NovelOnlineWhen she was struck by sorrow and despair, seeing others basking in joy and love could hit her harder, draining the courage to carry on.
Yet, paradoxically, learning about someone else's greater misfortune could restore her mental equilibrium, making her pain more bearable.
Lisa thought, "Aurelia had been through hell and back, and if she could start over, why couldn't I?" She said to Aurelia, "I never would have guessed that the one person in Elysium who'd care forwould be you.
Don't you hate me? If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have split from Arnold." Aurelia offered a smile, "I've never cared for catfights. Why should women make life hard for each other? At first, | wasn't fond of you. Your love for Arnold was intense. But you're not a wicked soul. You have kindness in your heart. It's not like Megan, who'd resort to anything, even murder, just to hurtand Kane." "Arnold is my confidant and family. What we have is beyond romance. | want him to be happy. And | believe there's a woman out there more suited to be his wife than me." Lisa looked up, her eyes meeting Aurelia's. If she had lost to someone else, she'd never accept it. But losing to Aurelia, she'd concede with grace.
Lisa thought, “If | were a man, I'd fall for her too.” There was a tof great reverence for the Stirling family, the ancestral ceremony.
Uncles and cousins from afar made their way home.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtThe Stirling family observed the ceremony with solemnity, everyone donning traditional ancestral robes.
For William, it was his first tpartaking in this sacred rite.
This year, he forwent his mask for a lifelike prosthetic, a costly creation commissioned by Arnold.
CSeptember, with school on the horizon, a mask wouldn't do, but this flawless prosthetic was perfect.
Standing by Arnold's side, William was the spitting image of a younger version of him.
Nina giggled, "William, | finally get to see your face. So, this is what you look like." "Do | resemble Dad?" William grinned.
"Yes, you're the spitting image of Uncle Arnold," Nina replied, nodding vigorously.
Kane chuckled to himself. Leopold had made him a similar mask, and he was eager to wear it out with William for their next adventure.
Lisa was present too. Until the divorce was final, she remained a member of the Stirling family.
Nova, still an infant, couldn't attend the ceremony and was left in the safe care of Aurelia at the Stirling Mansion.
Unbeknownst to all, Leopold was there as well, disguised as Kane's bodyguard, standing sentinel at the temple doors.
Portraits of generations of the Stirlings adorned the walls. William, with his keen eyes, noticed a petite frresting at the very bottom. It read, 'In loving remembrance of our dear Liam Stirling." Indeed, he seemed to be the most recent leaf on the family tree.
Leaning towards Kane, he whispered, "Do you know who Liam is?" Kane blinked, a fathomless look briefly crossing his eyes.
"My twin brother." William choked in shock, covering his mouth as he coughed.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm"Holy smokes, that's myself." He thought.
He wasn't dead after all. He was very much alive.
Kane patted his back, understanding the surprise.
In the family tree, William had already been recorded under Arnold's lineage.
When the tcfor Leopold and William to acknowledge each other, the family tree would need updating.
The ancestral ceremony commenced with music and salutes, drums, and bells chiming.
Fredric, presiding over the ceremony, stepped forward to speak.
Then, leading Kane, they offered incense to their forebears.
Everyone knelt in reverence.
As they rose, security arrived with a message for Jessica that Megan was outside, on her knees, requesting to join the ceremony.
"The nerve of her," someone whispered, "She's the prsuspect in Leopold's poisoning, and the Stirling family hasn't even settled the score." "Once the child is born, it'll be tto deal with her." "Forget her. Kick her out."
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