Dominic and I had a fallout before, so I didn't expect him to still come to the village. However, he looked extremely haggard. In fact, he seemed as though he hadn't slept for several days. The wound on his face back then had also scarred, but it appeared that he didn't treat it at all, merely leaving it as it was. It's winter now, so the chances of infection are low, but there'll still be contamination and all. I wonder if it'll affect him... Those absurd thoughts flashed through my mind at the sight of him, but I swiftly tossed them away. Darn it! What's the point of thinking about all that? Anything that has to do with him has nothing to do with me anymore. Sitting beside me, Shannon stared at Dominic intently with a distinct murderous look in her eyes. If I hadn't held her back in time, she would've probably rushed forward to hit him.That day was the last day of my grandfather's wake, so I didn't want anything to happen. It was my fervent wish to be able to send him off peacefully. It was already rather late then, so almost everyone else had left the funeral altar. Nevertheless, my entire family was still there. Even if my family didn't know the full story that led to my grandfather's demise, they had already heard snippets of it. Putting aside the fact that they were all eyeing Dominic menacingly right then, even I myself had heard tons of furtive condemnations throughout the past three days. Everyone's gazes were locked on him, but no one spoke. The silence at that moment was as though time had come to a standstill, and even the air seemed to be frozen. At long last, Dad was the first person to break the silence. His attitude toward Dominic had also changed. While he didn't say anything nasty, he was far more distant toward him. He no longer called him “Dom” intimately as before. “Why are you here, Mr. Hartnell?” Dominic's voice sounded exceedingly hoarse when he spoke. “May I pay my last respects?” As far as I can remember, he has always been imposing and stately. Never have I seen him looking as he is right now—glum, despondent, anxious, and even seemingly hesitant. At the sight of his dismal state, my heart inexorably clenched. Despite all that had happened and me having severed our relationship, my emotions were still inevitably affected by him. “Hah! How shameless of you to come and say that you want to pay your last respects! If it weren't for you, Dad wouldn't have passed away! Buzz off! Hurry up and scram!” Aunt Gianna's brusque words jolted me back to reality in the blink of an eye.All at once, I felt like slapping myself across the face. Argh! Why was I entertaining such thoughts when Grandpa is now gone? Meanwhile, Dominic ignored Aunt Gianna's words. His eyes remained pinned on my father. “David, I only want to pay my last respects.” Before Dad could say anything, Aunt Gianna chimed in once again, “Say, what's your problem? Do you think that our family is easy prey? Mr. Hartnell, this is the final time I'll be respectful to you and address you as 'Mr. Hartnell.' However, if you continue to overstay your welcome here, I'll go over and kick you away!” “That's enough, Darling. Let's see what David says. Come over here and stop talking. Think about Dad. Don't make it so that he can't even rest in peace.” I could tell that Aunt Gianna hadn't vented enough, but her husband's words were effective enough that she ceased speaking. In the past, Grandpa picked on Aunt Gianna every so often every time we had our family dinner on New Year's Day. As such, I thought that she didn't quite like him. But from his demise this time, I can see that he actually occupied a very crucial position in her heart. Anyhow, that makes sense. They were father and daughter no matter how much they argued, and blood had always been thicker than water. Thus, how could she possibly not care? In the end, Dad cast a long look at Dominic and shifted for him to pass. Although he didn't say anything, that action of his had already spoken volumes. Dominic then went forward to the funeral alter. Taking a candle and lighting it, he went to his knees before the crystal coffin. The atmosphere was extremely silent, and no one made a single peep. When I saw that, I was seized by the urge to rush forward and yank him up. No matter how long he kneels or how many prayers he offers, Grandpa will never come back to life again! After offering his prayer, Dominic stood up and walked back to Dad. “Please excuse me, David. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me anytime.” Then, he left. From the beginning to the end, he didn't spare me a single look. At that, Shannon cursed under her breath, “B*stard!” With that, Dominic's sudden appearance ended there. While everyone's expressions differed, no one brought it up again. However, Mom came over and sat with me for a while after his departure. Subsequently, the rest of the night passed quickly. It was exactly five in the morning, and the sky was still pitch black, but everyone had already started bustling about. Both the time for the funeral procession and the burial were determined by an expert, so there couldn't be the slightest delay. In the past, there were people who furtively buried the dead, but checks became very strict later. Besides, land slowly became a scarce commodity, so even my grandmother, who passed away a few years ago, was only buried after having been cremated. As I watched my grandfather's body slowly being wheeled into the incinerator at the crematorium, my tears abruptly fell. Meanwhile, Mom, Aunt Vivienne, and Aunt Gianna wailed at the side. “Just weep if you're sad, Liliana. Don't bottle it up...” Shannon had been keeping me company by my side, and her voice was likewise choked. Truth be told, I wanted to bawl at the top of my lungs as well, but for some inexplicable reason, I couldn't make a sound other than my perpetual stream of tears. It's farewell! I truly have to bid Grandpa farewell now! From today onward, I can only see him again through cold photos that carry nary a trace of warmth. After the cremation, everything else was carried out step by step. Perhaps this will all pass. After all, time heals all pain.Having left the village, I went home with my parents. Right then, I had been staying at home for almost a week. Life was quite peaceful, and they never once asked me about my relationship with Dominic. Nevertheless, I had already planned to go back after staying for another two days. Also, I promised Shannon to go and visit Nicholas together. To facilitate chatting, Shannon actually created a WhatsApp group and added Nicholas and me. We would chat and gossip in there every day, and my mood gradually improved. After having dinner that day, I helped Mom to clear the table. Then, I watched television for a while with her and Dad before returning to my room. I initially wanted to watch some dramas, but notifications kept pinging my phone. When I clicked on it, I saw that they were all emoticons from Shannon. At a loss for words, I asked: What are you doing, girl? Shannon's reply came at lightning speed: Have you scrolled Twitter yet? If you haven't, go and look at the top trending topic on Twitter, quick! Make it fast! I propped a hand against my forehead. What great shocking news is it now that made her so worked up?