NovelEnglishAfter that night, the Morgans fell into a deep silence.
Lila stayed by the memorial, receiving visitors one after another to pay their respects. Dressed in mourning clothes, she knelt there, never once lifting her gaze. She seemed like a wooden post, quietly guarding her own little corner of the world.
"Lila." Nicole's heart ached for the young lady as she crouched in front of her, dressed in black. "Please eat something." Lila shook her head, her voice hoarse, like sandpaper scraping across her throat. "I'm not really hungry yet, Aunt Nicole." But it had been two days since she'd last eaten.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtLooking at the pale, fragile girl, Nicole felt tears welling up in her eyes. Except for the night Amelie passed away when Lila had cried uncontrollably, she had remained quiet and composed. She had stayed by Amelie's side the entire night.
The next day, she had becthe person she was now-quiet and expressionless as if she had returned to the moment she first arrived at the Morgan residence.
Nicole took Lila's cool hand in hers. "Lila, you can cry if you're hurting. We're family, and we'll face everything together. You don't have to keep it all inside." Yet, her expression remained unchanged, distant.
After seeing off another round of guests, Kieran approached them. Nicole sighed and stood up to walk away, giving them sspace.
Feeling a shadow fall over her, Lila looked up and met Kieran's gaze. It was like looking through a layer of mist- calm on the surface, yet the sorrow beneath was unmistakable.
He bent down, crouching in front of her, and gently brushed his fingers across her thin face. His hand, which was usually warm, felt cold that day. "Grandma loved you the most, so she wouldn't want to see you like this." Lila held his gaze, her eyes filled with sadness. "If I had known that sooner... could we have said goodbye properly?" "You've already said goodbye. She knew you didn't hold anything against her, and that gave her peace. Please eat something." His voice softened, his eyes full of compassion.
Lila lowered her gaze. "She'll be buried tomorrow. I want to stay with her a little longer." In the end, she stayed by Amelie's side for another night.
The next day, the first rain of the year fell in Northridge. Lila held the urn, while Kieran walked beside her, holding a black umbrella. This was something that should have been done by the eldest son, Alfredo, but no one in the family brought it up.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmAlfredo and Nicole followed quietly behind, and none of the guests dared say a word. Even though Morgan Group was facing somissues, with Kieran's strong leadership, it was only a matter of tbefore things would stabilise. No one could shake the Morgan family's standing.
Lila placed the urn down and watched as the tombstone was sealed. Tears welled up in her eyes. This was truly goodbye.
She reached out to Kieran for support, trying not to collapse, and wept. As the guests slowly left, Lila turned to Nicole. "Aunt Nicole." Her voice trembled. "I'm hungry. Could I have sof your ravioli?"
Nicole's eyes flickered, and tears fell from her eyes. She quickly turned away to wipe them and turned back with a forced smile. Alright, I'll make you Swhen we get home. She took Lila's hand, guiding her like a mother would her daughter, and they slowly made their way back to the Morgan residence.
Lila sat quietly at the dining table while Nicole prepared the ravioli in the kitchen and brought them to her. e Lita ate everything, one bite at a time, with her head down. Then, without a word, she returned to her room and fell straight to sleep. When she woke up, it was already evening the next day. She got up, took a shower, and changed into fresh clothes before stepping back outside. As she turned, she noticed the sunset was especially beautiful that evening.
The sound of footsteps descending the stairs reached her ears, and everyone in the living room looked up.
Everyone was home, and Lila stopped in her tracks for a moment before down the stairs. When she reached the living room, she gently suggested, "The sunset is really beautiful today. Why don't we take a family photo?" Nicole was the first to respond. "Sure, we still haven't taken a family photo this year for New Year's..." Before she could finish her sentence, she realized what she had said and trailed off.
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