Chapter 108: Back to Boston

Emerald’s POV

Two days had passed since Vera’s funeral.

After the service, the entire family returned to the old Hugo residence, where we had dinner together that evening.

It was a quiet meal.

Nobody had much to say, and even the usual conversations that accompanied a family dinner were absent. Everyone seemed ready to leave Washington and return to their own lives.

The following morning, we had breakfast together before Grandfather called a short family meeting.

He went over a few matters concerning the family and the arrangements that still needed to be handled following Vera’s death.

Nothing about the meeting lasted particularly long. Once he dismissed us, everyone began making preparations to leave.

By the end of the day, the old house was nearly empty again.

My parents, Anthony, Giovanni, and I returned to Los Angeles.

That evening, Claire and Laura came to see me in the house.

They had already expressed their condolences over the phone, but seeing them in person was different.

They asked about the funeral, and I told them what I was comfortable sharing. Neither of them pushed me for details I did not want to discuss.

They stayed with me for a while, and their company helped more than I expected.

The next morning, I boarded one of my family’s private jets and headed back to Boston.

I had been away for a week. That meant I had a considerable amount of work waiting for me.

I opened my laptop shortly after we took off and began going through the notes that had accumulated in my absence.

There was plenty to catch up on—emails, reports, class materials. Several documents I needed to review.

I worked through them steadily, making notes where needed and replying to messages that required immediate attention.

At some point, I remembered Michael’s advice regarding Mercer Technologies.

I had already bought some shares a few weeks ago, but his words had remained at the back of my mind.

I opened the relevant account and purchased another substantial block of shares. Once the transaction was completed, I checked the details before closing my laptop.

I leaned back in my seat, allowing myself to relax for the first time since leaving Washington.

After a while, I reached for my phone and began scrolling through the news. Part of me expected to see another article about Vera.

Her death had attracted attention despite the family’s effort to keep the funeral private. I had already seen several reports discussing the Hugo family’s official statement and speculating about the circumstances surrounding her death.

I scrolled past a few of them. Then a headline caught my attention, so I stopped.

PRIVATE JET CRASHES AFTER ENGINE FAILURE, ALL 15 PASSENGERS KILLED.

I frowned subtly, then opened the article. The report had been published only fifteen minutes earlier.

According to the preliminary information, the private aircraft had experienced an engine failure shortly after takeoff. The pilot had attempted to regain control, but the aircraft crashed.

There were fifteen people on board. No survivors had been found.

The authorities were working to identify everyone who had been on the flight, and their identities would be confirmed once the necessary procedures had been completed.

I stared at the screen. Fifteen people. All dead. That was horrible.

I had never understood how quickly an ordinary journey could become someone’s last.

I read the article again, hoping there might be some additional information about where the aircraft had been heading. But there wasn’t much.

The investigation was still in its early stages.

I exhaled quietly and lowered the phone. "That’s terrible," I murmured.

The aircraft had probably taken off this morning with fifteen people expecting to reach their destination.

None of them would.

I shook my head and returned to the news feed. I had no reason to think the tragedy had anything to do with me.

It was simply another terrible event unfolding somewhere in the world.

So, I moved on.

---

By the time I arrived in Boston, I was exhausted.

I collected my luggage at the airport and made my way outside, where I found an airport taxi.

The ride to campus was familiar enough that I barely paid attention to the streets passing outside the window.

I had spent the past week away, but it felt longer.

When I finally reached the dorm, I carried my bags upstairs and unlocked my door. The moment I stepped inside, I felt a sense of relief.

I had missed this room.

It was modest compared with the places I was accustomed to staying, but I had something here that I valued more than luxury.

Privacy.

I closed the door behind me and dropped my bags beside the bed. I was finally back. Then I reached for my phone and opened WhatsApp.

There was one person I wanted to inform before doing anything else. I opened Michael’s conversation and typed.

Me:I’m back in Boston. I just got into my dorm room.

I sent the message and placed my phone on the bed. Then I looked around my room again.

After everything that had happened over the past week, being back here felt strangely comforting.

I decided to unpack later.

The first thing I needed to do was check the refrigerator. I opened it and immediately regretted it.

A few of the perishables had spoiled during my absence. Since I had turned off the appliances before leaving for Washington, there was no point pretending anything could still be salvaged.

I pulled everything out, separating what had gone bad from the few items that were still usable.

The spoiled food went straight into the trash. When I was done, I released a deep sigh.

I had nothing left to eat. That meant I had to go shopping.

I looked at the refrigerator again.

Since I had already emptied it, I decided to clean it properly before turning it back on. I wiped the shelves, cleaned the drawers, and made sure there was nothing left inside that could become a problem later.

Once I was satisfied, I plugged it back in and closed the door.

I had just taken a step when my phone rang from the bed. I immediately knew it was Michael, who had replied.

I walked over, picked up my phone, and unlocked the screen.