Chapter 93 Elena's Burial - Part 1
Greenwich Village.
The Anderson's Home.
It was 9 am. Mr Anderson came to the living room, made himself comfortable on the three-in-one sofa and turned on the TV. He browsed through the channels and settled for his favourite sports channel, but instead of the sports, there was what appeared to be a kind of service. He turned the volume up to find out what was happening.
This is a live coverage of the final farewell for Ms Elena Moore. Well-wishers and sympathisers have already gathered for the burial service. News reaching us has it that the family are on their way to this place as we speak. The whole country has been thrown into a state of mourning since the shocking news of Elena's death was announced. The tragic incident took place a week ago. Ms Elena Moore, the youngest daughter of the Moore Family, met her untimely death when she was shot and stabbed multiple times in the chest at 13th Street, in front of Block A. A lady by the name of Angela Anderson was the last person to see Elena Moore alive. Angela Anderson has since been on the run, and the police are still looking for her.
The reporter said on the TV, and Mr Anderson called out to Mrs Anderson while turning down the TV volume.
"What happened?" Mrs Anderson asked as she made her way into the living room.
"The Moore family lost their daughter, Elena," Mr Anderson informed her.
"Oh no!" Mrs Anderson exclaimed as her hand flew to cover her mouth.
The TV volume was down, but she heard the reporter still talking, and Elena's image was displayed in the right corner of the screen.
"Is that her burial?" Mrs Anderson asked, bringing her hands down.
"Yes," Mr Anderson replied.
"Oh, that is sad. What happened to her? She was so young. She was twenty, right?" Mrs Anderson asked, still shocked by the news.
"No, she is nineteen," Mr Anderson replied, recalling when Elena was born.
"What happened?" Mrs Anderson asked.
"She was shot at 13th Street," Mr Anderson replied.
"Poor girl," Mrs Anderson said sadly.
"There is more. Our daughter was the last person to see her alive. The police are after her," Mr Anderson informed her, and Mrs Anderson frowned immediately.
"What?" Mrs Anderson reacted, but the frown slowly vanished, and her facial expression turned to one who was thinking. "Do you think she knows?" she finally asked, staring at the side profile of her husband, and Mr Anderson turned to look at her with a frown.
"How can you think that of your daughter?" Mr Anderson questioned and returned his gaze to the TV screen.
"She is our adopted daughter, and growing up, she wanted to take revenge on the people who killed her parents. If she shot Elena, it only means she knows something," Mrs Anderson tried to explain why she asked that question.
"Angela would do no such thing. You know her to be better than that. The poor girl won't even hurt a fly," Mr Anderson said, annoyed. "Growing up, I knew she was angry with those who harmed her parents. I would equally be if I were in her shoes, but you know Angela would not take them down herself. If anything, you know she would involve the law. Reopen the closed case," he added. "I can't believe you believe Angela shot the poor girl," he said, annoyed and fetched his phone.
"What are you doing?" Mrs Anderson asked, seeing Mr Anderson was on his phone with a frown.
"Calling our daughter," Mr Anderson said, and Mrs Anderson went silent.
He dialled Angela's number, and it went straight to voicemail. He tried again, and it still went straight to voicemail.
"It's not going through," Mr Anderson said softly.
"I just pray, she doesn't know, and all of this is one big misunderstanding," Mrs Anderson said, putting her palms together in prayer.
"It is a big misunderstanding, "Mr Anderson said with a frown and stood to his feet, already angry that her daughter's name was being dragged into the whole issue. "Angela is innocent. She will not do such a thing," he murmured under his breath as he walked away.
"Dear God, I know my daughter's heart was full of revenge. Please calm her heart if she had found her parents' killers and let this be a lie," Mrs Anderson prayed, looking up at the ceiling.
At Bryce's family home, Bryce, Patircia and Devon were getting ready to leave for Elena's burial. After a week, her body has now been released to the family for burial. There was a knock on the door, and one of the servants went to answer it.
"I am here to see Bryce. Go get him," Susan said to the servant as soon as she opened the door and came face to face with Susan.
"Yes, ma'am," the servant replied, knowing Susan was a special guest of the family.
Susan walked in wearing a small black body con straight dress, which left half of her thigh up to her legs exposed. The hands of the dress were tied at the neck, leaving half of her back exposed. She wore a black rose on the dress, small hands tied around the neck, allowing some of the ends to flow down her shoulder. Her hair was neatly wrapped, and she had a black disc fascinator decorating it. She wore a long gold earring and adorned both of her hands with multiple gold bracelets with two gold rings strategically placed on two separate fingers on each hand. Her lips were painted red like blood with a dark shadow tone around them. She was simply breathtaking.
Susan made her way into the living room on her seven-inch heel, cat walking.
"Susan, you are here," Devon's voice travelled to Susan's ears before she could sit, making her halt in her action.
Devon walked up to Susan, leaned in and greeted her with a kiss on each cheek.
"Yes, please," Susan replied and straightened her back after leaning in to receive the peck to her cheeks. "I heard about Elena, and I am so sorry," she empathised.
"It's very sad, but I will make sure I smoke that girl Angela out of wherever hole she is hiding in and put her behind bars for the rest of her life," Devon said, his voice laced with anger.
"When we interviewed her for a position in the company, she seemed like an innocent young girl. I never for once saw that behind that innocent face was a dark soul," Susan said with an expression of shock and disappointment.
"You are right. She does have a dark soul behind that innocent-looking face. A soul that seeks destruction," Devon said through gritted teeth, but deep down, he felt Angela was just taking revenge for what was done to her parents ten years ago.
"I don't understand why Bryce can't see her for who she is," Susan said. "I am sure she is using some kind of spell on him. You know these powerful fortune tellers who use that crystal ball. I am sure she got something from one of them to twist Bryce's mind," she added, and Devon frowned, but he didn't decline the possibility of that happening.
Inside Bryce's room in the family house, he was all dressed up. Memories of Elena flooded his mind. She has a smile, her determination, and always fights for what is right. He smiled, but it wasn't a happy smile, but a painful one for losing such a beautiful soul to the cold hands of death.
There was a knock on the door, snapping him out of his thoughts.
"Boss, it's time," came Marcus's voice.
"I will be out in a minute," Bryce replied and was soon out of his room.
Patricia exited her room too, dressed in a long black dress. She had no jewellery on, and her face was without make-up, yet she was more beautiful than Susan, who had on heavy make-up. Patricia and Bryce met in the hallway and headed for the staircase, walking side by side in silence with Marcus behind them. They descended the staircase, and Devon and Susan walked towards them from the living room.
"Oh, Bryce, I am so sorry for your loss," Susan said and hugged Bryce.
Bryce stood there like a statue, not hugging Susan back.
"Elena was such a beautiful soul. It's just sad that someone killed her. How wicked can a person be? She didn't just stab her multiple times in the chest, but shot her in the head," she added with a crying voice.
Patricia walked away, hearing what Susan had just said. The memory of everything that happened to Elena became fresh in her mind.
"Susan, we all know what happened. I don't need you to open our wounds by reminding us of how it all happened," Bryce said and pushed Susan to the side.
He walked towards the door to get his mum, but she was already out the front door. Susan stood there watching the back of Bryce, stunned by what he had just done. Marcus had followed Bryce out.
Susan had only said what she said to remind Bryce of the suspected killer of Elena. She thought Bryce would be angry and hate Angela. She didn't expect Bryce to push her away like she, Susan, was the criminal.
"Bastard. If I didn't know before, I do now. He loves her. Angela, you will never have Bryce. I will ensure that the love he has for you dies off," Susan thought,t feeling anger within.
Devon rested a comforting hand on Susan's shoulder, snapping her out of the moment.
"Just let him be for now. He is grieving. He loved Elena very much," Devon said to Susan, and they both walked towards the door.
Outside, six cars were parked in front of the house. Susan knew Bryce's car, and she just walked towards it once they were outside. Devon went to his car, joining Patricia, who was already seated in the back seat. Bryce was in his car when Susan opened the door and joined him in the back seat. He didn't send her away, but he also didn't spare her a glance. The rest of the cars were occupied by bodyguards.
Soon, all six cars moved out of the compound, heading for the church where the ceremony was being held for Elena.