Sarah was finally laid to rest.
The Williams family had decided not to pursue the matter, so they prepared an extravagant funeral for her. Elena thought it would not have mattered—a glorious ceremony would always mean a lonely grave.
Elena saw Dylan at the funeral. It seemed like Second Young Master Williams had grown thinner within those two days. Even though he looked at peace with the situation, he had also looked weaker.
In a big family like his, his father was not solely his. His father had other families inside and outside of the Williams family, especially his children from his other women. However, Sarah was Dylan’s only family member; it did not matter if he had a father or not.
How could he not feel hopeless after Sarah was gone?
Elena recalled Sarah’s words when she saw Dylan’s figure from afar.
“Please…take care of…my son…once in a while…” Her voice still rang in her ears.
A sudden wave of sadness overwhelmed Elena, and her tears nearly trickled down her face. She hated eternal farewell between family members.
When it was their turn to burn the incense as offerings, Elena followed behind Michael. She was not sure about her status when she burned those incense for Eldest Madam Williams—Eldest Young Master Williams had allowed her attendance when she requested to be there. For once, he had no sarcastic remarks for her.
“Second Young Master Williams.” She went up to Dylan and looked at his swollen eyes through her sunglasses and said, “My condolences for your loss.”
Her voice was hoarse, and she was not sure what to say to console that man.
Dylan looked at her, his thin lips trembled slightly, but he did not reply to her.
Elena bit her lower lip and said, “Eldest Madam Williams… Before she passed on, she asked me to tell you to take good care of yourself.”
Dylan continued to stare at her in silence.
When Elena was about to turn and walk away, he suddenly asked, “Since she did not mind exposing what she did, why would she kill herself? What else did she tell you?”
Elena shook her head; Sarah had told her nothing else.
Dylan stared at Elena; he still had a million questions for her since there were so many things that he could not figure out. However, Levi ushered her away.
“So many things to say to him?” Michael grimly asked.
“I was just giving him my condolences.” Elena stood behind him with her head lowered.
“Who do you think you are to say such things to him?” Michael sneered. “The person who forced her mother to die? Or the woman he loves?”
Elena shuddered. Michael was so frank and did not leave any leeway for her.
Elena had not seen Dylan since the funeral. Both of them lived at Williams’s mansion, but their lives were separated because they were at different estate sections. There had been family banquets, but Michael did not bring her to any of them. She had lived in the same household as everyone else, but she had nothing to do with anyone there.
A month later, Elena was in exam mode. Michael had hired a private tutor for her to guide her through her coursework and subject revisions. She felt like she was under house arrest at WongRiver Pavilion for that full month.
Until the day of her examination…
“Elena, what happened to you in the past month?” Lois had cried when she saw her friend. Everyone knew that Eldest Young Master Williams had kept her at home, but she did not let anyone visit her at the Williams’s mansion. No one dared to go there either; they did not want to make things more difficult for her.
Elena’s eyes were moist too. She lowered her head as if that could remove her sadness and melancholy. She looked refreshed when she raised her head next.
“I’m okay. I’ve been fine. Don’t I look more fair and plum?” That was not a lie. Michael had ordered her to eat well daily. If the servants reported that she had not eaten sufficiently, he would torture her until she cried that very night. His heart was stone cold, so it did not matter how she cried and begged, he would not forgive her so easily.
After it had happened twice, Elena did not dare to defy him anymore. She knew she had to eat a lot, and so she did! She did not dare to be careless about it.
Lois looked at her fair and delicate face; plum was not how she would describe her, but Elena would never get fat no matter how much she ate. She had looked healthier, indeed!
Lois did not know what to say, so she could only sigh. “But you…”
“I’m really okay! How am I here if I’m not?” Elena spun in front of her friends and said, “See? I’m alright.”
They did not say anything. She did look healthier, though not as lively as before, and more inert instead.
“It’s good to know that you’re alright.” Luacs and Caleb had rushed to see her when they knew that she would be in the university that day.
“No problem at all.” She nodded. However, she had something in her mind.
“I have half a day today, as long as I am home by 9 PM. I’d like to visit Layla.”
The exam had lasted the whole morning—it was for two subjects—and they had two more the next day.
After the exam, they did not rush home to study, like the rest of the students. Instead, they went to the hospital.
There was no change to Layla’s physical condition; she was still in a coma. However, her situation had gotten better.
“A mysterious man paid a huge sum of her medical fees, and they are now using the best medication and equipment for Layla.” She was also moved to a luxurious single ward room, and the hospital had arranged for two specialized nurses to care for her. Even though she was still unconscious, she had received the best care that the hospital had to offer.
“The doctor is still saying the same thing. They don’t know when she’ll wake up, perhaps tomorrow, perhaps next month, perhaps…” Lois did not continue.
Elena sat on the edge of the bed and held Layla’s hand. She tried to massage her gently to relax her joints.
Lois said, “The nurses would massage her joints and muscles to help relax her body, and they’re professional. Don’t worry about her.”
Elena nodded.
Nevertheless, as she looked at Layla’s pale face, her heart felt like a needle had pricked it—it was painful! No matter how painful she felt, though, Layla still did not wake up.
After they kept Layla company for about an hour, the nurse finally told them that they had to leave, and they did.
Elena followed everyone back to September Media. She did not expect to run into a man there…