'I Do' For Revenge-Chapter 61: The Burial

"You look okay already," Erica said as I stood before the mirror in my black dress and modest heels.

The simple outfit felt appropriate for the somber occasion ahead, though nothing could really prepare me for what this day would bring.

I had invited Erica to join us at the funeral after she insisted on being there for me.

I finally brought myself to look away from the mirror. "Go downstairs, I’ll join you in a minute."

"Sure thing," Erica replied, heading for the door. "Take your time."

Alone in the room, I picked up my phone to go through the message Daniel had sent the night before.

He had texted me the exact time and place of the service, adding something about taking me out afterwards for comfort.

The presumption in his message made my skin crawl, but I ignored the last text completely.

I dropped the phone and brought out the documents I’d been keeping hidden, going through them quickly. My thoughts rolled through everything and I sighed as I arranged them back.

Soon, very soon, I would expose everything.

I was just standing up after keeping them hidden again when I heard a knock. "Layla? Are you ready?" Axel’s voice came through the door.

"I’m coming out already," I called back, taking one last look in the mirror.

—

When we arrived at the funeral home, all heads turned toward us. The tension in the room was immediately obvious, and I could feel the weight of every stare and whispered comment.

Some faces showed sympathy, others curiosity, but most displayed the kind of judgement I’d grown accustomed to.

Cassandra spotted us first and immediately tried to make a scene. "What is she doing here? How dare she show her face?"

"Cass, please," an elderly aunt whispered, trying to calm her down.

But my sister was having none of it. "No! She doesn’t belong here!"

Axel stepped forward before I could respond. "Have the decency to respect your mother’s last moments, Cassandra. This is not the time or place for your theatrics."

I deliberately remained silent despite the continued stares and murmurs from the gathered mourners. This wasn’t the time or place for their drama, but I knew they wouldn’t see it that way. They never did.

"She has no right to be here!" Cassandra continued, her voice rising above the soft background music. "Not after everything she’s done to this family!"

"What I’ve done?" I finally spoke. "What exactly have I done, Cass? Please, enlighten everyone here."

"Don’t play innocent with me, Layla. Your drama, your problems, your selfishness... they made Mother sick! She worried herself to death because of you!"

The accusation hit like a physical blow, but I refused to let it show. "Is that what you really believe?"

"It’s what I know!"

Axel moved closer to me, his presence reassuring. "Do you want me to have her removed? I can make a call." 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"Trust me," I whispered back. "I can handle this. I know exactly what I’m doing."

Erica appeared at my side then, offering what she probably thought was comfort. "Layla, I’m here for you. You don’t have to face this alone."

I gave her a fake smile, the kind I’d perfected over the past days. "How wonderful it is to have one true friend in times like these."

Erica tried to sit next to Axel in the front row, clearly wanting to position herself as my closest support system, but I stopped her with a gentle but firm directive.

"Sit at the back, please. Family seating only up front."

The awkward moment passed after that request, and the service began properly.

The pastor’s words about love and forgiveness felt hollow in the charged atmosphere, but I listened anyway, finding some comfort in the familiar rituals.

When it came time to view my mother one last time, I approached the casket with steady steps. The funeral director had done a good work of making her look peaceful. It was almost as if she were simply sleeping.

But I knew better. I knew the truth about her final days, about the fear and confusion she must have felt.

Looking down at her peaceful face, I made a silent promise. "I will avenge you, Mother. I will expose the truth about what really happened. They won’t get away with this."

My fingers briefly touched the edge of the casket as I whispered, "I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you then, but I’ll protect your memory now."

After the burial, when guests began offering their condolences, I accepted them with as much grace as I could muster. "Thank you for coming," I repeated over and over. "She would have appreciated your presence."

But then Cassandra and Charles walked up to me with matching expressions of disgust and righteous anger.

"Shameless," Charles spat. "Absolutely shameless for showing your face here after what you’ve put this family through."

"I tried to chase her out,nbut everyone was in support of her being here." Cass added.

Erica stepped up beside me, clearly ready to defend me, but I held up a hand to stop her. "Ignore the family drama and leave. I’ll text you later."

She hesitated, looking uncertain. "Are you sure? I don’t mind staying."

"Yes, go. This is something I need to handle myself."

Once she was gone, I turned back to my sibling with a calmness that surprised even me. "Have the decency not to cause a scene at mother’s funeral. Show some respect."

"Our mother?" Cass laughed bitterly. "You killed her with your selfishness! She died because of the stress you caused!"

The words hit something deep inside me, and before I could stop myself, my hand connected with her cheek in a sharp slap that echoed across the cemetery.

"How could you sit back and watch our mother go like that?" I demanded, my voice finally rising. "Like, you are just too stupid or blind to allow something to happen under your nose, Cass?"

My father, seeing things escalating and noticing the attention we were drawing from the few remaining guests, quickly addressed them. "Thank you all for coming today. Please, give us some privacy to grieve as a family."

As people began to leave, casting curious glances over their shoulders, Charles raised his hand toward me in anger, but Axel stepped directly in his path.

"Don’t even think about it," Axel warned. "Touch her and see what happens."

I looked at my sister and father with disgust. "I’m not holding back this time. I’m fully breaking ties with both of you. I’m done pretending we’re family."

"Good!" Cassandra shouted, rubbing her reddening cheek. "We don’t want you in this family anyway! We never did!"

"You think I’m spewing nonsense?" I asked in a quiet voice. "You think I don’t know what’s really been going on?"

They exchanged uncertain glances, and I could see the first flickers of doubt creeping into their defiant expressions.

"You have no idea what you’re talking about," Charles said, but his voice lacked its earlier conviction.

"Don’t I?" I stepped closer to Cass, studying her face carefully. "You’ve been making new friends lately. Very interesting friends."

Cass’s face went pale, and I saw her swallow hard. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh... It’s nothing to worry about," I said in a nonchalant tone. "I think."

The uncertainty in her eyes told me everything I needed to know. She knew exactly what I was referring to, even if she didn’t understand how much I’d discovered or what I planned to do with that knowledge.

"Come on, Layla," Axel said, placing a gentle hand on my arm. "Let’s go home."

I was ready to leave, put this Chapter behind me and move on to the next phase of my plan, when I spotted Daniel approaching us from across the parking lot.

"Layla," he called out with that familiar tone of false concern. "Can I have a word with you?"