Mr. Chairman’s Devious Wife by Brey Mitchylle

Chapter 85

For years, Sofia wondered how it would feel to have a good relationship with her grandmother. Just as she finally had the chance for that to happen, her grandmother left.

She glanced at the flowers surrounding the urn. The scent of lilies hung heavily in the air, a stark contrast to the vibrant woman they were honoring. Sofia traced the smooth surface of the urn, the polished wood cool against her fingertips. It felt so final, a cruel punctuation mark on a life well-lived.

Around her, murmurs of condolence swirled, distant like underwater echoes. Sofia wanted to cry too, but the tears wouldn’t come. Was it strange? Probably. All she felt was a hollow ache in her chest, a suffocating numbness.

Earlier, at the hospital, the doctor’s words echoed in her ears: “peaceful passing,” they had said. But there was nothing peaceful about this. It felt more like a theft, a cruel joke that snatched away the one person who had truly understood her in this whole mess.

Alexander stood a few paces back, his face etched with stoic grief. “My condolences….” a voice suddenly caught her attention. Sofia’s eyes landed on the old man in a wheelchair. This was none other than William Clarence. “Your grandmother was… a very respectable woman.”

“Thank you,” Sofia said. She offered William Clarence a tight smile, silently acknowledging his kind words. It had been a whirlwind since her grandmother’s passing. News had spread quickly, and the outpouring of support had been overwhelming yet comforting.

Eulanda, ever the planner, had left specific instructions for her own goodbye. She didn’t want a grand affair filled with distant acquaintances.

Instead, she desired a small, intimate gathering – just two hours for close friends and family to share memories and celebrate her life. The scent of lilies, Eulanda’s favorite flower, filled the room, a gentle fragrance that mingled with the soft murmurs of shared stories and laughter.

She looked around and noticed a few members of the Lockhart Family, faces she had not seen in the past. Sadly, she was not that close to this side of the family as her mother-Eunice, and Lawrence cut off contact with most of them when they refused to accept Lawrence and Charlotte into the family.

Most, if not all, members of the Lockhart Family were quite close to Eulanda. And just like Eulanda, they initially declined Lawrence’s request to take on the Lockhart last name. The fact that Lawrence married her mother didn’t automatically mean that he, along with his daughter, was welcome at any event.

Because of this, Sofia grew up without attending Lockhart Family events as her mother refused to come without Lawrence and Charlotte. Young Sofia never asked questions, and when she grew up, she too developed a sense of protectiveness over

Charlotte.

At one point, she hated the members of the Lockhart Family for not accepting Lawrence and Charlotte. William, along with his grandson, found their own seat just as Sofia continued talking to a few other people.

“Wherever she is… I am certain she was satisfied with the life that she lived.” A woman suddenly interrupted Sofia’s stupor. Sofia looked at the woman who stood by her side. In response, the woman stared back at her. Green eyes-just like hers. “I have not seen you since you were a child…” the woman added. “You do remember me… right?”

“Annabelle Lockhart…” Sofia mumbled.

your Aunt. You

of the Lockhart Family. However, she could no longer remember meeting the woman once. Anna is actually her mother’s second cousin and has been living in Europe all this time. She would

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Chapter 85

already walked away, her back straight. A bittersweet ache settled in Sofia’s chest as she watched her unfamiliar, aunt disappear into

of the wake Eulanda had planned were drawing to a close. The air, thick with the scent of lilies

she heard Alexander’s

yesterday.” She couldn’t understand why he would suddenly cancel all of his plans just to come here. This was no longer part of their deal. Strangely enough, his

wife at a time like this?” he arched an eyebrow. A blush heated Sofia’s cheeks. “It wasn’t my intention to

he said. She didn’t know if this was intentional, but somehow Sofia felt a little warmer. It was as if he

awareness of his nearness throwing her off balance. “We should probably head

around

stupor. “Lawrence Lockhart

expression turned cold as her eyes moved towards the entrance. Almost immediately, she found

in wearing an all-black crisp

she met Karina’s eyes.

said. “Everything is ready.”

Lawrence. “You came…”