Chapter 63 – A Public Spectacle and a Sudden Summons
Time seemed to stop as Julian knelt before me, holding out that ostentatious diamond ring like some sort of peace offering. The funeral home had fallen into stunned silence, save for Eleanor’s theatrical sobs from the front row. All eyes were on me, waiting for my response to this wildly inappropriate proposal.
I took a deep breath, my thoughts racing. This man had humiliated me, betrayed me, and now had the audacity to propose at his dead wife’s funeral? The sheer audacity was breathtaking.
“Get up, Julian,” I said, my voice calm but carrying throughout the hushed room. “You’re embarrassing yourself.”
He remained on one knee, his expression earnest. “Hazel, please. I know I hurt you, but I never stopped loving you. This is our second chance.”
I laughed then, a short, incredulous sound. “Our second chance? At what exactly? For me to be your backup plan now that Ivy is gone?”
“That’s not fair,” he protested, finally rising to his feet. “I only married her because she was dying. You know that.”
“And that makes it better?” I looked around at the gathered mourners, many of whom were recording this spectacle on their phones. “Everyone, let me explain what’s happening here. Julian abandoned me days before our wedding–a wedding I spent six
my life building toward. He married my stepsister while I was still in my years of wedding dress. And now, at her funeral, he thinks I should be grateful for his attention again.”
Murmurs rippled through the crowd. Some people nodded in understanding, while others looked at Julian with newfound disgust.
“You don’t understand,” Julian insisted, grabbing my hand. “I had no choice.”
I pulled away from his grip. We always have choices, Julian. You made yours. I’ve made
mine.”
An older woman in the third row stood up. “Young lady, forgiveness is a virtue. This
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man is clearly sorry for what he did. Why not give him another chance?”
Several others nodded in agreement, and I felt a flash of irritation. This was exactly what Julian had been counting on–public pressure forcing me into compliance.
I smiled sweetly at the woman. “You’re absolutely right about forgiveness. In fact, I’m so committed to moving forward that I’ve scheduled our divorce hearing for next
Monday at 10 AM. Anyone who’d like to attend is welcome.”
Julian’s face paled. “Hazel, please-”
“Oh,” I continued, raising my voice slightly, “and since we’re all friends here, I should mention that my company, Ashworth Bespoke, is offering a 30% discount to anyone who comes to court and testifies about Julian’s infidelities during our engagement. I have a sign–up sheet by the door.”
The room erupted. Several younger women immediately headed toward the door, phone cameras still rolling. Julian’s mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water.
“You can’t do this,” he hissed.
“I just did.” I shrugged. “Public proposals deserve public responses, don’t they?” Eleanor suddenly pushed past my father, her grief morphing into rage as she stormed toward Julian. “How dare you!” she shrieked, her mascara–streaked face contorted with fury. “My daughter isn’t even cold in her casket, and you’re proposing to this–this viper?!”
Before anyone could react, she slapped Julian hard across the face, her wedding ring leaving a bright red scratch on his cheek.
“You never loved Ivy!” she screamed, pummeling his chest with her fists. “You used her dying wish as an excuse! You monster!”
Julian stumbled backward, raising his arms to protect himself from Eleanor’s frenzied attack. “Mrs. Ashworth, please–I honored Ivy’s wishes-”
“You dishonor her memory!” Eleanor grabbed a vase of flowers from a nearby pedestal and hurled it at him. The crystal shattered against his shoulder, water and flowers exploding across his expensive suit.
My father finally sprang into action. “Ethan!” he called to my half–brother. “Help me restrain your mother!”
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Ethan and two male cousins rushed forward, pulling the hysterical Eleanor away while she continued to scream obscenities at Julian. Blood trickled from a cut on Julian’s forehead where the vase had struck him, but he seemed hardly to notice it.
Instead, he turned back to me, the diamond ring still clutched in his hand. “Hazel, please. I made a mistake. I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to you. Just say yes.
I stared at him, genuinely amazed by his persistence in the face of such chaos. Part of me–a very small, distant part–almost pitied his desperation.
“No, Julian,” I said firmly. “Not today, not tomorrow, not ever”
I reached out and took the ring from his hand. For a moment, his eyes lit up with hope -until I turned and walked deliberately to the small memorial fire that had been lit as part of the funeral service. With everyone watching, I dropped the diamond ring into the flames.
“Goodbye, Julian,” I said, turning away from the fire and the man I had once loved. “I’ll see you in court.”
I walked out of the funeral home with my head held high, the whispers and camera clicks following me all the way to my car.
“You did what?” My grandmother’s voice crackled with delight over the phone as I drove home.
“I threw his ring in the funeral pyre,” I repeated, unable to keep the satisfaction from my voice.
“That’s my girl!” Grandma cackled. “Your mother would have been so proud. She always said you had her spirit.”
The mention of my mother brought a bittersweet smile to my face. “I wish she could have seen it.”
“Oh, she saw it, dear. I’m sure of it.” There was a pause. “Are you all right, though? That must have been quite an ordeal.”
I sighed, feeling the adrenaline starting to fade. “I’m okay. It was actually… freeing. I feel like I’ve finally closed that chapter completely.”
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“Good. And your business is doing well?”
“Better than ever,” I confirmed. “The launch event was a huge success.
“And that handsome Mr. Sterling?” My grandmother’s voice turned sly. “Victoria mentioned he’s been quite attentive.”
I felt my cheeks warm. “Grandma, I’m still technically married.”
“Not for long,” she reminded me. “And life is short, sweetheart. Don’t waste it on pride:
After saying goodbye to my grandmother, I called Victoria to fill her in on the funeral drama.
“Holy crap!” Victoria exclaimed. “Julian proposed at Ivy’s funeral? That’s a whole new level of inappropriate.”
“Tell me about it,” I groaned. “The worst part is, some people were actually on his side.” “Of course they were,” Victoria snorted. “People love redemption stories, even fake ones. Did Eleanor really attack him?”
“Full–on funeral brawl,” I confirmed. “It was surreal.”
Victoria’s tone turned serious. “Watch your back, Hazel. Eleanor won’t let this go. You humiliated her family at her daughter’s funeral.”
“I didn’t start it,” I protested.
“Doesn’t matter. She’s going to retaliate, and knowing that witch, it’ll be something underhanded.”
I hadn’t considered that. “You think she’d go after the business?”
“Or your reputation. Just be careful, okay? These old money families fight dirty when they’re cornered.”
Victoria’s warning lingered in my mind as I arrived at my office. I tried to focus on work, but found myself jumping at every unusual noise, half–expecting Eleanor to burst through my door.
By late afternoon, I had almost convinced myself that Victoria was being paranoid. Then my assistant knocked on my door, her expression unusually grave.
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“Ms. Ashworth,” she said hesitantly, “there are some people here to see you?
“Who?” I asked, already feeling a knot forming in my stomach.
Before she could answer, three stern–faced individuals in crisp suits entered my office, flashing official badges.
“Ms. Hazel Ashworth?” the woman in front asked, her expression impassive.
“Yes, that’s me,” I replied, standing slowly.
“I’m Inspector Chen from the Tax Bureau. These are my colleagues, Inspectors Wu and Li. We’re investigating Ocean Trading Company for tax evasion, and we have reason to believe you have information relevant to our case.”
My mind raced. Ocean Trading Company? I’d never heard of it.
“I think there’s been a mistake,” I said carefully. “I don’t know anything about that company.”
Inspector Chen’s expression didn’t change. “Nevertheless, we need you to accompany us to answer some questions.” She glanced at my assistant. “This may take some time.”
Understanding dawned on me as I recognized the timing of this visit. This had Eleanor written all over it. Just as Victoria had warned, the retaliation had come–swift and potentially devastating.
“May I call my lawyer?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
“Of course,” Inspector Chen replied coolly. “But please understand, Ms. Ashworth, that your cooperation will be noted in our report.”
As I reached for my phone, I couldn’t help wondering if Damien would hear about this, and what he would think if he did. Would he still want to be associated with someone under investigation by the Tax Bureau? Or would he, like Julian before him, decide I wasn’t worth the trouble?
The thought made my stomach clench as I dialed my lawyer’s number with trembling fingers.
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