Chapter 80 The One Who Should Be Blamed
According to the funeral home's policy, the body must be cremated before being buried in the cemetery.
During the waiting period, Harper looked at her grandma's face over and over, unable to bear the thought that she would never see her again.
When the body was pushed into the incinerator, the iron door closed right before Harper.
Harper realized that she would never see her grandma again.
The person who loved Harper the most in this world was gone.
Overwhelmed with grief, Harper slammed the iron door and roared in a choked voice, "Grandma, I miss you... I don’t want to part from you."
But the only response she received was the sound from the heavy iron door.
Nearly an hour later, the iron door finally opened.
The person in charge placed the ashes in an urn, which Harper carried to the venue of the funeral ceremony.
The ceremony had been arranged well, and Harper placed the urn on a desk.
Harper then stood upright, motionless.
The caregiver tried to persuade Harper to eat something, but she just drank some water. She was not in the mood to eat.
Caregiver felt sorry for Harper.
In the evening, the first visitor arrived to pay their respects.
It was Abigail Hearst. She rushed over after she got the news. When she received the news, she could hardly believe it.
At that moment, the reality of the situation crystallized before her eyes. Seeing Harper's somber attire, Abigail could no longer deny the truth that had shaken her to the core.
In just two days, Harper had lost a lot of weight, and her chin had sharpened.
After paying her respects, Abigail had a lot to say, but she didn't know how to start.
Finally, she said with great difficulty, "My dear, I'm so sorry."
Abigail extended a heartfelt apology on behalf of her son, regretful that he couldn't be there for Harper during such a pivotal time. An undercurrent of concern swept through her, wondering if her son would ever have the opportunity to stand by Harper's side in such crucial moments yet to come.
Thankfully, Harper's response was not one of rejection. Though her words were few, she offered a tacit agreement, allowing Abigail to remain by her side despite the weight of the circumstances.
The next afternoon, two unexpected guests arrived.
Camila Brin brought Amelia Brin to pay their respects.
Amelia got the news of the death of Harper's grandma yesterday. She was immediately scared.
But her fear was not because her actions had caused someone's death.
Rather, it was because Aurelio had said someone would talk about it with her, and now that Harper's grandma was dead, she didn't know if her brother Francis would get even with her.
Initially, she strongly opposed going abroad, but now she wished she could fly abroad immediately.
Amelia told Camila about the situation, igniting a sense of panic in her. She didn't expect Amelia’s actions to cause such trouble.
Hiding abroad was not a solution. If Francis really wanted to deal with them, he could even find them even if they hid.
After thinking about it, Camila decided to bring Amelia to attend the funeral ceremony and ask for mercy. Besides, Camila planned to ask her father for help.
The Hearst family and the Getty family share a deep bond, so they thought this matter would be swept under the rug.
Besides, Camila thought Harper's grandma died of illness and had nothing to do with her daughter.
Camila and Amelia had a plan and appeared at the funeral ceremony that afternoon.
Camila first tried to get close to Abigail. "Mrs. Hearst."
Abigail frowned. "Why are you here?"
Camila smiled and then felt it was inappropriate. She forcefully suppressed the smile at the corners of her lips. "I brought Amelia here to pay her respects."
Abigail had doubts in her heart. She still didn't know that what happened at the hospital had something to do with Amelia.
Harper stood there calmly, but when she saw Camila and Amelia, she roared in a hoarse voice, "Get out!"
Harper didn’t want them to defile her grandma's final resting place.
Amelia couldn't hold back the anger on her face. She had come to pay her respects to this dead old lady, but Harper asked her to ‘get out’. Even so, she couldn't do anything about it. She was in the wrong after all.
Amelia lowered her voice, pretending to be upset. "Harper, as soon as I heard about your grandma’s death, I came right away. It was all a misunderstanding that day. I didn't know those women would go crazy like that."
Camila cut in, "Exactly. As soon as Amelia mentioned it to me, I scolded her. She loves to interfere in everything, even though she has nothing to do with it."
While speaking, Camila took a thick envelope out of her bag and handed it to Harper.
"This is the compensation I prepared for you. Take it. Amelia was straightforward, so I asked her to come and apologize to your grandma."
Harper threw the envelope directly at Amelia's face, shouting, "I told you to get out! Didn't you hear me? Get out!"
The cash scattered and fell. The sharp edges almost cut Camila’s and Amelia's faces. Much like the scandalous photos from that fateful day, the cash served as a stark symbol of the callousness that often resides within human hearts. Those who hurt others with verbal violence could go unpunished and get away with an insincere apology.
As the chaos ensued and the perpetrators seemed poised to escape unscathed, Harper's mind churned with indignation. ‘Why,’ she wondered, ‘should they be permitted to perpetrate such harm without consequence?’
Amelia screamed in fright, almost losing her composure. Fortunately, she quickly regained her composure.
Amelia's words spat out like venom, laced with contempt and cruelty.
"Don't be absurd," she sneered. "This is her doing, not mine. What concern of mine is it? And really, she's well past her prime at over 80. Isn't it the natural course for her to pass on? She's been draining resources in that hospital day after day. Can you even afford to cover her medical bills, you penniless woman? If you think about it, I'm doing you a favor. You should be thanking me, shouldn't you..."
"Shut up!" shouted Abigail. She was about to slap Amelia, but Harper acted first, suddenly pounced, and fiercely gripped Amelia's neck.
Harper's demeanor transformed into that of a provoked beast, her usually composed facade shattered by a surge of raw emotion. Her slender fingers clenched so tightly they lost color, the veins on the back of her hand pulsating with the intensity of her suppressed pain, anger, and hatred.
‘Why must I endure such a fate?' Harper's thoughts seethed with frustration and defiance. Her grandmother, a paragon of honesty and diligence, had weathered life's hardships with grace, enduring the loss of her husband in youth and her son in middle age. Yet, never once did she cast blame on fate for its perceived injustice. Instead, she embraced life with a fervent love, pouring herself into nurturing and guiding Harper through every trial and tribulation.
Even in her last moment, she didn't blame anyone but rather worried about Harper, saying she believed in Harper and apologizing to Harper...
Harper thought, ‘Why can’t such a loving and kind person have a decent life? Why did she have to witness her granddaughter being slandered and insulted at the last moment? Why? Why is fate so unfair? Why can the perpetrators go free as if nothing happened while she, as the falsely accused victim, falls into a hell of self-blame?’
Harper exerted great force in her grip, her voice hoarse, laughing and crying, "What right do you have to say that? What right does a murderer like you have to say such things?"
Camila's cry pierced the air, a desperate plea for help as she grappled with Harper's unyielding grasp. "Someone, please help! She’s being strangled!" she shrieked in terror, her voice trembling with desperation.
Yet, despite Camila's frantic efforts, Harper's hand remained firmly ensnared around Amelia's neck, unyielding to all attempts to pry them apart. The scene froze in a chilling tableau, with Harper's grip seemingly bound to Amelia's neck as if by an invisible force.
Camila was terrified and sat on the ground, crying hysterically, her face pale.
"Ah... Someone is committing murder! This lunatic is killing her..."
In the midst of the chaos, an arm swooped in, swiftly pulling Harper away from Amelia, breaking the grip of the standoff.
"Harper!" Francis's voice rang out, thick with distress and urgency, his heart-wrenching at the sight before him.
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