Chapter 405: My Husband, My Secret Lover

Stela Walker POV

Yvonne was still little and didn't know what I was doing. While looking at me checking the list, she asked in confusion, "Mom, where has Great-grandpa gone? Why doesn't he come back home? Why is his photo black and white?" As she spoke, she pointed at Grandpa Gary's photo in the mourning hall.

The photo was Grandpa Gary's favorite one and it could manifest his vast, authoritative presence.

Hearing Yvonne's questions, I was stunned and didn't know how to explain the meaning of death to the children. After thinking for a while, I said euphemistically, "Tomorrow we'll hold a funeral for your great-grandpa. His friends will come to see him for the last time."

When Yvonne heard the last sentence that I had said, she knew that she couldn't see Grandpa Gary anymore and tears welled up in her eyes. "Won't Great-grandpa come back? Where has he gone?"

Christina then immediately asked, "Mom, do you know where Great-grandpa is? Can we go to see him?"

For a moment, I didn't know how to reply to them. I didn't want them to know the meaning of death too early because it was too cruel.

Not wanting my tearful daughters to be sad, I comforted them and said, "We can't go to see him, but we can remember him forever."

Grandpa Gary has passed away and can't come back to life. Remembering him forever is the best way for us to show our love to him. His kindness will have lived with us all our lives, I thought.

Not understanding my words, Yvonne and Christina still felt weepy, their eyes bright with tears.

At this time, Aelius came over and explained the meaning of death to them in an acceptable way, "Great Grandpa has gone to the vast space. He has become a star, so he won't come back."

Seeing him like this, I remembered that Hayden also always suppressed his feelings like this and then breathed a sigh of relief.

Then I said with a smile, "Aelius is right. Great-grandpa has become a star and he will watch you grow up in the sky."

Hearing this, Yvonne pouted and said, "Mom, I want to see Great-grandpa. Can you take us to watch the stars?"

Sitting beside me, Christina reached out to grab the hem of my clothes, tried to hold back her tears, and said, "Mom, I miss Great-grandpa too."

"It's daytime now. After the funeral tomorrow, I'll take you to watch the stars, okay?" I quickly said, unable to bear to see them so sad. "Now the most important thing for us is to hold a funeral for your Great-grandpa. He's looking at us in the sky. We should prepare everything well and not let him down."

Grandpa Gary had treated me well when he was alive. All I can do for him is to do my bit for the preparation of his funeral, I thought.

The next day, the funeral was carried out in the morning. It was not with great pomp, but all the people who were supposed to come had come to express their condolences to Hayden. And everyone at the funeral was dressed in black. Aelius gave each mourner a white flower while I gave each of them a small pot of plant.

When a man asked me if the potted plants bore any special meaning, I stroked the leaves of the plant in my hand and replied, "Mr. King specially prepared these plants to thank you for coming to Grandpa Gary's funeral. When Grandpa Gary was alive, he loved this kind of plant the most. He hopes that when you see these potted plants, you can think of Grandpa Gary." After saying that, I handed the pot of plant in her hand to that man.

Hearing this, the man nodded, took the pot from my hand, and said with a sigh, "Old Mr. King is a good man. I'll always remember him. Hope Mr. King can get out of the sadness soon." Then he looked at Hayden.

Following his gaze, I saw that Hayden, sitting in his wheelchair, was laying flowers beside Grandpa Gary's portrait in the mourning hall.

As Grandpa Gary wished when he was alive, his funeral was simple. And the music played in the mourning hall was his favorite song. The last part of the funeral was to mourn him. After Hayden delivered a eulogy, everyone lowered their heads and mourned for Grandpa Gary.

After the funeral, Hayden went to the study and stayed there all the time. He didn't even come out to have dinner. In the evening, Luke served him some food.

Knowing that Hayden was not in a good mood, I thought it would be better to leave him alone so I didn't go to disturb him. After dinner, I took the children to the terrace on the top floor of the villa as I had promised them.

When they saw the spacious terrace, they were amazed and marveled in unison.

"Mom, it's so beautiful here," Yvonne said in surprise as she looked around and blinked her big eyes which were as bright as stars. "Are we closer to Great-grandpa now?"

"Yes," I said, gently picked her up, and pointed at the bright starry sky. "Look, there are so many stars in the sky. One of them is your Great-grandpa."

Yvonne and Christina then stared at the sky and discussed which star was Grandpa Gary. Hearing their childish discussion, Aelius, knowing that a person couldn't turn into a star, was infected by their emotions and couldn't help saying, "Mom, Great-grandpa is a good person. He must be the brightest star in the sky."

"Yes," I replied with a smile. Seeing Christina standing on tiptoe to see the stars more clearly, I put Yvonne down and picked up Christina.

After landing on the ground, Yvonne leaned against my leg and took out as many chocolate balls as possible from her pocket. Then she raised them high and also stood on tiptoe.

Seeing her like this, Aelius stretched out his arm to protect her in case she would lose her balance and fall. Then he asked in confusion, "Yvonne, what are you doing?"

"I want to give these chocolate balls to Great-grandpa. He is so far away from us and must have no chocolate to eat in the space," Yvonne said with tears in her eyes.

Holding Christina with one arm, I caressed Yvonne's head with the other hand and said gently, "Good girl. If your Great grandpa knew that you gave him so many chocolates, he would be happy. But he didn't like chocolates. You can keep them for yourself."

Hearing this, Yvonne put the chocolate back into her pocket. The more she thought about Grandpa Gary, the sadder she became and she was not even in the mood to eat her favorite chocolates. After a while, she couldn't hold back her tears anymore and began to cry loudly.

Standing beside her, Aelius gently patted her on the back and comforted her for a long time before she stopped crying. Then in a sobbing tone, she asked, "Will Great-grandpa come back if I don't eat chocolate anymore?"