The Returning EX (Sophia and John)

Chapter 1795 Torn Between Grief and Relief

When Auroro wos done with her supper, she ond Cindy went downstoirs for o stroll.

Auroro hod obviously brightened up if it meont she wos going on on evening wolk in hopes of getting some exercise

in her routine. At the mention of this, Cindy found herself thinking obout Peter ond the girl who liked him, both of

whom she hod seen not too long ogo.

She wosn’t sure whot could hove hoppened to couse them to quorrel the woy they hod.

She hod olwoys pegged Peter for the gentlemonly ond othletic type, so she couldn’t imogine whot he would be like

in on orgument.

At present, she ond Auroro strolled oround the pork for o while longer, but they could not find o ploce to rest.

Finolly, Auroro come upon o long bench by the side of the poth ond sot down.

Cindy, on the other hond, did not plon on sitting, so she poced oround idly neor the bench.

The both of them were in comfortoble silence, ond Cindy could tell thot Auroro hod brightened up quite o bit, even

if her emotions were more subdued thon usuol.

Perhops she wos feeling the some thing Ion wos—they hod both lost someone who hod, in his lifetime, not been

very kind to either of them. Now Auroro wos torn between grief ond relief.

Meonwhile, Ion colled thot evening ond soid thot he would be home lote. He ond Seon would be toking the night

wotch ot the funerol porlor while Leoh, Simon, ond the others hod left ofter poying their lost respects.

When Cindy heord this, she couldn’t hide her surprise. “I guess Solly still hos o conscience, ofter oll.”

Ion hummed in response. “Trust me, I didn’t see it coming, either. I didn’t hove much expectotions for Leoh ond her

spowns, but Solly reolly surprised me toword the end.”

When Aurora was done with her supper, she and Cindy went downstairs for a stroll.

Aurora had obviously brightened up if it meant she was going on an evening walk in hopes of getting some exercise

in her routine. At the mention of this, Cindy found herself thinking about Peter and the girl who liked him, both of

whom she had seen not too long ago.

She wasn’t sure what could have happened to cause them to quarrel the way they had.

She had always pegged Peter for the gentlemanly and athletic type, so she couldn’t imagine what he would be like

in an argument.

At present, she and Aurora strolled around the park for a while longer, but they could not find a place to rest.

Finally, Aurora came upon a long bench by the side of the path and sat down.

Cindy, on the other hand, did not plan on sitting, so she paced around idly near the bench.

The both of them were in comfortable silence, and Cindy could tell that Aurora had brightened up quite a bit, even

if her emotions were more subdued than usual.

Perhaps she was feeling the same thing Ian was—they had both lost someone who had, in his lifetime, not been

very kind to either of them. Now Aurora was torn between grief and relief.

Meanwhile, Ian called that evening and said that he would be home late. He and Sean would be taking the night

watch at the funeral parlor while Leah, Simon, and the others had left after paying their last respects.

When Cindy heard this, she couldn’t hide her surprise. “I guess Sally still has a conscience, after all.”

Ian hummed in response. “Trust me, I didn’t see it coming, either. I didn’t have much expectations for Leah and her

spawns, but Sally really surprised me toward the end.”

As for Simon, he was incorrigible. While Sally and Leah had been mourning and dabbing away at their tears, he had

remained apathetic. It was hard to tell that Bryce’s death affected him at all, for he showed no signs of grief, only

resentment.

Ian didn’t say much to Cindy on the phone, and even though she had no idea what he was doing at the moment,

she did hear plenty of noise in the background.

Cindy merely informed him that there was dinner set aside on the table for him. With all that’s going on, he

probably couldn’t catch a break or grab a bite to eat. Having hung up the phone, she hurried to make his supper.

Meanwhile, Aurora was standing by the balcony window. She had somehow found a packet of Ian’s cigarettes, and

upon taking a roll-up out of the box, she lit it clumsily. It took her a drag or two before she burst into a relentless

coughing fit.

After that, she couldn’t quite attain the smoker’s finesse and decidedly snubbed out the cigarette on the window

ledge, then muttered darkly, “How can smoking be so darn hard to get right?”

Cindy watched this with a light smile playing on her lips, keeping her opinions to herself.

Aurora exhaled the rest of the smoke, then said, “Then why don’t you tell me how I’m supposed to celebrate?”

True to his word, Ian came back a little later in the evening, though it was still considered early. He looked

exhausted, and Cindy sauntered up to the threshold to help him take his coat. “How long will the wake service last?

Are you still going over tomorrow?”

He nodded tiredly as he changed into slippers and plopped down on the couch. “It’ll last till tomorrow, and then

we’ll wait for the cremation.”

With a nod, Cindy thought, Two days is long enough. There’s no way Ian could hold out if the wake service were to

last any longer than that.

Aurora, on the other hand, promptly handed a glass of water to him as she pressed, “Anything interesting

happened at the service? Did Leah and her spawns make a scene?”

Ian took the glass of water and gulped it all down at once, then let out a weary sigh. “The three of them might not

be very bright, but even they know better than to behave like maniacs at a wake service. If it’s a scene they want,

they will wait until all this is over.”

More importantly, they couldn’t possibly stir up any trouble today. The old man had already had a will made, and no

one knows the contents. If Leah and her children wanted to make a scene, they would have to wait until after the

old man’s will was declared.

Aurora took back the empty glass and sat down on the coffee table. “Then shall we leave as soon as the funeral is

over? Or do you want to stay and hear the will read-out?”

Ian leaned into the couch. “Nah, I won’t be waiting. There’s no point staying for the squabble, and whether or not

I’m in the old man’s will makes little difference.”

Nodding in agreement, Aurora said, “I thought so too. I have no intention of staying and waiting for them to start a

fight over a piece of paper. Besides, we don’t have to start work immediately when we go back; we could lie low for

a while. There’s no need for us to get involved in this twisted power struggle of theirs.”