By the seaside… They not only cremated Elisa’s body, but also brought it to the seaside. What exactly are they trying to do…
The staff looked inexplicably at the man in front of them.
Hamish weakly released the grip on the staff’s hand. His proud posture seemed to break at that moment…
…
“Are we really going to scatter the ashes into the sea?”
Micah responded with a “yes,” sitting on the shore, caressing the urn in his hands.
Three years ago, Elisa was diagnosed with stomach cancer, seemingly foreseeing today’s outcome.
The salty sea breeze blew on his face. Micah’s dry eyes began to moisten again. He carefully cradled the urn in his arms, as if holding a priceless treasure.
“She said to donate her usable organs to those in need after her death, and to have the remaining ashes scattered into the sea…”
Even in death, she wanted to save lives with her body. How could such a good girl not be treated well by fate?
Ivan squatted on the side, a swelling ache in his chest that was hard to suppress.
Micah’s lips curved with a hint of bitterness. He remembered how he had once advised Elisa about her affairs after her death. He thought with so many experts researching cancer and with medical advancements, they could surely cure her terminal illness. Even if not completely cured, she could have lived a few more good years. In reality, in these three years, cancer research had indeed made tremendous progress, with significant results, but he hadn’t had the chance… hadn’t had the chance to bring Elisa back for treatment before she passed away…
It seemed that such a tragedy was predetermined from the start, so no matter how hard they tried, Elisa was destined for tragedy. Now, thinking back, he realized how ridiculous his persuasion had been.
“Elisa yearned for freedom, yet she was born trapped in the Powell family.”
Micah sneered, “Do you think she wanted to take over that mess of the Powell family? When she was not yet eighteen, she made herself grow up early, dealing with those old foxes who were decades older than her, always staying vigilant.”
“Do you know she hasn’t had a peaceful sleep for a long time? From melatonin to sleeping pills, from one to two, her body was originally healthy, but because of your neglect, her healthy stomach was gradually tormented into illness and then cancer.”
“Being from a wealthy family, you can live happily and carefree in the Powell family, living as a playboy outside, indulging in all sorts of vices. No matter how big the trouble, the Powell family will cover for you, and your father will still dote on you.”
“I also have the right to choose a career, to become a doctor.”
“Only Elisa…” Micah sniffed, “She loved the violin the most, wanting to become a violinist.”
But when he looked at Elisa’s body, he noticed that her hands had no fingernails, and the marks on her fingertips clearly weren’t from being burned.
What had Elisa been through all these years? Her hands should have been the hands to play the violin.
Ivan buried his head, listening to Micah’s murmurs as if to himself. His soft words carried no emotion, but they pierced Ivan’s ears like a thorn, causing a continuous, painful ache that flowed through his bloodstream, even making his right prosthetic hand tremble.
“Things unfinished in life are carried out by others in death. Is this tragic or fortunate?”
In the winter of Chiwood, the afternoon turned dark at seven o’clock. The sea breeze seemed to carry a chill mixed with ice, numbing the skin, and as Micah’s voice fell, the biting sea breeze suddenly softened, as if a hand gently wiped away his tears.
Micah’s expression froze for a moment, staring stiffly at the urn he held, his heart aching: Is it really you? Elisa…
Tears uncontrollably streamed down, the wind so cold yet not chilling his tears. Micah choked softly, “Elisa, I always remember the words you said to me, to scatter your ashes into the sea after your death, to see the outside world along with the sea currents. I always remember…”
Ivan looked up and asked, “When should we scatter the ashes into the sea?” They had been sitting here for over an hour.
“Wait a little longer, wait for someone to come and settle the bet.”
“What bet?”
Micah shook his head, staying silent. This was a bet only he and Elisa knew about.
At 7:14, Micah heard the sound of an engine.
“Someone’s here,” Ivan realized. He stood up, his body stiff from squatting for so long, his legs almost numb. His vision was sharp, andhe recognized Hamish before he even got out of the car. He harbored a deep fear of him. After all, the trouble with the Powell family and his father’s death, as well as Elisa’s death, were all related to him. He felt useless, only able to rage internally against his enemy, unable to muster the courage to speak up in reality.
“Is… is that Hamish? Is he here to steal the ashes? Quick, scatter them into the sea before it’s too late…”
Micah’s lifeless eyes suddenly became sharp as he watched Hamish get out of the car, holding the urn as he stood up.
“Micah!” a voice came before the person had even approached, “What are you going to do!”
Carefully cradling the urn, Micah, upon hearing Hamish’s voice, raised his hand ever so slightly.
The winds over the sea were unpredictable, swirling around. As Micah opened the urn, the wind, which had been blowing against them, suddenly shifted.
Hamish’s pupils dilated, instantly understanding what Micah was about to do next. He stood frozen, unable to come closer. Even he didn’t realize his own voice was choked with emotion as he pleaded, “Micah, don’t… I beg you. Whatever issues you have with me, don’t involve her. Please, give her back to me… give her back to me…”
The once majestic CEO of Burns Group was now pleading, although this wasn’t the first time Hamish had begged. He had dedicated his entire life to Elisa.
All around fell silent, so quiet that only the sound of the sea breeze could be heard, as if it were weeping.
“Seven years ago, Hamish, I handed her over to you. This time, I won’t.” As Micah’s words fell, Hamish didn’t have time to react. He stood there, stunned, as if struck by lightning, watching the white powder flying with the sea breeze.
“No!” With a shout, along with a gesture from Micah, the unburned bone fragments were thrown into the sea with the ashes.
The surface of the sea barely even rippled, not a single wave stirred. In that moment, Hamish suddenly felt that it wasn’t Elisa’s ashes that had been thrown away, but his heart.
As he watched the surging sea, Hamish suddenly went mad, wanting to leap forward, but he was restrained by the quicker Tobias and the driver.
“Ah-,” like a wild animal stuck in the mud, his dying struggle was futile. He was pinned to the ground, his eyes fixed on the dark sea.
In that instant… Hamish felt time stand still, everything gradually fading away. His whole world plunged into darkness, not a single ray of light, an unfathomable despair.
His senses disappeared, his ears ringing, everything vanishing along with Elisa’s ashes.
The person etched into his bones, even in death, he couldn’t have her.
Tears fell without warning, the wind by the sea so strong yet not chilling his eyes. His throat let out a hoarse cry, and Hamish looked desolate.
Micah held the empty urn, trembling in the sea breeze. “She’s gone, she’s free. You can no longer cling to her.”
Ivan stood by, at times looking helplessly at Hamish, at times nervously eyeing Micah, unable to decide if it was Hamish who had gone mad or if it was Micah.
Biting his lip, Hamish’s mouth overflowed with blood, a dull pain reaching him. He coughed a few times, his face growing paler, his eyes becoming increasingly bloodshot and terrifying.
He raised a hand, grasping the hand on his shoulder, coughing up blood, the pain in his heart reaching its peak.
His already bloodied heart now seemed to be sealed with every thorn imaginable, gripping the hand behind him as he stood up, his gaze turning on Micah like a venomous snake.
“Let go!”
Tobias shuddered, the driver’s complexion even worse than his own. They exchanged a glance, understanding each other’s message, and released Hamish’s shoulder together, yet they remained close, fearing he might go mad and leap into the sea as he had just moments before.
Hamish approached Micah, and as he advanced, the distance between them gradually diminished.
“Micah, I will make the entire Baker family pay for this!” His presence was no more calming than the night sea breeze.
Unafraid, Micah tightly gripped the urn and forcefully hurled it in Hamish’s direction, a sudden move that caught everyone off guard…
“Mr. Burns!”
Hamish saw it coming but didn’t evade it. The urn’s corner struck his forehead, just a slight shift downward and his eyes would have been blinded instantly.
Blood trickled into his eyes from the gash above his brow, intensifying the already acrid sting, causing his vision to blur.
Hamish staggered, bloodied eyes glaring at the people around him, resembling a malevolent spirit risen from hell.
Ivan trembled, attempting to diminish his presence, seeking refuge behind nearby rocks.
Micah stood tall at the edge of the sea, the wind pushing against his back as if urging him forward.
Locking eyes with Hamish’s malevolent face, Micah pointed at him coldly, each word cutting to the heart: “Hamish, over the years, you slowly forced Elisa, who was once all yours, to her death using the same threatening tactics!”
“Let Hamish carry the regret of her death for the rest of his life. Remember, every Christmas from now on is her memorial day!”
Micah’s face held a mixture of tears and a smirk. “She has no grave, no tombstone. Before she died, she said to scatter her ashes in the river, to flow freely with the current after death, to be free. So you won’t even have the chance to cry at her grave!”
Nine years ago, on Christmas Eve, Elisa saved Hamish’s life. That fleeting moment of splendor lingered in memory for nine long years, and nine years later, that same Christmas became Elisa’s memorial day.
In his efforts to keep Elisa, Hamish committed many wrongs, even resorting to controlling her memories, turning her into a simpleton, and later leaving her legs crippled, trapped in an immobile wheelchair.
He thought that by doing so, Elisa would never leave him. But those who truly wish to depart cannot be kept. He couldn’t keep Elisa, nor could he even keep her ashes.
It felt as though his entire being was being slowly tortured with a blunt knife, an unprecedented pain reminding him of his just deserts. Hamish’s body swayed, the world spinning and fading away, and finally, he couldn’t withstand the weight, falling heavily backward.
“I will make Hamish fall in love with me. I bet he will be tormented with remorse after my death, sleepless at night, restless in heart, carrying regret for a lifetime!”
Micah looked up at the starless sky, “Elisa, congratulations on getting your wish. You’ve won the bet.”