Chapter 273 Bones Smashed to Powder
Margaret saw how excited Nancy was, shook her head, and told her it wasn't Raymond.
Nancy finally calmed down a lot, turned around, and walked out of the bedroom where Marlon was lying.
"Alvin, I'm sorry." Margaret held the phone, feeling extremely exhausted, her voice filled with weariness.
She seemed about to collapse, using her fingers to support herself against the cold wall, forcing herself to stand.
Even though her ultimate fate was also to die, to go to heaven like Marlon.
But she had to hold on to send Marlon off and settle Nancy.
Only then could she leave with peace of mind, to disappear forever and completely.
Alvin's voice came through the phone: "Mrs. Howard, I just heard about Mr. Hughes' passing. Please don't be too sad, Mrs. Howard."
Many people today had told her not to be too sad. But how could she not be too sad?
Margaret pressed her lips together, not saying a word, because she didn't know what to say.
The atmosphere fell into a brief stalemate.
"Mrs. Howard, is there anything I can help with? If there is, please don't hesitate to ask." Alvin stated his purpose.
Margaret's voice was hoarse. "You should stay home and be with your family, don't trouble yourself."
"Mrs. Howard, Mr. Hughes was a kind person and treated me well when he was alive. Let me send him off on his final journey. I want to do something for him, please give me this opportunity." Alvin pleaded.
Margaret thought for a moment, realizing there was indeed something he could help with.
"Can you come and be the driver tomorrow? I want to take my dad to the crematorium for cremation and then bury him in his hometown." Margaret requested.
Marlon had once said that when he got old, he wanted to be buried deep in the mountains with green hills and clear waters.
He wanted to be buried with his parents.
Marlon's original family was very poor, and he met Nancy, who came from a good family, in college.
They got married and had been loving each other for so many years.
At first, Nancy's family looked down on Marlon, mocking Nancy for marrying a poor boy like Marlon, and calling her foolish.
Fortunately, Marlon worked hard to provide a good living environment for Nancy and Margaret, achieving success in the business world.
The Hughes Group was founded by Marlon.
Margaret had always admired men like Marlon since she was a child—men who could make money, were loyal, and had a sense of responsibility towards their family.
He had never had any scandals and didn't change for the worse after becoming wealthy.
Margaret thought Raymond would be the same as Marlon. But she wasn't as lucky as Nancy; she chose the wrong man and implicated the Hughes Family.
Not every talented and ambitious poor boy was like Marlon.
Margaret's naivety was completely shattered by life.
The next day, Margaret sat in front of Marlon, keeping vigil all night.
She looked at Marlon's features, at his body.
Once Marlon was cremated, she would never see him again. So she wanted to look more.
The Hughes Manor was cold and deserted, with only Nancy and Margaret.
After the sound of a car horn came, Alvin, dressed in a suit, entered the room, followed by several strong bodyguards.
"Mrs. Howard." Alvin looked at the frail Margaret, speaking heavily.
He was there on Raymond's orders, but Raymond had told him to keep it a secret.
Raymond said that Margaret probably didn't want to see him and feared that Margaret wouldn't let Alvin handle Marlon's funeral, so keeping it a secret was the safest option.
Nancy, dressed in black, had swollen eyes from crying.
Alvin had the bodyguards carry Marlon's body out of the room, carefully down the spiral staircase.
Margaret supported Nancy, walking behind.
Margaret held a photo of Marlon in her other hand, a black-and-white memorial photo, smiling at her and Nancy, which was particularly piercing.
Alvin brought a hundred cars to escort Margaret to the funeral.
Margaret and Nancy followed in the lead car.
Raymond saw this from his car and followed from a distance, driving alone.
He seemed like a lonely follower, following in Margaret's footsteps.
At the crematorium, a suffocating sense of oppression and solemnity hit them.
After the farewell ceremony finished, Margaret watched as Marlon was pushed into the furnace.
"I want to go in and see," Margaret said.
The crematorium staff looked at her uneasily. "Mrs. Hughes, it's too cruel."
"I want to send my dad off on his final journey. Please." Margaret requested.
In the end, Margaret entered the viewing room.
She could clearly see Marlon being burned, and Nancy followed in as well.
Marlon's stomach was cut open by a sharp steel knife.
The flames started burning from his hair and clothes.
The fire grew bigger and bigger, more and more intense.
Nancy covered her mouth, crying. "Margaret, you don't know, today is your dad's wedding anniversary with me. On this day over twenty years ago, he held my hand, and we got married, officially becoming husband and wife."
Margaret bit her lip, which was already chapped.
As she bit down, blood oozed out.
So today was Marlon and Nancy's wedding anniversary; Marlon was cremated on their anniversary, which was ironic and suffocating.
"When we first started dating, your grandparents also tried to stop us. They didn't want me to suffer, but I insisted on marrying your dad. I was willing to endure hardships with him. Your dad was a good man, completely different from Raymond."
"I can't be sad, can't cry. Your dad would be unhappy if he saw. We have to send him off happily." Nancy wiped her tears, trying to force a smile.
Margaret held Nancy's hand, giving her strength. "Mom, don't be afraid, you still have me. I will be like Dad, giving you strength, protecting you, not letting you suffer."
"Okay." Nancy nodded, her eyes red.
Margaret watched for a whole hour, seeing Marlon's body, from intact flesh, gradually burn down to just a few bones.
When she died, she would be burned like this too.
Marlon died, and it was her and Nancy watching.
When she died, who would send her off like this? Probably only Nancy.
She couldn't die here, couldn't let Nancy be sad.
It would be better if she died far away, where no one knew.
When the cremation ended, Margaret saw the staff take a hammer and, with a few thuds, smash the bones into gray bone powder. Then they put it into an expensive urn.
It was as if the hammer wasn't smashing Marlon's bones, but Margaret's heart, her internal organs.
She was in suffocating pain, feeling oppressed, and about to collapse, but she couldn't collapse, Marlon still needed to be buried.
Holding the urn, Margaret walked out expressionlessly, unusually calm.
Raymond, also dressed in black, stood in the crowd.
Margaret saw Raymond at a glance, and he saw her too, his eyes filled with pity and complexity, looking at her through the crowd.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
