Chapter 83 A Warning Written In Steel
Lady Flourish’s POV
I held my phone to my ear, listening as it rang. It barely made it through the second ring before Garett answered, his response accompanied by a cold, contemptuous snort.
“So, you’ve finally decided to call and beg.”
His voice dripped with impatience, as though he had already decided exactly why I was calling.
I closed my eyes briefly before speaking, my voice so flat it seemed capable of freezing the air between us. “Grandma has passed away.”
Silence.
The words struck him like a hammer. I could almost picture him straightening where he stood, the color draining from his face as disbelief settled over him. “…Mom’s dead?”
Every trace of arrogance had vanished from his voice.
“When?”
“Just now.”
Several long seconds passed before either of us spoke again.
Finally, I drew a slow breath. “Come to the hospital, and come alone. I don’t want to see anyone else.”
For the first time since I had known him, I heard genuine pain seep into Garett’s voice. “…I’ll be
there.”
Before he could end the call, another voice drifted through the receiver.
“Garett?”
It was Lydia. “What happened? Who’s gone?”
He answered heavily. “My mom. She’s gone.”
After a brief pause, he continued in a quieter voice. “Lydia, you and Selene stay home. I’m going to the hospital to take care of everything.”
A moment later, the line went dead.
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Chapter 83 A Warning Written In Steel
Linished
By the time Garett arrived, I no longer had any tears left to cry.
1 sat quietly beside Grandma’s bed, staring blankly at the pale wall across from me. Every emotion inside me felt as though it had already burned itself away, leaving behind nothing but ashes.
Only when the door opened did my gaze shift toward him.
He walked over slowly before dropping to one knee beside the bed. “Mom…”
His voice trembled as he lowered his head, loud sobs filling the room and echoing painfully off the walls. I watched him in silence.
His shoulders shook. His breathing hitched. His voice cracked again and again.
Yet none of it reached me.
Everything about it felt hollow, strangely detached, as though he remembered what grief was supposed to sound like but had forgotten how it was supposed to feel.
Quietly, I observed every movement, every sigh, every tear he struggled to force from his eyes.
Every performance.
After a while, he wiped his face and turned toward me.
“Flourish.”
His voice softened.
“Don’t grieve too much. Grandma is in heaven now. She’s finally at peace, and she’s still watching over us.”
He reached over and gently patted my shoulder. “Leave the rest to me.”
I didn’t respond.
He was Grandma’s only son. Whatever kind of man he had become, arranging her funeral was still his responsibility, and I had no intention of taking that away from him.
The funeral hall was solemn and quiet, every corner adorned with white flowers while the heavy scent of incense lingered in the air.
Guests arrived one after another to pay their respects.
Dressed in mourning clothes, I stood silently beside Grandma’s portrait, handing each visitor a white memorial candle before bowing in acknowledgment of their condolences. Then I moved
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Chapter 93 A Warning Written In Steel
on to greet the next mourner.
Throughout the entire day, I barely spoke.
The grief inside me had become something far quieter than tears.
It had frozen into ice.
Filored
Not far away, Lydia waited patiently until the crowd began to thin before quietly pulling Garett aside. “What about the five percent stake your mother promised Flourish?”
She lowered her voice. “You’re not actually planning to hand it over, are you?”
Garett hesitated. “We’ll discuss that later.”
His brows remained tightly drawn together. “Did you notice her eyes? The way she’s looking at
us…”
He rubbed the back of his neck uneasily. “It gives me chills. I can’t even meet her gaze.”
Lydia glanced toward where I was standing before lowering her voice even further. “Fine. But after your mother is buried, we have to move quickly.”
Neither of them realized I was standing only a few feet away, hidden behind one of the large floral arrangements.
Every single word reached me with perfect clarity. A cold smile almost curved my lips.
Even now…
They weren’t thinking about Grandma.
They were thinking about her money.
A few moments later, Lydia returned to Selene’s side and gently squeezed her daughter’s hand before letting out a dramatic sigh.
“Selene, your sister has become terrifying. Didn’t your grandmother spoil her more than anyone else? Then how is it possible she hasn’t shed another tear?”
Selene delicately dabbed at her swollen eyes. “Who knows? Maybe Flourish really does have a heart of stone.”
She lowered her head with practiced pitifulness. “I can’t compare to her. When I heard Grandma had passed away, I cried until my eyes swelled.”
Lydia nodded sympathetically. “You’re just too kind. Some people are simply cold to the bone.”
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Chapter 83 A Warning Written In Steel
Their voices remained soft, but every word landed with perfect clarity.
I stepped out from behind the flowers.
Neither of them noticed me until my shadow stretched across the floor.
My gaze settled calmly on Selene. “Come with me.”
Her body stiffened. “What?” She stared at me uneasily. “What do want?”
you
A faint laugh escaped my lips, carrying not the slightest trace of warmth. “Are you afraid of me?”
“I’m not.” She lifted her chin stubbornly. Even so, she followed behind me.
I led her down a deserted hallway beside the funeral hall where no guests passed through. The silence there was suffocating.
Only then did I stop. Something silver flashed briefly in my hand.
Selene’s pupils shrank instantly.
Before she could react, I stepped forward, wrapping one arm around the back of her neck to pin her firmly in place while my other hand raised the silver dagger.
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