novelraw Chapter 145: Warm To Frigid
Chapter 145: Warm To Frigid
Chapter 145: Warm To Frigid
The news hit Lyse like a physical blow. She had been scrolling through websites,still trying to figure out what had really been happening in her life, when she saw the headline: "Jeff Dubois Dies in Prison." The accompanying photo was a barely recognizable, grainy image of her father, clothed in a prison jumpsuit, his face etched with weariness and regret.
A cold dread washed over her. She clicked on the article, her heart pounding in her chest. The details were sparse, but the message was clear: her father was dead. According to the article, he had been attacked by fellow inmates and had succumbed to his injuries while on his way to the hospital.
Lyse’s breath caught in her throat. Tears welled in her eyes, blurring her vision. She could not believe it. Her father, even though the man had always been a distant presence in her life, and whom she had never really had a connection with was gone.
A wave of guilt washed over her. She had not even spoken or seen him, she had judged him harshly for what he had done to those poor people. Now, she wished that she had at least gone to see him. Maybe she would not feel as guilty as she did.
She had allowed Brooke and Lottie’s influence to drive a wedge between them, and now, it was too late. She would never have the chance to mend their relationship, to tell him how much she loved him.
She felt a deep ache in her heart, a profound sense of loss that resonated through her entire being. She had lost her memories, her sense of self, and now, she had lost her father as well.
Despite the estrangement, despite the years of silence, Lyse felt compelled to attend his memorial service. It was a final farewell, a chance to pay her respects to the man who had given her life. She did not know if Lottie and Brooke would welcome her since she did not get an invitation from them, but she did not care. She had to be there.
The day of the service arrived, a grey and overcast morning that mirrored Lyse’s somber mood. She dressed in black, her heart heavy with grief and apprehension. She arrived at the chapel, a small, unassuming building tucked away in a quiet corner of the city.
She hesitated just outside the entrance, taking a deep breath to compose herself. She could hear the muffled sounds of sounds inside, the somber tones of the organ music. She steeled her resolve and pushed open the door.
The atmosphere inside was heavy with grief and was extremely sad, Lyse could see only a handful of people standing. Lottie stood at the front, her face pale and drawn, her eyes red and swollen. Brooke stood beside her, her expression cool and composed, a stark contrast to her mother’s visible grief. And the only other people that were there seemed to be the funeral director and his assistant.
Lyse entered quietly, trying to remain unnoticed. She found a seat in the back row, her gaze fixed on the simple wooden casket at the front of the chapel.
As the service progressed, Lyse listened to the eulogy, a brief and impersonal account of her father’s life.
She felt a pang of sadness, a sense of disconnect. This was not at all the way she wanted to remember him. Forgotten and seemingly abandoned by the people who had held him in high esteem.
After the eulogy, there was a moment of silence. The only sound was the funeral director and the priest speaking to Lottie. Lyse closed her eyes, offering a silent prayer for her father’s soul.
As the service was concluded, Lyse approached Lottie, her heart pounding in her chest. She wanted to offer her condolences, to express her own grief.
"Mom," she said softly, her voice trembling.
Lottie turned, her eyes narrowing as she saw Lyse. Her face, which had been etched with sadness just moments before, now contorted with anger.
"What are you doing here?" she hissed, her voice laced with venom. "You were not invited."
Lyse’s heart sank. She had expected a cold reception, but she had not anticipated such open hostility. She marveled at the fact that her mother had seemingly gone warm to frigid in such a short time.
"I came to pay my respects to my father," she said, her voice barely a whisper.
"You have no right to be here," Lottie spat, her voice rising. "You are the reason my husband is dead."
Lyse’s eyes widened in shock. "What?" she stammered, her voice trembling. "How could you say that, that is not true."
"Yes it is true!" Lottie screamed, her voice echoing through the quiet chapel. "If it was not for you and that... that evil husband of yours, he would still be alive!"
Brooke stepped forward, her expression equally hostile. "She is right, Lyse." she said, her voice cold and hard. "You and Levi are responsible for what has happened to dad and I hope you are satisfied with you it has ended."
Lyse shook her head, tears streaming down her face. "I would never do anything to hurt my father," she said, her voice choked with emotion. "I loved him, despite everything."
"You have a strange way of showing it," Lottie retorted, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You abandoned him, just like you abandoned this family. And now, he is dead."
She pointed a trembling finger at Lyse, her eyes filled with hatred. "You are a curse," she screamed. "You have always been a curse on this family and i regret the day you came to us."
The Funeral director, his assistant and the priest who were staring googly eyed shifted in discomfort, their faces etched with discomfort. They did not know what to do, how to react to Lottie’s outburst and the messy family situation.
They dealt with a lot of grieving families and hence, had experienced a lot of awkwardness and drama. So the sight before them was not new, but they were still alarmed.
Lyse felt a wave of humiliation wash over her. She had come to mourn her father, but she was met with a torrent of anger and blame. She felt exposed, vulnerable, utterly humiliated and worse off, she did not know what she had done to deserve that treatment.
"I am so sorry," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I never meant for any of this to happen."
But Lottie and Brooke were not about to listen to her. They continued their tirade, their voices growing louder, their words becoming more and more hurtful. They taunted her, insulted her, blaming her for everything that had gone wrong in their lives.
Lyse could no longer bear it. The weight of their accusations, the pain of their rejection, it was all too much to handle. She felt a lump forming in her throat, tears blurring her vision.
Before she completely broke down, Brooke and Lottie physically pushed her, shoving her towards the exit. "Get out of here!" Lottie screamed, her voice filled with venom. "Get out and don’t you ever come back to me, the last tie that has held us together is broken!"
Lyse stumbled, nearly falling, before regaining her balance. She looked back at Lottie and Brooke, their faces contorted with hatred, their eyes filled with disgust. She felt a deep sense of despair, a profound feeling of rejection. She might not remember a lot of things but this hate, she remembered very well.
She turned and fled, running out of the chapel, tears streaming down her face. She ran blindly, not caring where she was going, just needing to escape the humiliation, the pain, the overwhelming sense of loss. She had come to mourn her father, but she had been met with a cruel and public humiliation, a stark reminder of the deep chasm that separated her from her family.
As she ran without watching where she was going, she ran headlong into what felt like a solid wall. She also fell from the force of the crash but she felt hands grab her arms at the very last moment and pull her into a warm embrace.
When she looked up, it was into Brandon’s face. She violently pushed him away and wiped her face and glared at him.
"Lyse, I am here for you." Brandon said, his voice soft as if he was speaking to an injured animal. "Please, let me help."
"Stay away from me!" Lyse screamed loudly as she stepped back from his reach, her hands going up to stop him from coming closer.
A glint of determination shone in Brandon’s eyes and he took another step closer. "I am never going to let you go again Lyse." He said, his voice rid of its gentleness. In its place was a menacing voice that sent a chill through Lyse. "this time you are not going to escape and I will do whatever I have to do to keep you."