“Push him as much as you can, but if he doesn’t budge, let me know, and I’ll try talking to him,” I say.
“You should be with him right now, Cignette. Perhaps your presence will make a difference,” he suggests. “I’m curious why he hasn’t reached out to you still.”
And it hits me.
“Shit, I don’t have my phone anymore. Uncle Chase must’ve tried calling me.Fuck, he must be worried.”
“Relax, kid; I’m sure he thought you heard the news and are grieving or some shit. Don’t panic, but do go see him ASAP. You being with him might make him see reason.”
“Agreed,” Dorran says.
“Alright, I’ve got to go meet him now, but I’ll keep you in the loop. Alert the others, just in case.”
“Will do,” Dorran tells him. “And Solo?”
“Yeah?”
“Stay safe, alright?”
Solo chuckles. “You too. Thebothof you.”
58.
There’s not going to be an investigation.
Solo managed to convince my uncle to listen to his advisors, and my presence, as he’d predicted, helped Uncle Chase understand how an inquiry could affect both his, and my own, standing in the press. And if the press painted us in a bad light, then the people would lose their faith in the Adler family. And so, to keep our family’s reputation intact, my uncle did what is in everyone’s best interest: hold a funeral for Mom so that we can finally move on.
It’s been almost three days since her death, and even now, as I’m standing next to Mave at the cemetery – surrounded by strangers – I feel absolutelynothing.
It’s a sunny day today, so I don’t have the guise of raindrops to act as my tears. I’ve tried keeping my eyes open without blinking in hopes of conjuring an illusion for the same, but that hasn’t worked. And so, I’m keeping my head bowed, and using my hair as a cover to avoid catching any suspicion.
There’s a dull murmur around me, which is irking me to the point where I find myself shifting on my feet and fidgeting with the napkin in my hand. I don’t even know why more than half of these elites are here. I’m assuming it’s just to brag about something extravagant they’ve done recently, or to have their faces captured by the media’s cameras lurking nearby. I hear the click of shutters, and see brief flashes here and there, but I don’t give them much attention. It’s hard as it is to avoid the elites’ eyes, but if a camera ended up catching my face sans tears or any sort of emotion, then there’ll be a scandal too messy for even my uncle and his team to get rid of.
“It’s reeking of perfume in here, and it’s a goddamn open area,” Mave mutters from next to me.
“Just put a hand over your nose and pretend to weep in agony,” I say softly. “The people here will buy it, I’m sure.”
“Have I told you recently that you’re a fucking menace?”
My lips twitch, but I purse them in order to avoid grinning. “Not in the last few days, no.”
“Well, I’ll be sure to catch up, then.”
A snort leaves me, but I quickly turn it into a cough. A few elites glance my way, but then look away when I avoid meeting their stares.
The murmur around me stops all of a sudden. I chance a peek ahead of me, and see a somber-looking Uncle Chase, joined by a few of his guards, carrying a casket on one of his shoulders. A casket that consists of nothing but charred bones of my mother. For everything that she was, and everything that she had,thisis what’s left of her; all that she hasbecome.
Fucking crazy where her cruelty landed her, right?
59.
I’ve been watching her for a while, and to say that she looks bored would be an understatement. I can tell by the agitation in her body language that she wants to run away from the crowd, but I guess that’ll have to wait.
She’s wearing a black dress, and it perfectly outlines each and every one of her curves with how snugly it hugs her willowy frame.
I lean against the massive olive tree I’m standing next to, and slide my hands into the pockets of my green hoodie. It’s not the best outfit for camouflaging myself, but hey, at least I tried. There’s sweat trickling down my temples from how hot it is today, and it is only amplified by the hood concealing my features.
The people gathered at the cemetery stop their chatter when Chase and some of his guards bring out the casket. They’re burying Miranda’s remains instead of simply cremating her. A public show of commiseration, no doubt.
