Betrayal at the Funeral

At my father's funeral, my fiancé proposed to my father's illegitimate daughter, projecting a video of their passionate affair for all to see. I became a laughingstock, a disgrace to the city's entire elite circle. In the midst of my fury, my fiancé's older brother, Sebastian Beaumont, appeared. He had them both removed from the grounds, then knelt before me on one knee. He proposed, promising to be my rock, to shield me from the world. I said yes. Three years after my father passed, just one week before our wedding, I accidentally overheard a conversation between him and his lawyer. "Mr. Beaumont, there are other ways to acquire the Ashford assets. Is it not too risky to marry Adelaide Ashford just to reclaim her inheritance for Miss Isla? Why sacrifice yourself?" "Marriage is the only way Adelaide will let her guard down. All Isla wants is to inherit the Ashford legacy rightfully. It's a small price to pay. For her, I'd do anything." So, what I thought was my salvation was just an elaborate trap. The marriage I had anticipated for three years was just another tomb. If that’s what they wanted, then I would be the one to give it to them. 1 In the study, Sebastian was smiling at a stack of share transfer agreements, his expression one of pure devotion. "Mrs. Ashford is gravely ill. Isla will certainly want her to be at the wedding before she passes. Once she's gone, the Ashford family will crumble. That's when Adelaide will beg for my help, and that will be my moment to step in." "Are all the agreements ready? There can be no mistakes. I need the entire Ashford Corporation in my hands. Once I've cleared all the obstacles, I'll hand the company over to Isla." The lawyer beside him looked at the mountain of paperwork, a flicker of pity in his eyes. "Isla is just the illegitimate daughter. Isn't this too cruel to Miss Ashford? She has fallen in love with you over these three years. If she finds out you're only marrying her to seize the family business for her half-sister, you two—" Sebastian cut him off, his voice cold. "Enough. I've told you, Isla is the second daughter of the Ashford family. If I hear you call her an illegitimate daughter again, you're fired." He continued, "Marrying Adelaide is also a form of compensation. Without the Ashford fortune, she'll still have me. Her life won't be difficult." "My little brother… he's always liked to compete with me for everything. Since Isla chose him, I'll pave the way for them. As long as they're happy, I don't care what happens to me." The lawyer sighed and nodded reluctantly. "Very well. I'll double-check the agreements. I just hope… you don't regret this." "Oh, and that video you had me play at the funeral three years ago? Remember to delete it. Don't let Miss Ashford find out." Footsteps approached. I fled back to my room in a daze. The hot tea in my hands sloshed over my skin, but a profound chill seeped into my bones, colder than any ice. So, the video at my father’s funeral wasn’t my fiancé, Finn’s, doing at all. It was orchestrated by his brother, the man who had masqueraded as my savior. When Finn abandoned me, making me a public spectacle at my own father's memorial, Sebastian's arrival wasn't to bring me happiness. It was to drive the final knife in. I remembered my mother, on her sickbed, entrusting me to him. He had beaten his chest, swearing to protect me. What a performance. All these years, he'd "helped" me manage my company, but it was all part of his scheme to hand it to Isla on a silver platter. And I, like a fool, had paraded his pathetic, feigned affection everywhere, boasting about my happiness. How utterly laughable. The front door clicked shut; the lawyer had left. Sebastian rushed to my room, cupping my face in his hands and pressing a kiss to my forehead. His eyes, hazy with drink, were filled with a manufactured concern. "Why are you just standing here in the doorway?" "It's nothing. I was going to bring you some tea, but I spilled it." "You should let the maids handle that. You're already exhausted from taking care of your mother at the hospital. I'd be heartbroken if you wore yourself out." With that, he kissed my lips. His touch was as gentle and loving as it had always been. But I couldn't feel any warmth from him anymore. To think a person could go to such lengths for someone else. As I closed my eyes, a tear escaped and slid down my cheek. I helped him to the bed and tucked him in. He was already drunk and fell asleep quickly. I sat on the edge of the bed and quietly picked up his phone. I only had to try the password once. It unlocked immediately. It was my sister Isla’s birthday. I opened his chat with her. The screen was a dense, unending scroll of confidential company files. He had been sending them since the day my father died three years ago, without missing a single day. Every project he oversaw, he sent the files to Isla for her to "familiarize" herself. Every deal he closed, he sent her the client information to pave her way. He'd even had the company transfer contracts drafted three years ago, just waiting for my mother to die so I would hand over control to him. My hand trembled as I opened his private photo album. Every single picture was of Isla smiling. Isla attending events as the wife of the younger Mr. Beaumont. Isla celebrating a successful project with Finn. Finn looked so much like his brother; you could almost mistake him for Sebastian in the photos. There were also records of countless jewelry purchases from high-end auctions. He bought them all in his name, as her brother-in-law, and sent them to her as "gifts from an elder." His hidden love was both subtle and ostentatious, tucked into every detail. It was a dagger twisting in my heart. I recognized some of those jewelry brands. They were the cheap promotional items the auction houses handed out as freebies. He had given them to me, calling them "presents." I let out a bitter, self-mocking laugh and stopped scrolling. I sent a single message to the company's board members, calling for an emergency meeting in three days to announce my official takeover as CEO. It was time for him to repay the debt he had amassed over the last three years. I didn't sleep a wink. At dawn, I went to wash up. A notification pinged from the work group chat on my phone. Sebastian saw it and his face paled with panic. "Adelaide? Since when are you interested in company business? Your mother isn't well. Didn't we agree I'd manage things for you? Don't worry about it. If you get worn out, she'll blame me for not taking good care of you." I took the phone from his hand, a cool smile playing on my lips. "It's nothing. I must have accidentally turned on notifications. I'll turn it off." "Don't you have a meeting for that new project today? You should get going." He didn't question it further, visibly relieved. He pulled me into a lingering embrace. "Thank you for being so understanding, my love. I need to push these projects forward so we can focus on the wedding." I said nothing, just looked down and silenced my phone. "On your way to the hospital, could you pick up the catering I ordered from the hotel? You've gotten so thin lately." "Of course. I'll bring some for Mom to try." My mother had been in the hospital for a year. He had hired a team of professional nurses, claiming he didn't want me to overwork myself. I once thought it was a sign of his love. Now I saw it for the dereliction it was. If he truly cared, how could he have only visited twice in an entire year? All her care and treatment were delegated to others. He had truly put in a monumental effort to keep me from bothering his precious Isla. This three-year charade was about to end. I rushed to the hospital. Before I even reached my mother's room, I heard the nurses whispering in the hallway. "The Ashfords are one of the city's top families, right? How come Mrs. Ashford has been here for a year and still hasn't had surgery? When I changed her drip, she looked like she was fading fast. You'd think the family would be more concerned…" "Shh, don't ask questions you shouldn't. The Beaumonts gave the order. Even the hospital director has to keep quiet. It looks like they don't want to save her, just drag it out. They swapped her actual medication for a glucose drip. She's not going to make it." "Probably won't last another couple of days, right? This family is ruthless. All that money and they won't even save one of their own…" Tears streamed down my face as I burst into my mother's room. Her once healthy complexion had turned waxen and pale in just a few days. How had I, who saw her every day, not noticed until now? The monitors beside her bed were beeping frantically. Her breathing grew faint. Even on the brink of death, she was still thinking about my wedding. She gripped my hand, her voice barely a whisper. "Adelaide… I don't think I'll be able to see your wedding." "Sebastian is a good man. After I'm gone, he'll take care of you. Could you… could you call him for me? I want to say a few words to him…" I sobbed as I pulled the blanket over her. I ran out to find a doctor. But when the doctor came, he just shook his head helplessly. He said my mother's condition had deteriorated too much, that her body was too weak for surgery now. He told me to start preparing for her funeral. Swallowing my rage, I drove to Sebastian's office. Before I even entered, I heard Isla's voice from inside. "Sebastian, you've helped me so much these past three years. But Mrs. Ashford is still alive. If you put me in charge of this project, Adelaide will surely be angry." Sebastian's voice was heavy with a sorrowful, repressed tone. "You're my sister-in-law. It's my duty to help you. Just sign it. You need to get used to the business sooner or later. As for Mrs. Ashford… she probably doesn't have much time left. Don't worry about her." A flash of triumph crossed Isla’s eyes before she replaced it with a look of concern. "Mom's not doing well? Then I'll go see her at the hospital today. Even though she never acknowledged me as her daughter, I still want to earn her forgiveness." I could no longer contain the fury burning in my chest. I threw the door open. "You can keep your fake sympathy. My mother doesn't want to see you." Panic flickered across Sebastian's face. He shot up and came to me. "What are you doing here? Don't misunderstand. I was just discussing the new project with Isla, that's all. She was just speaking casually, don't overthink it." Isla stood up, waving at me with a smile. "Sister, long time no see." I didn't spare her another glance. I turned and walked away. Sebastian chased after me, desperately trying to explain. Looking at his frantic expression, I felt a wave of derision. He had humiliated me at my father's funeral to clear a path for Isla. Now, he had my mother's life on his hands. He had gotten everything he wanted. Who was this act for? "Don't worry," I said coolly. "I'm not so petty as to meddle in the Beaumont family business. I was on my way to the hospital and just stopped by to see you. Since you're busy, I'll be on my way." He let out a sigh of relief and personally escorted me downstairs. On the way to the hospital, I got a call from the doctor. He told me my mother had just passed away. I slammed on the brakes, screeching to a halt on the side of the road. Anger and despair churned within me. After a long struggle, I turned the car around and went back to the Ashford estate to pack up my mother's belongings. I had just finished filling a box when Isla suddenly appeared before me. She kicked the box over with her foot. My mother's keepsakes scattered across the floor. Her smile was wild and triumphant. "Adelaide, after all these years, you're still as useless as ever. You couldn't protect your mother, you can't protect your family's company, and even the two men you've loved have paved the way for me. You're a joke!" A fire ignited in my chest. I couldn't hold back any longer and slapped her across the face. I hadn't used much force, but she went tumbling down the steps dramatically. The lunchbox she was holding clattered against her, its contents spilling all over her. I stood frozen, unable to process what had happened. Suddenly, a figure rushed past me and shoved me violently to the ground. Sebastian scooped Isla into his arms, his eyes blazing with fury as he looked at me. "What are you doing? Are you insane? Isla was just trying to bring your mother some soup out of kindness! Why would you attack her? She's your sister!" His eyes were filled with a rage that completely eclipsed any trace of the love he once pretended to have. I smiled, a cold, sharp curve of my lips, and slowly got to my feet. "My sister? Does she deserve that title?" "Why did my mother's health decline so suddenly? What was that video at the funeral all about? Sebastian, don't you two owe me an explanation? What right do you have to question me?" He frowned, a flicker of panic in his eyes. "Your mother was already in poor health. I arranged for her hospitalization, and I was the one who deleted the video. What is there to explain? You already know all this." "But none of that gives you the right to attack your sister!" "Adelaide, apologize! Or I will call the hospital right now and cancel all of your mother's remaining treatments!" His shouting drew the attention of neighbors. This was a wealthy neighborhood, a hotspot for the city's elite. I laughed, but tears streamed down my face against my will. "Cancel her treatments? Fine. Go ahead. I don't need your fake kindness anymore. Not now, not ever!" As I spoke, Isla's hand crept up to his shoulder. "Sister, no matter how angry you are, you can't joke about Mom's health!" "I know you blame me for the scene at the funeral, and I'm sorry. But I was only here today to apologize to her. I meant no harm. Why would you be so cruel to me?" she sobbed. "Sebastian, since my sister hates me so much, maybe we shouldn't see each other anymore. I don't want to make things difficult for you…" My nails dug into my palms, drawing blood. Watching them walk away, wrapped in each other's arms, I knew. We were finished. Three years of love turned to ash in that single moment. I took out my phone and sent him a message: The wedding is off. Five hours later, he finally replied with an explanation. "Isla is my sister-in-law, and many of the company's projects are in her hands. Hurting her in public was bad for the Ashford family's image. Asking you to apologize was just a strategic move, an act for outsiders. Don't read too much into it."