Chapter 4

The urn hit the ground and cracked open with countless fractures. The embedded diamonds scattered across the floor, and a cloud of ashes rose into the air, causing everyone to instinctively cover their mouths and noses.

The relatives who had been fighting immediately stopped, realizing they were in deep trouble if they stayed. They quickly scattered and fled in all directions.

Only Xena remained, still shouting curses.

"You shameless woman, I curse you to die a miserable death just like your mother! You won't even have an urn to hold your ashes!"

"Who’s not going to die a good death?"

Just as Xena was cursing me with all her might, Zac arrived.

He stepped into the room with a frown, his every movement showing the irritation of someone forced into a situation he did not want to be in.

"Layla, don’t tell me you made up some excuse just to see me. Didn’t my mother-in-law pass away a long time ago?"

Before he could finish, Xena's sweet, clingy voice chimed in.

She brushed the dust off her hands and rushed over to cling to Zac’s arm, burying her head in his suit.

"Mr. Quinn, what took you so long? This country bumpkin nearly bullied me to death!"

At the words "country bumpkin," Zac’s brows furrowed slightly, and he instinctively glanced at me.

Seeing that Zac was not paying me any attention, Xena snuggled closer to him, pouting, "Baby, I won’t hold your past with her against you. Just make sure she pays back that eight hundred thousand dollars so you can buy me a nice little apartment near the office. What do you say?"

While Xena was still daydreaming, I had already changed my clothes and was ready to leave.

Hearing the mention of eight hundred thousand dollars, Zac suddenly remembered the situation and grabbed my arm. "What’s going on here? Who died? And what’s this about eight hundred thousand dollars?"

I looked at the memorial photo Xena had knocked to the floor and smirked.

He clearly had not realized this was his own mother’s funeral.

Although Sally had been shamelessly squatting in this house, I was the one who had purchased it outright and Zac knew it. That’s why he naturally assumed the funeral was for one of my relatives.

He even started to scold me, as if I had taken over his mother’s house.

"And did you get my mom’s permission to hold a funeral here? Why would you do something so unlucky…"

"She chose it herself before she passed away, insisting on a custom-made urn. The urn alone cost eight hundred thousand dollars."

I interrupted Zac, deliberately ignoring his question and instead answered the one he asked earlier.

Without thinking, Zac accused me, "Don’t you have your own money? Why did you have to use mine?

"If you hadn’t used my card, none of this would’ve happened."

I understood what Zac meant. If I had not charged his card, Xena would not have seen it, and she would not have come here to cause trouble.

I got beaten up, mistaken for the other woman and humiliated. Yet it was still my fault?

I looked at Xena, then at Zac, and finally spoke.

"So, you didn’t tell her you’re already married?

"You also didn’t tell her that I’m your legal wife and she’s the mistress?"

Xena was stunned, her eyes darting between me and Zac. "How is that possible?

"How could a woman from the countryside like you be married to Mr. Quinn? You must be crazy!"

Zac remained silent.

Xena pushed him, panicking, "What’s going on? Hubby, say something!"

Finally, Zac lost his patience. He shoved Xena’s hand away and stood up, but his anger was directed at me.

"Can you stop? Do we have to do this right now?

"All this talk about mistresses. It’s too unpleasant. How do you expect Xena to save face if this gets out?"

Zac glanced around the room, finally noticing the pile of ashes that used to be an urn on the floor.

He paused, giving Xena a questioning look. Hesitantly, she explained what had happened.

He pulled Xena into his arms, soothing her, and lightly tapped her nose. "Xena might have gone too far this time, but I’ll give you some money to make up for it. But if you dare to spread rumors about her, don’t blame me for being harsh."

With that, Zac wrapped his arm around Xena and started to leave.

I stopped them in their tracks. "Aren’t you going to ask whose funeral this is?"

Zac frowned as if barely containing his frustration with me.

"We might still be married, but we’ve been done emotionally for a long time. Do I really need to spell that out for you? So, no matter who died in your family, I’m not obligated to pay or to show up in person.

"I’ve already been more than generous. Don’t push your luck, Layla."

I let out a cold laugh, forcing myself to ignore the pain coursing through my body. I walked over, picked up the fallen memorial photo, and threw it in front of Zac.

"Take a good look. Whose funeral is this?

"And whose urn did your little girlfriend smash to pieces?"