Chapter 2

As I spoke, I even dabbed at the corner of my eye, wiping away tears that weren't there.

The moment the words were out, Kay Armstrong and Theodore Weiss both froze. Forgetting they were supposed to be putting on an act, they couldn't help but glance at each other before turning to stare at me, both of them stunned.

Theodore recovered first.

"Mom, don't joke around, and don't force yourself to be brave."

"How could you possibly agree to a joint burial?"

"This woman abandoned my dad back then because he was poor and she wanted money. She even stole his money, forced him into marrying you when he had no other choice, and then treated you badly after the wedding."

"She never even gave you a child of her own. She only adopted me so I'd keep you company."

"A man like that, so what if he's dead. Why should you grieve for him, why should you carry out his last wish!"

The crowd around us nodded along.

【Ronnie Weiss had no backbone. He was the one who insisted on marrying her, and now, after all the divorce drama, he's the one who went and killed himself.】

【A man like that really did get what was coming to him. Nobody should be honoring his last wish.】

【But this Theodore is a sensible, good kid. You'll have to raise him right from here on out.】

Theodore looked at me, his face full of expectation.

Like he was waiting for me to praise him, waiting for me to promise in front of everyone that I'd raise him.

But when I heard it, my expression didn't change.

Instead, I reached out and slapped him across the face.

"A person can't forget where they came from. If your dad hadn't picked you up and taken you in, the grass on your grave would be taller than you by now."

"Your dad did wrong by me. He married me for money, used me up and wanted to throw me away. But there's no denying he was a good father."

"You stand here at his funeral and talk about your dad like this. How is that any different from an ungrateful little wretch?"

"When I die, are you going to stand in front of everyone and say I'm not your real mother, say I'm better off dead too?"

Theodore covered his cheek.

He had no idea what to say.

Kay Armstrong watched her precious grandson get slapped and ached for him, and it took everything she had to hold herself back from lunging. Instead she said through gritted teeth,

"An ungrateful wretch like this deserves to be beaten to death."

"Well, I'm certainly not raising this ungrateful wretch from now on. Either he goes back to wherever he was picked up from, or you raise him yourself. Either way, he's got nothing to do with the Edwards family anymore!"

I still didn't say anything.

I just stood there calmly to the side, looking at the small, inconspicuous air vents beneath those two coffins, thinking about how one person could block both of them at the same time without anyone noticing.

Theodore was frantic. He'd always been sharp for his age, so he quickly gritted his teeth and started slapping his own face.

"Mom, you're right."

"It's all my fault. I understand now. When you said you were willing to handle the funeral, you must have had something else in mind."

"You hit me and scolded me so that Grandma would give up on me, so I'd only be your son."

"I get it!"

Kay Armstrong hadn't caught Theodore's meaning at first, but hearing this, it clicked for her too.

"Fine. So the two of you had it all planned out from the start."

"Get out, both of you. Don't dirty the road my son and daughter-in-law walk in the next life."

"I'll handle this funeral myself. I don't want your kowtowing, I don't want your apologies. I just want you gone!"

Theodore grabbed my hand, spat out a few harsh words, and made to leave, but I stayed rooted where I was.

"Mom, I know you suspect me."

"But with so many people at this funeral, all of them watching, what could I possibly do?"

With that, I gave neither of them a chance to speak. I turned straight to the men digging the grave and said,

"Do me a favor."

"Dig Ronnie Weiss's pit a little bigger, and put both coffins in together for the joint burial."

"Carve a new headstone too. Once I have money, I'll build them a grand tomb."