The iodine on Evelyn Ross's face hadn't been wiped clean yet, making her complexion appear sallow and somewhat plain.

But those facial features… the butler felt he couldn't possibly be mistaken.

As he stood shocked, Zack Davis handed over a stack of funeral money, saying guiltily, "My wife, Grace Nan, was Mrs. Vance's high school classmate. She insisted on coming to pay her respects after hearing about the tragedy."

After saying this, he pulled Evelyn toward the memorial hall.

The butler looked down at the funeral money. It bore the words "High School Classmate Grace Nan."

Just a classmate?

The butler rubbed his eyes. When he looked up again, the figure had disappeared into the crowd.

It must have been a trick of the light.

…

The memorial hall was set up in the center of the main house. It was spacious, allowing everyone to view the remains.

Evelyn followed Zack inside. Her gaze immediately fell on the ice coffin at the front.

People were blocking the area around the ice coffin, preventing anyone from getting too close.

Someone nearby whispered an explanation, "After Mrs. Vance fell into the sea, her entire body was bloated from the water. Her face was… unrecognizable. It's not suitable for viewing. That's why the casket is closed…"

Evelyn stumbled slightly.

Bloated from the water?

She clenched her fists, her eyes scanning the memorial hall.

Richard Evans and Margaret Evans were receiving guests. They pretended to be grief-stricken, but their eyes shone with something else.

Julian Evans stood to the side, his gaze vacant, as if genuinely heartbroken.

Evelyn didn't see Sophia Ashcroft.

Given Sophia's health condition, she must have been overwhelmed by the shock and fainted again.

Where was Alexander Vance?

Just as she thought this, she heard Margaret explaining to mourners, "Alexander is too grief-stricken. He refuses to accept that it's his wife. He's hiding in his room, unwilling to come out. He won't even see her off on her final journey…"

Whispers immediately rose around them.

"Mr. Vance is truly devoted. His love for his wife runs so deep…"

"But this isn't right, is it? Mrs. Vance's body is in that state… She should be laid to rest peacefully. He's being too emotional…"

"I heard Mr. Vance hasn't been to the company for two days. Thomas Watson is handling everything…"

Evelyn lowered her eyes.

Zack was busy networking with others, not paying attention to her.

Evelyn quietly turned and left the memorial hall.

Her face was sallow, and she wore Grace Nan's gentle, elegant-style clothes. No one recognized her as she walked.

She quickly turned into Eleanor Vance's courtyard.

Most of the servants in the courtyard had gone to the main house to help.

Fiona was talking to another maid.

Fiona looked miserable. "Is the master still refusing to eat?"

The other maid nodded. "Ever since Mrs. Vance's body was recovered, the master has been completely broken…"

Fiona wiped her tears. "The master values感情 deeply. The madam is also heartbroken and has taken to her bed. Ah!"

The two walked away, still talking.

Evelyn thought for a moment. She walked to the small house's backyard, went directly to the second floor, and jumped onto the balcony of Alexander's bedroom.

Through the glass door, she saw the man curled up on the sofa.

The room was filled with smoke. The floor was littered with cigarette butts.

Alexander clenched his fists, his eyes empty.

He was remembering two days ago, waiting foolishly at City Hall.

Waiting until two PM, three PM…

He was actually happy that Evelyn was late.

She didn't come. Did that mean she also couldn't bear to divorce?

But what he received was news of her death!

When he rushed to the seaside, Sophia Ashcroft was standing strong, accompanied by Mason Xu and William Ashcroft.

Divers searched back and forth in the water.

In that moment, his legs went weak!

Every time a diver surfaced, he both hoped for news and dreaded it.

The shipwreck had happened over ten hours ago… No one could survive that long at sea!

Evelyn must have been swept away by the currents, carried to some other shore… She knew how to swim!

But James Klein's words shattered his last hope.

James was frantic, muttering to himself, "It's over… Boss was supposed to get her IV drip today… It was originally scheduled for last night, but she said she had the divorce in the afternoon, so it was moved to tonight…"

The divorce…

Alexander staggered.

If he hadn't been stubborn on the first day, if the divorce had gone smoothly, Evelyn would have gotten her IV drip on time.

Then, even if she fell into the sea, there might still have been a chance of survival…

Just as he thought this, there was news from the divers.

A female corpse, bloated beyond recognition, was recovered…

Remembering this, Alexander felt as if ten thousand arrows had pierced his heart. The pain was intense and overwhelming.

These past two days, he had grown accustomed to this pain.

He clutched his chest and lit another cigarette.

A knock came from the door. Fiona's voice called out, "Sir, Mrs. Vance's body is being taken to the funeral home. Won't you come out to see her off?"

The usually elegant and gentlemanly man looked up sharply.

Alexander's eyes were bloodshot. He grabbed an ashtray from the coffee table and hurled it violently at the door.

"Bang!"

The ashtray shattered into pieces.

Alexander roared, "Get out! That's not Evelyn! Evelyn isn't dead!"

Fiona sighed outside the door. "Sir, the Madam is here."

Alexander didn't move.

Eleanor Vance's trembling voice came from outside the door. "You foolish boy, my granddaughter-in-law cared about face and propriety when she was alive. Now, bloated and lying in the house, do you know how awful she looks? Do you want my granddaughter-in-law to die in such an undignified state?"

These words stabbed into Alexander's heart.

The steady, reserved man buried his head in his knees, holding it tightly with both hands. His voice was muffled. "Grandmother, that's not Evelyn. My intuition tells me it's not her!"

Eleanor sighed. "I know the body is unrecognizable, but the police have already done a DNA test. Foolish boy, you must face reality!"

Evelyn's heart clenched on the balcony.

Hearing everyone say the body was unrecognizable, she had still held onto a sliver of hope. Now, reality crushed her!

Her sister looked so much like her. They must have been identical twins. Their DNA would be nearly identical!

Was that body really her sister?

Evelyn saw Alexander in the room, clenching his fist and smashing it hard against the marble floor…

"Bang!"

Blood seeped out, staining the ground.

Alexander said in agony, "Grandmother, stop… It's not her!"

Silence fell outside the door for a moment. Then Eleanor spoke again. "Foolish boy, in life, one must learn to part, learn to face reality. Avoiding it like this is disrespectful to my granddaughter-in-law. Open the door. Come out. See her off properly on her final journey!"

Alexander's fists trembled.

He lowered his head and slowly knelt on the ground.

Evelyn watched him, her heart aching terribly.

She stepped out from the shadows and gently knocked on the balcony's glass door.

Alexander Vance, don't be sad. I'm not dead.