They Hated Me in My First Life, But Now I Have the Love System

Chapter 628: What If They Found Out?

"He was loyal. To his country. To his friends. To his family. He gave everything he had, and when that wasn’t enough, he gave himself. That is the kind of man we are laying to rest today. A man who should never be forgotten."

Across the rows, Ava’s hands shook where they gripped her umbrella. She bit her lip hard, fighting back sobs, her eyes fixed on the coffin as though willing it to open.

Beside her, King White wrapped a steadying hand over Queen White’s trembling fingers. The Queen’s face was streaked with tears, her lips moving silently as if whispering prayers into the rain.

Hannah buried her face in her palms, shoulders shaking, until one of Somto’s comrades gently put an arm around her. That single touch broke others too, within his circle, hardened soldiers and lifelong fighters bowed their heads, unable to hold their composure. Their grief was silent but vast, like a mountain collapsing inside.

Ebere clutched at her chest, whispering her brother’s name through the storm. Abuchi gritted his teeth, tears slipping freely despite how hard he tried to hide them. Obinna sat stiff, his face pale, the enormity of the brother he never fully knew hitting him like a blow he wasn’t ready for.

Even Queen Chioma’s lips trembled. She tried to sit tall, tried to hold on to anger, but grief clawed through her expression. Chidera, the youngest, leaned forward, his little fists tight, his eyes burning with confusion and pain as he stared at the coffin like it had betrayed him.

And then Nnenna lowered the paper. She didn’t need it anymore. Her voice wavered, but her words cut through with raw honesty.

"Somto... I will never forget what you did for me. I will never forget your sacrifices, the ones I know about, the ones I will still find out in the future and the ones I might never know. A part of me will always love you."

The note slipped from her lap, forgotten, carried away by the wind and rain.

Arthur’s jaw tightened, his knuckles whitening around the handle of his umbrella. For a moment he held it in, but a single tear escaped, tracing down his cheek and vanishing into the rain.

heaved as he tried to steady himself. Darius exhaled deeply, looking at Nnenna with something

clapped. No one moved. The only sound was the storm raging above, as if the

the first handfuls of sand landed on the wooden surface, the sound

storm, yet some, unable to contain their grief, let theirs fall aside, allowing the rain

anyone to bear. Slowly, the crowd thinned. Umbrellas drifted

sat silently, her chair rooted before the grave. Carl and Arthur stood behind her, unflinching sentinels in the storm. Hours slipped past unnoticed. The downpour showed no mercy,

and sorrow. Her hand brushed over the umbrella icon on her chair sensor without thinking, turning it

didn’t notice when Arthur and Carl quietly bowed their heads one final time and stepped away, leaving her alone with the grave,

first time since the cliff,

in denial. For five months she had fed herself with plans for revenge. Now, seven months later, the truth hit her like an avalanche: Somto was gone,

the cool stone of the tablet and whispered, "I’m still going to need a shoulder to rest on, Somto. But you’re not here

how to do this without you," she confessed to the empty

and that truth stung now more than ever. "I miss you,"

way she had reacted in the attempt to save herself. What if they found out? "Maybe I’ll finally get what I deserve," she whispered, anger and fear flashing in

it was me, tell them it

beg for pity. She only said the truth she had been holding back, the truth that might change

low. "Nnenna, come on. We need to

holding an umbrella over her and tapping the sensor to fold her canopy back. Rain