Chapter 49: Died on Day One, Funeral on Day Two

The villa Alaric Vane transferred to Seren Thorne was located near the Forest Park. To the front was the bustling downtown area, and to the back was a massive artificial lake and an endless stretch of forest greenery. With complete school and hospital facilities nearby, the location was prime.

The villa covered over five hundred square meters and featured a private garden in the back. The overall interior design leaned towards European style—minimalist, yet radiating a sense of grandeur and prestige.

Seren walked through the entire property, inside and out, feeling beyond satisfied.

{Now that I have both money and a house, I’m just waiting for Alaric to divorce me so I can start my life as a wealthy, solo-living woman. Hehe.}

During this period, Seren had been nagging Alaric about the divorce so often that he was almost immune to it by now.

After taking Seren for a tour of the house, Alaric returned to the company. Seren stayed at the new house all afternoon and didn't return to the ancestral estate until evening.

After dinner, just as the family was preparing to head upstairs to rest, the butler walked in.

"Elder Vane, news has come from the Moore family. Mr. Moore passed away half an hour ago.

"They are planning to hold the funeral tomorrow and wish to invite you to attend. I wanted to see if you would be available?"

Seren had calculated that Mrs. Moore would make her move tonight, but she hadn't expected it to happen so quickly. The man died on day one, and they couldn't wait to hold the funeral on day two. Impressive.

The Vane family had no business dealings with the Moores, and Arthur Vane had little impression of them, so he refused directly: "I’m not going. Decline it for me."

The butler was about to leave when Seren called out: "Wait."

The butler stopped. "Does the Young Mistress have something to say?"

Seren said, "Tell the Moores that Alaric and I will be there on time tomorrow."

She wasn't about to pass up an opportunity for the female lead and Alaric to interact. Since the "dog man" refused to agree to a divorce, the only way to make him relent was to get him to fall for someone else.

Alaric swept a cold glance over her. "When did I say I was going?"

Seren said, "Tomorrow is the weekend. You’re free anyway, so why not go together?"

Alaric’s face remained cold. "I’m not going."

Trying to push me toward another woman? Don't even think about it.

Seeing that he wouldn't agree, Seren tried to persuade him a few more times. However, Alaric remained stubborn, so she eventually gave up.

The butler asked, "Then, will the Young Mistress still be going tomorrow?"

"Yes." Even if Alaric didn't go, she would go just for the sake of "eating melon."

The butler acknowledged this and withdrew.

Back upstairs, Seren showered and lay down to scroll through her phone. A WeChat notification popped up from Sebastian North, asking if it was convenient for a video call, saying that Lydia missed her and wanted to see her.

Seren had a good impression of the girl, so she agreed.

The video connected, and on the other end, the young girl was wearing pink pajamas with her long black hair flowing naturally, looking very gentle. Beside her, Sebastian was dressed in a shirt and trousers, his hair combed meticulously.

Seren hadn't expected Sebastian to dress so formally even during his downtime at home. As expected of a CEO novel male lead—his suit was practically welded to his body; at most, he’d take off the jacket if it got hot, maintaining a perfect image at all times.

She waved her hand in front of the screen to greet Lydia.

"Lydia, good evening."

When speaking to the pretty and gentle girl, Seren’s voice unconsciously took on a sweeter, softer tone.

Lydia seemed very happy to see her as well, a smile touching her porcelain-white face. She gestured a few times in the air, seemingly having much to tell her.

Sebastian reminded her from the side: "Lydia, Miss Thorne doesn't understand sign language. Type it out on your tablet and hold it up to the screen for her."

Sebastian’s voice was gentler than ever, lacking the stiffness from that morning. Clearly, he had spent the whole day by Lydia’s side, and the distance between the siblings had closed significantly; Lydia didn't seem as afraid of him anymore.

Following her brother's advice, Lydia nodded, wrote on her tablet, and held it up for Seren to see.

"Beautiful Sister, thank you for today. Brother enrolled me in a school, and I’m starting next week.

"But Brother is worried about me, so he arranged for a female bodyguard to follow me."

Lydia shared a lot with Seren, mostly about her personal situation. Seren watched the text patiently and chatted with her for quite a while.

Lydia had been used to loneliness for years. Today, not only had her brother stayed with her, but there was also a kind and beautiful lady willing to listen to her. Her "chatterbox" opened up immediately, and she grew slightly excited, chatting with Seren for nearly an hour before preparing for bed.

Lydia said goodnight to Seren. Just as Seren was about to end the video, Sebastian spoke up: "Miss Thorne, regarding the Moore family funeral tomorrow, will you and Mr. Vane be attending?"

Lydia noticed that her brother's form of address for Seren had changed from "Mrs. Vane" to "Miss Thorne," and she couldn't help but steal a glance at him.

Seren didn't notice this subtle change and replied, "Alaric doesn't plan on going, so I’ll likely head over alone."

Hearing this, Sebastian’s eyes flickered, and he said, "Then why don't you come with me? I happen to be heading there tomorrow as well."

"Sure. What time are you leaving?"

"The funeral is set for tomorrow morning. I’ll leave around eight-thirty and pick you up on the way."

"Alright, see you tomorrow."

After finalizing the plan, Seren ended the call.

Early the next morning, Seren changed into a long black-and-white dress. Her hair was casually pinned back with a white pearl clip, giving her a rare air of elegance and dignity.

When she came downstairs after changing, Alaric was sitting on the sofa in the living room reading the news. Seeing her descend, he said, "The driver will be here in a moment. Sit down and wait."

The Vane family’s private driver lived in a nearby apartment; it took ten minutes to drive over.

Seren said, "Tell Uncle He not to bother coming. I’m taking someone else’s car."

Alaric’s hand sliding across the tablet paused slightly. He looked up at Seren. "Whose car are you taking?"

"Mr. North's," Seren answered candidly. "He’s attending the Moore funeral today too, and it’s right on the way."

Alaric let out a cold laugh. "He lives in the south of the city; we live in the north.

"Those are completely opposite directions. Are you sure it's 'on the way'?"

Reminded by him, Seren was also a bit puzzled. "Then maybe the Moore house is even further north?"

Alaric stared at Seren for a few seconds. Seeing that she truly seemed not to understand, his originally frustrated heart settled slightly.

Stupid woman, she’s really as dense as a block of wood.

Sebastian North’s "flirtatious glances" were definitely being cast at a blind person.

He put down the tablet and stood up. "Tell Sebastian North not to come. I’m driving you to the Moore house myself."