Chapter 126: Rest In Peace

The fear that leaked through her words was real. The thing she worried most about was being hated. Particularly, she was terrified that Luther would hate her and all her efforts would amount to nothing.

Luther took a shuddering breath and pinched the bridge of his nose. “How could I hate you?” he barely squeezed out. “How could you beg Uncle Casper just to get a dead body back?” Tears finally escaped the corner of his eyes. His hands fell limply to the side and he shook his head in disbelief.

Aurelia reached up and wiped the droplet with her thumb. “It’s not a dead body… It’s Sharon…”

“Uncle Casper could turn around and blame you for the assassination just like he did Ronald,” he said. His voice was deeper, filled with concern… the genuine kind.

“I, of all people, would never collude with Sharon. She tried to kill me, remember?” Again, she wiped another tear.

“Never do something like this again.” His eyes roved over her face, taking in every inch of her skin and trying to etch into his memory how remarkable she was.

Aurelia smiled insincerely. “Okay.”

But Luther knew Aurelia would throw herself in front of a bullet to save him. She would always place him first.

“Aurelia, I’m being serious.”

“I know.” She pushed his shoulder, silently asking him to go inside his room. “Your dinner has been kept warm. Eat it before the staff goes to bed.”

He lingered, wondering what he could say. Nothing felt appropriate.

He could only enjoy her care and turn around. His steps were slow, reluctant. His door closed softly, and the lock turned a moment after, as if he were contemplating turning around and ending the conversation with her. Aurelia waited for a few minutes until she heard shuffling in his room. Her stance changed, and she closed the door before he could come out and use up more of her time.

Her food was already cold. She huffed and shoved the rest of it inside her mouth.

.

Aurelia, dressed in all black, stood in the middle of the cemetery. The priest from the adjoining church read the prayers before the casket was lowered into the ground. The cemetery was empty except for five people.

Aurelia, Luther, the priest, and two men waiting with shovels.

Luther, solemnly dressed, stood beside her, lamenting how no one else was in attendance. He glanced at Aurelia, who had her head down reverently, listening to the prayers in deep concentration.

She had not said a single word to him about this ceremony. The cemetery was abandoned and the church really small. Most of the residents of this place had died centuries ago, or their identities never found.

“Why did you choose such a place?” he lowered his voice to ask.

Aurelia watched him from the corner of her eyes. “This is the farthest cemetery from the one Beckett family has bought out. I wanted to be discreet lest word reached people we know. If Grandpa or Uncle Casper finds out, they won't let us off.”

Her explanation was flawless. Logically, Luther understood this, but he felt that it was unfair Sharon had no one honoring her. He looked around the desolate place and then shook his head.

“Mathew must have told Uncle Casper already,” he countered.

“I am sure he has,” Aurelia sighed. “But have you wondered why Uncle Casper placed such a heavy crime on Sharon’s head?” she asked. “There is an unspoken enmity between them. This is the only place Sharon can rest in peace.”

She wouldn’t be found or her resting place desecrated. Wasn’t that more than she could hope for?

His eyes returned towards the casket. It was tightly shut, but he could tell the wood being used was the best there was. Aurelia had gone to great trouble to give Sharon the best send off, despite all the obstacles.

The coffin was lowered into the ground. The priest called upon Luther to throw the first handful of soil into the ditch. Luther poured a handful, his chest heaving with emotion before he returned to his spot beside her.

Aurelia was the next to go.

Luther watched Aurelia in awe as she paid respect to the woman who had wanted to ruin her.

“Thank you for getting Sharon back,” Luther said softly.

“We’re married. Don’t mention it,” she replied warmly.

She stared at the coffin, which was almost covered with soil. What a fitting end.

‘Why would I beg Casper to get a dead body back?’

She knew Luther only cared about Sharon on the surface. He had fond memories of her, but he didn’t care about her enough to confirm whose body she brought back. And neither Casper, nor Mathew would let her take the body away.

Though dead, Sharon’s fate remained in Casper’s hand. How he disposed of her should fit the disrespect she had shown to Anna Marie. Aurelia had a feeling Casper didn’t care about the disposal. But there was no more disrespect than to be chopped up and thrown into the sea, fed to the sharks.

Her body would never be found and no one would visit her. Her only relative, her daughter, was already dead, her murder under investigation. No one would miss her. No one would look for her.

Her fate in the afterlife would definitely be worse than Anna Marie’s.

As for her little play, made exclusively to inspire emotions in Luther? Aurelia called a local morgue and asked if any unidentified women were there. Fortunately, there was a woman whom no one had claimed. The morgue planned on burning her remains, but Aurelia thought it was the perfect opportunity to pay respect to the dead.

It was awful of her, but Aurelia recalled how Anna Marie had been left in the wilderness with no one to visit her for so long. Sending a lonely soul off with proper burial rites wasn’t terrible either.

As long as Luther didn’t try to open her casket or verify her identity.

The rites ended and the priest walked up to Aurelia. “Thank you for your service,” he said kindly.

Luther watched them converse with confusion. When they were a distance from the priest, he couldn’t help but ask, “What did he mean by that?”