s ashes–it made her heart ache so deeply she couldn’t breathe.

“Lily…”

James came out of the kitchen holding two tes of food, only to find her like thatb–/bbstill /bin her bhospital /bgown, pale as a ghostb, /bclutching her phone as fat tears rolled down her cheeks.

18

bChapter /bb404 /bAshes and Goodbyes

bAt /bfirstb, /bshe cried silently, holding it in.

But the grief swelling in her chest eventually broke her down. She couldn’t hold it in banymore/b. She bto /bsob, quietly at first, then with a pain so raw it filled the room.

“What’s wrong?”

Seeing her cry like that felt like a knife twisting in James’s chest.

He quickly set the tes down and stepped forward, gently wrapping her in his arms.

“Charles is dead…”

Lily knew she shouldn’t seekfort in James’s embrace anymore.

But the image of Charles holding Sharon’s ashes, lifeless and still, was too much for her. She couldn’t bear it. She threw herself into James’s arms and let her tears fall freely.

James froze for a second.

Earlier today, Ashton had reported that Susie had been brutally killed. He hadn’t known Charles was dead

too.

From what Ashton said, it was Charles who had killed Susie. James had felt regret–for Charles.

Because killing someone meant paying with your own life. Even if Susie deserved it, Charles had broken thew and would’ve faced punishment.

Still, James understood him.

If he were Charles, he would’ve done the same.

He didn’t want Lily to stay stuck in her grief. Gently patting her back, he spoke in a soft, reassuring voiceb. /b

“Lily, don’t cry. From what I’ve heard, these past six years, Charles may have built a sessful business, but he never lived well. He worked so hard, made so much money, rose so high–just to gain the bpower /bbto /bfind Sharon sooner. We may feel sorry he’s gone, but maybe for him, this was closure. He finally bgets /bto be with Sharon.”

He paused.

James had never believed in ghosts or souls before. But after meeting Lily, he wanted to believe. He hoped souls were real. He hoped there was a/next life.

“Maybe… maybe they’ve already reunited in the afterlife. This life was too cruel for them. But in the bnext/b, they’ll find happiness. They’ll grow old together.”

“Yes. They will reunite.” Hoping Charles and Sharon wouldn’t have to suffer any longer, Lily wanted to believe in souls, in fate–that loyers torn apart in life would find their way back to each other.

But she was tornb. /b

She told herself souls existed. That love would find a way. But deep down, she also feared that bdeath /bbwas /bsimply… the end.

17:44 Fri, b1 /bbAug /b

Chapter 404 Ashes and Goodbyes

She still couldn’t stop grieving for Charles and Sharon.

$5 bFree /bCouns

James felt the growing dampness on his chest and his heart ached for her. Clumsily, he tried to bsteer /bbthe /bconversation away.

“Lily, something happened to the Ginger familyst night.”

Sure enough, those words made her lift her tear–streaked face. Her crying paused.

Seeing her waiting for more, James continued quickly.

“Latest night, Mathilda’s room caught fire. I think Charles set it.”

“But unfortunately, Mathilda only suffered a few minor burns.”

“Luna, though… she was burned badly. That giant crystal portrait in Mathilda’s room fell and crushed herb. /bShended in the middle of the fire. Her skin was scorched. She has third–degree burns. Her face is

unrecognizable. There’s barely any unburned skin left. She hasn’t even woken up yet.”

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