Chapter 296: Received a Call from Estelle Lockwood at the Funeral

Chapter 296: Chapter 296: Received a Call from Estelle Lockwood at the Funeral

Liam shrugged carelessly. "It’s just a cenotaph anyway. If we miss the auspicious time, we miss it."

A cenotaph? Several guests cast confused glances in his direction.

Outsiders didn’t know the exact details of the accident that prompted this funeral. The rumor was that Estelle Lockwood had accidentally stepped on the gas instead of the brake and plunged her car into the river. After the Sloan family dispatched a salvage team... it was announced that she was dead.

Naturally, everyone assumed the Sloans had recovered her body. How else could they declare her dead with such absolute certainty?

Yet Liam had just called it a cenotaph?

A cenotaph meant there was no body. But that brought up another question: If the Sloans had such "deep affection and loyalty" toward Estelle, how could they confirm her death without even seeing a corpse?

Oh... was that why Mr. Sloan refused to accept her death? Because her body was never recovered?

Then why on earth was the Sloan family...

Laura Jennings immediately realized something was wrong and raised her voice. "What cenotaph?! These are... these are Estelle’s ashes!"

Liam let out a drawn-out "Oh," feigning innocence. "So you did find her body, Mom."

Laura’s eyes darted around nervously. "Of course! How else would we be certain it was her?!"

Nodding, Liam looked as though he was about to stand up. "Alright, then. If it’s her ashes, we really should lay her to rest quickly. It wouldn’t do to miss the auspicious hour. Let’s—"

However, before he could finish his sentence, a maid scurried out in a rush.

Liam instantly called out to her, "Mom, isn’t that your personal maid? Where are you going?!"

The maid jolted to a halt, her face pale with panic. Clearly startled by Liam’s sudden shout, she let out a yelp and dropped everything she was holding, scattering the contents across the floor.

The guests turned to look. She had been carrying a box filled with clothes, books, and other miscellaneous items.

Liam immediately strode over. "What’s all this? With so many guests here, what are you doing rushing around so recklessly? Were you going to throw these things away?"

The maid looked terrified. "Y-yes. I packed up some useless junk and wanted to take it to the trash while I had a moment."

"Alright..." Liam nodded before suddenly pausing. "Wait, these are Estelle’s clothes! And these are her books! You’re throwing away her belongings?!"

What? These were Estelle’s personal effects?

The crowd’s collective gaze zeroed in on the maid. Unable to withstand the pressure, she shook her head frantically, her eyes darting toward Laura. "No, no, I... It was Madam! Madam ordered me to do it! She said a dead person’s belongings bring bad luck! Please don’t blame me, young master!"

Instantly, all eyes shifted to Laura.

Liam looked utterly appalled. "Mom! Estelle’s body isn’t even cold yet, and you’re throwing away everything she used? Who even believes in that superstitious nonsense about a dead person’s belongings bringing bad luck anymore? My brother is going to be heartbroken if you throw away her things!

"Besides, she only stayed at our villa for a few days. She didn’t even have that much—just a few pieces of clothing and a couple of books. And you’re throwing even those away? Are you trying to clear out her room for someone else? Or do you just despise her that much?

"But that can’t be it, right? You threw such a grand funeral for her! Ugh, Mom, what is actually going on? Why don’t you explain?"

The guests exchanged meaningful glances, their expressions turning peculiar.

He made a good point. On the surface, Laura acted like the perfect, doting mother-in-law. Yet behind closed doors, she was tossing out her daughter-in-law’s belongings—on the very day of the funeral, no less, completely unable to wait even a moment longer.

This was highly suspect.

Cold sweat beaded on Laura’s forehead as she shot a lethal glare at the maid. She had indeed wanted to throw out Estelle’s things, but she wasn’t an idiot. Even if she was going to get rid of them, she wouldn’t do it today!

"What nonsense are you spouting?!" Laura snapped. "I never gave such an order! Estelle was my daughter-in-law! I loved her dearly. How could I ever do such a thing—"

"Madam, what do you mean by that?" the maid interrupted, crying out in apparent terror. "I’m just a lowly servant! Do you really think I’d have the guts to do this on my own?"

Liam shook his head in disappointment. "Mom, I know you think a dead person’s belongings bring bad luck. Just admit it. It doesn’t contradict your affection for Estelle, after all. Why make things difficult for a poor maid? Everyone knows she’s your most loyal servant."

Laura clutched her chest, looking as though she might faint from sheer fury.

Theodore Lancaster narrowed his eyes briefly before his lips curved into a gentle, polite smile. "Liam, Ms. Jennings is likely just overwhelmed by grief and not thinking clearly."

"Uh-huh, sure," Liam hummed in agreement before adding, "Actually, Theodore, I’m doing this for your sake. After all, this isn’t the first time Mom has done this. This time it’s Estelle’s belongings, but last time it was Miss Miranda Lancaster’s things. Since you’re her son, you should be furious seeing this happen!"

Theodore’s expression faltered for a fraction of a second. However, he quickly composed himself, ensuring no one noticed anything amiss. "That may be true. But today is Miss Lockwood’s funeral, after all. Let’s not get sidetracked and delay her burial time."

"Oh, right, right. Good point." Liam stepped aside to clear the path.

Suddenly, Liam’s phone rang. His eyes went wide as he feigned absolute shock. Taking a deliberate stumble, he ’accidentally’ fell right next to the microphone.

It was the very same microphone that Laura and Ethan Sloan had specifically set up to broadcast their grief to the crowd. Now, it had become Liam’s personal stage.

"Wait, what the hell?!" Liam exclaimed in mock astonishment. "Estelle is calling me!!"

The funeral venue didn’t have large screens to display caller IDs; the guests could only rely on audio. Theodore frowned, stepping forward to stop him, but Liam had already answered the call.

"Estelle? Aren’t you dead?! Are you unhappy with the burial time? Or..."

Liam paused. Right on cue, a voice echoed from the other end of the line: "Liam."

Playing the bewildered fool flawlessly, Liam replied, "Huh?"

"Can’t recognize my voice?" Estelle said, her tone slow and languid.

Liam’s face morphed into an expression of sheer terror, putting on an Oscar-worthy performance. "Y-you’re supposed to be dead! Why are you calling me, Estelle?! What, did you come back for your seventh-day memorial?!"

The sheer shock of the revelation left the entire funeral hall so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Wait a minute... that was unmistakably Estelle’s voice, wasn’t it?

Judging by Liam’s horrified expression, everyone could guess that the call was genuinely from her.

But... hadn’t the Sloans claimed they had fished her body out of the river? How could a dead woman make a phone call? Ghosts didn’t exist, which meant... Estelle wasn’t dead?!

If Estelle was still alive, then what was the point of this funeral? But if she was dead, who on earth was making this call?

Ethan and Laura’s expressions froze in panic. It was Theodore who broke the silence, shaking his head with a helpless sigh.

"Liam, I know you can’t bear to let Miss Lockwood go, but this is her funeral. Causing such a scene and faking a phone call doesn’t prove anything.

"Do you honestly think a stunt like this will bring her back?"

Laura immediately caught on and chimed in, "Exactly, Liam! Estelle is dead, and we must accept that. Pretending she’s still alive... it’s incredibly disrespectful to her memory!"