At his signal, two attendants stepped forward from each car, carrying more than thirty sets of exquisite jewelry. The collection varied in style and material, but they all had one thing in common—they were priceless.
One particular set caught my eye. It was a piece once worn by a royal consort from an ancient dynasty, something so rare and historical that its worth was incalculable.
Sophia gasped in delight, throwing her arms around Willy’s neck and pressing a kiss to his cheek. She beamed like a young girl, her excitement unrestrained. “Wow! Aren’t these the pieces from that European royal auction a few days ago? Even the cheapest set would cost hundreds of millions. Willy, you bought them all for me? You still love us so much. But spending so much money—Carol won’t be mad, right?”
I clenched my fists as my son’s funeral transformed into a grotesque showcase of luxury cars and jewelry.
I stood there in my outdated black mourning suit, my face bare of makeup, my swollen eyes betraying nights of grief. Beside me, Sophia sparkled—her designer red dress flawless, her makeup exquisite, her presence dazzling.
The absurdity of it all nearly made me laugh.
Over the years, what had Willy ever given to Liam? Compared to just one of Benny’s sports cars, my son had received next to nothing. How ridiculous.
Willy seemed to remember I was still there. His expression turned slightly awkward as he tried to explain, “Carol, don’t take this the wrong way. Sophia and Benny have been living abroad for so long—this is just the way they are.”
“You heard it too, didn’t you? Mom has already acknowledged Benny as her grandson. It’s natural for him to call me ‘Dad.’ He’s about to celebrate his birthday and I just wanted to show some affection. As for the lock…”
Before he could finish, Sophia suddenly stumbled, swaying dramatically as she collapsed into his arms. “Willy, my head… I feel so dizzy… I think I might have heatstroke.”
Willy immediately turned his back to me, his full attention on her. “How could that happen? I built that summer resort just for you, so you wouldn’t suffer in the heat. You should’ve been resting there, but you insisted on coming to this miserable place. Come on, I’ll take you somewhere to rest.”
And just like that, without so much as a glance at the urn containing his son’s ashes, he scooped Sophia up in his arms and walked away.