I asked Geoffrey angrily when he arrived home at that moment. Unfortunately, he became impatient and temperamental.
He said loudly, “Childbirth is a woman's job, Xaviera. So I cannot help you. At the same time, Catalina has just returned home, so she should be welcomed. You should be sensible and stop making trouble like this.”
From then on, Catalina's presence made less and less sense to me. She even ‘accidentally’ sat on my husband's lap during a family gathering. She also dared to feed him fruit while smiling sweetly.
Catalina was also very bold in showing off the jewellery Geoffrey had given her in front of me. She deliberately said, “Xaviera, don't worry about your relationship. Geoffrey is just too used to spoiling me like a child.”
Geoffrey just watched coldly from start to finish. He even said casually, but with the intention of bullying me, “Xaviera, be more generous, okay?”
Gradually, I stopped arguing and making trouble. I gave all my love to my daughter. But at this moment, she was gone.
***
The next morning, I went to the funeral home. I stood in front of the mourning hall and looked at the portrait of my daughter.
She was smiling so sweetly as if she had just fallen asleep. But I knew she would never wake up again.
The old man stood to the side with a cane. His face was deathly pale. I saw him constantly trying to call someone. Unfortunately, no one answered his calls.
The old man finally became angry. He slammed his stick hard on the floor.
“Where is Geoffrey at this moment? Why isn't he here yet?”
His assistant shakily handed over the tablet in his hand. “I know, Mr. Theodore. Mr. Geoffrey was staying at The Blackstone Hotel last night."
The screen of the tablet clearly showed Geoffrey hugging Catalina's waist. He kissed her impatiently in the hotel corridor.
Theodore saw the photo and became furious. His whole body was trembling, but I just smiled stiffly. As I had suspected from the beginning, my husband would refuse to see his daughter even for the last time.
Unexpectedly just as the funeral began, the door to the funeral hall suddenly opened. Geoffrey entered wearing a black suit. Catalina was also beside him. Her arm seemed to be tightly wrapped around Geoffrey's. She was wearing a bright red dress as red as blood. It really stung my eyes.
Catalina smiled and leaned close to Geoffrey's ear. She deliberately let everyone hear her words.
“Geoffrey, this is the funeral of a jinxed child, right? Should we try on wedding dresses after this?”
Geoffrey chuckled at Catalina's words. He pinched her face in amusement.
“As you wish, Catalina.”
I stood there stoically. My nails dug deep into my palms, but I didn't feel any pain.
The old man was angry at the words of both of them. He stepped forward and slapped Geoffrey hard.
“You beast! This is your daughter's funeral, Geoffrey.”
Geoffrey tilted his head. He wiped the corner of his bleeding mouth.
“Grandpa, are you old and confused? Xaviera even dared to fake her funeral just to gain your favour. Do you trust her more than I do?”
I suddenly looked up and stared at him in disbelief. I couldn’t believe he really thought my daughter's funeral was a charade I was acting out.
My voice trembled violently at this moment. “Geoffrey, no matter how much you humiliate me, I can bear it. But today is the funeral of Jocelyn, our daughter!"
He sneered as if I had said something very funny. He still wrapped his arms around Catalina's waist.
He then announced loudly, “Catalina is pregnant. This is the child I've been waiting for.”
Catalina touched her flat stomach proudly. She looked at me provocatively and said, “Don't be sad, Xaviera. She's just a child. Dead is dead. Then you can still have another child, right?”
I was so angry that my whole body was shaking. I couldn’t barely stand up.
On the other hand, the guests were whispering. Some shook their heads, some sneered and some picked up their cell phones to record the scene.
The funeral hall was in chaos at this moment. Geoffrey and Catalina dropped Jocelyn's portrait and the white flowers in front of the urn they trampled.
The old man was so angry that his face turned blue. He then raised his stick to hit him.
Geoffrey grabbed him and said coldly, “Grandfather, I beg you not to be fooled by Xaviera. She's the best at acting.”
After saying this, he pulled Catalina away and turned around. They ignored the state of the funeral hall that had been turned upside down by the two of them.
