Vampire's Veil Of Obsession-Chapter 122: Funeral

Days Passed.

Inside a large hall, the soft sounds of a choir echoed—gentle voices, slow violins, and the low, melodic hum of singers gathered in the corner. The music was slow and mournful, weaving through the air as people sat in grief. Some cried quietly, parting their gaze from the world as sorrow held them close, like a hunger that could never be sated.

Lilia and Zethan sat together, in a section of the hall designated especially for them. Both were dressed in solemn black. Zethan wore a sleek black suit with matching pants and polished shoes, while Lilia was dressed in a flared black gown that reached her ankles. Her hair was pulled into a tight bun, adorned with a few elegant pins.

Across the hall, her mother sobbed softly, her shoulders trembling with each breath. Beside her, Lilia’s sister Sabrina stood silently, gently patting her shoulder in quiet comfort. Then, without warning, the choir fell silent—cutting off the melody and leaving only the weight of grief hanging in the air.

Finally, a figure walked toward the altar, his steps slow and deliberate. At the center stood her father’s coffin, his picture resting beside it, along with a delicate flower. The man paused before speaking, his voice heavy with practiced solemnity.

"We have lost a brother, a father, an uncle, and a future grandfather," he said.

Lilia stared at him, frozen. Her father’s brother, Mr. Jude, stood there. She couldn’t believe it. She had almost forgotten he existed. Wasn’t he the one her father had clashed with so many years ago? And now, here he was, standing before her father’s coffin, speaking as though he truly cared.

Lilia knew better. She knew exactly what he was: just another man playing a part. She could see right through his words—she knew he didn’t mean a single one of them.

She knew this man too well. In fact, there was a time, when she was between 11 and 12 years old, her father had worked tirelessly—sleepless nights spent just to surpass this man and his company in the rankings of the top five in the city. She remembered it vividly—the tension, the stress, the constant competition. It had caused so many problems that her father had explicitly told them never to speak to this man, even if he ever pretended to be friendly.

It had been so bad back then that even though they were children, Lilia and her sister could see the strain in their parents’ eyes. It was impossible to hide. And now, here she was, facing him on the very day of her father’s death. What an irony.

The man took out a handkerchief, dabbing at his eyes as he sniffled, his voice breaking as he spoke.

"I know you have gone to a better place. We may have had our rough times, but we are still family, and I... I lo... love you. May your soul rest in perfect peace."

He sniffed at the word love to cover the fact that he had a hard time saying it.

The words lingered in the air as the hall echoed, "Perfect peace, may it rest." A brief silence followed, thick with unspoken emotions.

Zethan’s hand remained tightly entwined with Lilia’s, his thumb brushing gently over her palm, offering a quiet comfort. In that moment, it was clear: the only reason Zethan was here was because of Lilia. That, and nothing more.

It was obvious he could see the falseness in the air, the way these people pretended to care. Everyone was dressed in black, their solemn faces hiding the truth—that most had come just to see Mr. Zethan attend.

Rumors had spread that he would be coming. That was why the crowd was even larger than usual.

Then, Lilia’s uncle’s gaze shifted toward them. His eyes locked on their path, and a faint, small smile tugged at the corners of his lips—only to disappear as quickly as it came.

In fact, he had heard plenty of rumors about his brother’s daughter marrying Zethan, but he hadn’t believed them. So the shock still lingered, settling heavily in the deepest part of him.

He cleared his throat before speaking quietly, "I know my brother would be very proud, wherever he is, that his daughter married such a suitable and wonderful young man."

The crowd nodded.

Lilia’s eyes fluttered shut for a moment, her breath catching. She muttered to herself, barely audible, "Was that even necessary?"

This man, so shameless, couldn’t even hide the fact that he was here to gain something tonight.

The man continued, his voice low, "I’ll be leaving now, as we would like a moment of silence." He paused before adding, "But it seems my brother’s wife can’t speak, as she’s overcome with grief."

All eyes turned toward Lilia’s mother, still stubbornly holding back her emotions. Her eyes were puffy, her lips chapped, and yet, there was Sabrina—her most respectful daughter—holding her, gently patting her back while sobbing into a handkerchief. She dabbed at her eyes carefully, as though trying not to ruin her expensive eyeliner, no matter the occasion.

The crowd nodded solemnly, their heads bowing in understanding. They could only guess how painful it must have been for her—if they only knew the whole story.

Then, there was a soft clap—a single, lonely clap, followed by another. The man dropped the mic, bowing slightly before stepping off the stage.

A voice echoed through the hall. "There will be five seconds of silence."

For five long seconds, the place was quiet—except for the soft sniffles of Lilia’s mother.

After the moment of silence, Zethan’s eyes never left Lilia. Her emotions swirled, not just from pain but from anger. She knew her father had taken good care of her for his benefit—but he had still taken good care of her. The unfairness in this hall was annoying. She could not imagine the feeling of having fake people all around her.

Death is really scary. Imagine dying and in your final moments, fake people—some who even wished for your death—stand around and sob.

The funeral was over. It was time to take the coffin out.

But the anger bubbling inside Lilia was almost too much for her to bear. Zethan finally stood, holding her hand. Together, they began to leave. The eyes of the room followed them quietly, murmurs stirring as they watched the couple exit early.

She didn’t even see her mother or sister. She doesn’t deserve him. Why is he even with her?

The whispers moved, but none were loud enough for Zethan to hear—as they all knew their fate if he did.

Mr. Jude started to panic. He had planned to use Lilia as bait to get close to Zethan, but it seemed the plan had failed before it could even begin. They were already leaving, and his opportunity had slipped away.

That wasn’t the plan. Why was Mr. Zethan leaving now? Oh, what was he going to do? He couldn’t possibly leave now—it would look suspicious. What was he going to do?

All eyes turned toward them as Lilia and Zethan left the hall. The moment they were out the door, Lilia’s mother started to breathe heavily. Panic rippled through the crowd as her father’s brother rushed to her side. She gasped for air, and the room seemed to hold its breath in unison.

It seems opportunity comes but once—and this was definitely the opportunity he needed.

Sabrina moved quickly, trying to support her mother, but it was clear that her mother was too heavy for her to manage alone. Her father’s brother stepped in, helping Sabrina guide her toward a door leading to a sitting room. The people watching understood what was happening and didn’t seem too concerned.

Inside the room, Lilia’s father’s brother shut the door softly and spoke in a quiet tone. "How are you feeling now?"

Mrs. Winslow slowly lifted her eyes, a tear slipping down her cheek as she began to sob again.

"He was a great man. Why? Why? Why is the world so wicked? Why is the world so cruel? Oh, I cannot live without him."

Mr. Jude lowered his head, shaking it in pure grief.

"It’s better you stay strong," he spoke quietly. "Now is when your daughter needs you the most... so please, be strong."

A smile tugged at her lips as she spoke, her grief momentarily giving way to something else.

Sabrina let out a small laugh, shaking her head. "Mom, you got me there. I totally thought you were feeling guilty," she said quietly, a smile creeping across her face.

Her mother looked at her with a sly grin. "Did I act well?"

Sabrina nodded enthusiastically. "Mom, you did perfectly. In fact, I give you a 10 out of 10. You could outshine any actor in this country."

Her mother smiled, pleased with the performance. She then turned toward her husband’s brother with a serious expression.

"So, how are we going to share my husband’s property?"