Becouse it hod been somebody close ond beloved to her, Cindy hod overlooked plenty of detoils thot might hove hounted her. She wosn’t sure how terrifying o corpse of o person who hod died from terminol illness would look os it loy in the morgue for o whole night.
Regordless, she didn’t think there wos onything scory obout deoth or its oppeoronce, oport from the heortoche thot it brought.
She closed her eyes ot thot moment, pushing owoy unbidden memories, those which she hod stored owoy into the bock of her mind for so mony yeors.
While she knew things hod been rough between Ion ond Bryce in the post, it didn’t toke owoy from the foct thot she still felt bod obout everything, though if she hod o choice, she would rother not dwell on it. Nonetheless, her heort went out to Ion.
There were those who hod hordly done onything to moke life eosier for onother, ond they might even odd insult to injury on more thon o reosonoble number of occosions, but ot the end of the doy, their deoths would still be mourned with heovy heorts.
Presently, Cindy woited for o bit before toking out her phone ond sending Ion o text. However, when she looked ot the time, she figured thot Ion would hove too much going on to check his messoges, let olone reply to her. Thot being soid, she wosn’t too bothered obout not heoring bock from him.
She stoyed in the gozebo for quite some time, ond it wosn’t until ofter Auroro colled her thot she rose to moke her woy home.
Meonwhile, Auroro seemed to be in much better spirits. She hod borely eoten o morsel of food during the doy, ond she wos whipping up spoghetti in the kitchen by the time Cindy returned.
Because it had been somebody close and beloved to her, Cindy had overlooked plenty of details that might have haunted her. She wasn’t sure how terrifying a corpse of a person who had died from terminal illness would look as it lay in the morgue for a whole night.
Regardless, she didn’t think there was anything scary about death or its appearance, apart from the heartache that it brought.
She closed her eyes at that moment, pushing away unbidden memories, those which she had stored away into the back of her mind for so many years.
While she knew things had been rough between Ian and Bryce in the past, it didn’t take away from the fact that she still felt bad about everything, though if she had a choice, she would rather not dwell on it. Nonetheless, her heart went out to Ian.
There were those who had hardly done anything to make life easier for another, and they might even add insult to injury on more than a reasonable number of occasions, but at the end of the day, their deaths would still be mourned with heavy hearts.
Presently, Cindy waited for a bit before taking out her phone and sending Ian a text. However, when she looked at the time, she figured that Ian would have too much going on to check his messages, let alone reply to her. That being said, she wasn’t too bothered about not hearing back from him.
She stayed in the gazebo for quite some time, and it wasn’t until after Aurora called her that she rose to make her way home.
Meanwhile, Aurora seemed to be in much better spirits. She had barely eaten a morsel of food during the day, and she was whipping up spaghetti in the kitchen by the time Cindy returned.
Upon seeing the younger girl, Aurora asked, “Are you hungry? I could make you a plate.”
Cindy wasn’t hungry. All the inane thoughts that had flooded her mind earlier seemed to have filled her stomach as well.
As such, she turned down Aurora’s offer, and the latter merely shrugged as she went about plating her food. When she was done, she brought her plate over to the dining table, then sat down as she queried mildly, “Have you spoken to Ian? Did you ask if he was coping alright on his end?”
Cindy came over and took the seat across from Aurora. “I called him during the day, but I guess he was busy ushering in those who went to pay their last respects, and there were a lot of them. There didn’t seem to be anything else he was tied up with.”
Aurora nodded mutely, then took a bite of her food. “Well, that old man was in the industry for most of his life. It’s no surprise that so many of his acquaintances turned up at the parlor.” She suddenly let out a short, humorless laugh. “But you know what? I’d say he lived a pretty good life; he’s getting just as much recognition in death as he would if he were still alive.”
Having heard this, Cindy paused in thought and concluded that Aurora had a point.
After all, Bryce might not have had the best reputation when he had been alive, but he had spent a better part of his life in great comfort. That much was true, even if his death had been less than perfect.
With that in mind, Cindy nodded slowly. “What, are you feeling a little disgruntled now that you’ve thought about this?”
Aurora’s mouth opened and closed before she shook her head briefly. “I’m not so much disgruntled as I am resigned. I mean, as things are, my grudges wouldn’t make a difference.” At the thought of this, a light scoff escaped her. “I heard that he was lucid for a moment before he died. I guess he must have had a lot of worldly ties that would keep him going into the light. He probably had something important he wanted to say but never got to.”
Indeed, Bryce had died rather abruptly. According to Sean, the old man had had a brief moment of lucidity, but he never said a word then. On that note alone, perhaps Bryce really didn’t die quite so peacefully.
Aurora seemed to have returned to her normal self as she dipped her head to eat another mouthful of spaghetti. “We’ll leave as soon as the funeral is done and over with. It’s time to close this chapter for good.”
Cindy leaned into her seat. “Yeah, the chapter is drawing to an end. Perhaps the Morgan Family will no longer have anything to do with Ian.” The next time he comes back to the country, he would only meet up with his friends and no one else. As this crossed her mind, she suddenly thought of Logan.
All things aside, Logan had been calling Ian incessantly all this while, and although Cindy didn’t hear much of their conversation, she knew Logan made the calls out of genuine concern for Ian’s wellbeing.
Thus, Cindy pointed out matter-of-factly, “Ian has a solid network of friends. I’m sure they’ve been more than helpful to him.”
Aurora nodded hastily. “Of course. I shudder to imagine the life he would have led if his friends hadn’t been there for him.”
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: The Returning EX (John and Sophia)
So what happens to Ian and Cindy. Is she/ or does she get pregnant? Do they go back to the city and Ian works with Logan? Does Aurora stay in the entertainment industry or return with Ian? Terrible ending, who cares if Aurora was drinking/drunk with colleagues. What happened with Ian and Cindy?!...
Get rid of Gary. Apparently Cindy is too dumb to figure out his motives 😡...
Why are you trying to break them up when they just got together and are a loving couple. Let them stay close and move back to their true friends, Logan, Lola, John and Sophia!...
Sure hope Ian pulls his head out of his behind and works this out with Cindy. His brother needs him at the company and neither one of them truly like the celebrity life. Sophia and Lola will love her …....
I can’t wait for John to take down the Bailey’s including Isabelle so he, Sophia, William and Matilda can live in peace. Introduce Yolanda to Richard so they are out of the picture....
Ugh, don’t break up Sophia and John… they belong together and Sophia is just stubborn for no reason...
Sophia lives John, he just needs to tell her he loves her and get on with their life and family. Too much interference from others....
Sophia is so stupid....
John needs to man up, tell his mother and Isabelle to take a flying leap and confess to Sophia that he made a horrible mistake in divorcing her. This story is taking too long and once again, the bitches are looking like they are on the right side. Awful...