Chapter 10
At that moment. Knox’s throat filled with the taste of blood rust, his tie becoming a python strangling his windpipe, statle snow flickering at the edges of his vision.
The word “DIED” was burning in his consciousness, its ashes falling into his stomach and triggering convulsions throughout his body.
Knox staggered backward until he hit a pillar and slid down to the floor, powerless.
He suddenly heard himself making sounds like a wounded animal–the voice was so foreign and terrifying, like borrowed whimpers from someone else’s chest.
“Ah… ah…”
Everything that followed felt like a dream to Knox.
Among the announcements, Knox numbly signed papers and collected belongings like all the other dazed relatives. The so–called belongings were just a handful of ashes that forensics and police had found in Celia’s seat after the crash.
These ashes were solemnly placed in an urn, and after identification and Knox’s signature, they were ceremoniously handed to him.
Knox moved like a soulless puppet, numbly carrying Celia’s urn toward the exit.
Along the way, countless staff members offered their condolences and apologies with sorrowful faces.
But Knox seemed deaf to it all, dragging his lead–heavy feet step by step out of the airport.
Then he mechanically started his car and drove home.
When Knox arrived home, he found a group of people waiting at his door.
They were Knox’s friends, along with Vivian.
These friends had watched Knox and Celia from their wedding to now. Though Knox had grown cold toward Celia recently, she was still officially their sister–in–law, and they felt obligated to see her off.
Vivian had been in the hospital playing the victim, but learning of Celia’s death from the news had filled her with overwhelming joy.
Now that Grandpa Whitfield was in a coma and Celia was dead, marrying into the Whitfield family was practically guaranteed.
Thinking of this, Vivian looked toward Knox getting out of his car.
She put on a grief–stricken expression and approached to support him. “Knox, my condolences. You still have me.”
But Knox walked past her as if she didn’t exist, continuing to stumble up the steps.
Seeing her empty hands, Vivian’s eyes flashed with resentment.
ལྷ་ཇ་ཆ་ཇ་ན་ཥ་ཋ་ཌ་ཇ་
The next moment, Vivian heard alarmed shouts from ahead. “Knox, watch out!”
Vivian quickly looked up to see Knox’s legs give out as he climbed the steps, falling straight to his knees.
Her expression changed as she rushed to help him.
But Knox shook his head numbly, his eyes vacant. “I’m fine. Leave me alone.”
Seeing him like this made everyone more worried.
Someone couldn’t bear it and said, “Knox, I know Celia’s sudden death is shocking.”
“But didn’t you say you and Celia were just in an arranged marriage with no feelings? Now that she’s dead, doesn’t that make things easier for you and Vivian?”
“Yeah, yeah.”
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Others chimed in agreement.
“Right, you always told us you and Cella were just a business arrangement with no feelings. Why torture yourself like this over her?”
Knas remained in that kneeling position with his head down. After a long silence, everyone heard him murmur:
“No feelings…”
How could there be no feelings? He and Celia clearly….
Vivian’s eyes lit up hearing “no feelings.”
She’d almost forgotten this angle in her panic over Knox ignoring her.
That’s right–Knox and Celia had no feelings for each other, so Knox’s current state must be shock at her sudden death, which made him temporarily ignore her.
Vivian quickly ran forward and bent to help him up. “That’s right, Knox. You didn’t even like Celia. Dead is dead.”
“Don’t hurt yourself over this. It breaks my heart.”
Something in Vivian’s words triggered Knox’s nerves. He suddenly looked up and shoved Vivian to the ground.
“Get lost!”
Several friends immediately helped Vivian up while demanding to know why Knox was acting crazy.
But Knox drove them all away.
“Get out! All of you, get out!”
“BANG!”
The mansion door slammed shut. Knox knelt clutching Celia’s urn, letting out a sound like a wounded beast.
“Celia…”
Chapter
C
