Chapter 17 Tombstone

Lydia died on the day of her funeral?

Amanda's eyes was misted with the steam of her tear as hatred burned her tear dried. What a coincidence, a perfect coincidence...

After a pause, Amanda patted Lydia's mother's hand, unable to offer any words of comfort; Lydia had had the "accident" all because of her.

Lydia’s mother looked at the shut door of the guest room and continued: “After the death of Lydia, her father did not take it very well...He locked himself in the room all day long and refused to see anyone...”

"Emm...Are you and your uncle taken care of? Is there any difficulty in life?" That was Amanda's biggest concern right now.

"It's all thanks to her best friend," She sighed. "They have been like blood sisters since high school. That poor girl had an accident and then Lydia; her husband is a good person; he showed up at Lydia’s funeral and comforted us saying that he could relate to our sorrow since he had just lost his wife and father-in-law...poor kid. He said he is going to take care of us like we are his parents in place of Lydia...

Bill Fu?

Ah.

A wave of nausea swept over Amanda; what a hypocrite killer. He took the life of beloved Lydia of her parents and showered himself with their gratitude by acting like a loving son?

"Well, then he...That's some decent man..." Mocked Amanda, her lips curling with a smile, as she turned her eyes to the black and white picture on the wall. Lydia was not going to rest in peace knowing that, either, was she?

But at such a time, she could not reveal him. It was a mercy and her way of paying back at the moment to Lydia to let her parents live in a beautiful illusion. Moreover, her power was now so weak that she can't even see Bill Fu, let alone avenge him.

Amanda wanted everything to be confirmed: "Mrs, was the best friend of Lydia you mentioned lady Amanda Juan who died in the fire of Royal Garden International Hotel?”

She nodded. "You knew Amanda, too?"

"Ms. Du had told us about her best friend before. She said she was studying in Paris, but it never occurred to me that both of them..." Amanda explained then asked calmly and plainly what she cared about the most at the second: “In the news, the Juan Family was ruined with the both the daughter and Lord Juan dead, how did the Mrs. Juan, lady Amanda Juan’s mother, handle the situation?...”

Lydia’s mother sighed before saying: "Mrs. Juan was a poor woman; she lost both her daughter and her husband; luckily, her son-in-law is such a nice person; last time, I paid her a visit in her villa, her son-in-law told me that she was recovering in another remote vacation resort and was not ready to meet the others...well, he was such a sweet and kind kid. I am pretty sure Mrs. Juan is now in good hands.”

In good hands? Or in evil hands? Amanda found it both funny and disgusting. Bill Fu could have killed her; or maybe she was, like herself, already rotting under ground. Anyway, he would always found a good excuse for whatever he did.

Amanda knew she would have to find her mother soon, if she was still alive.

“Mrs Du, accept my condolence and take care of yourself...” Amanda cannot stay here any longer; she was losing herself as her tears were welling up all over her eyes.

"Girl, have dinner with us..." Lydia’s mother took her by the hand.

"No, Mrs. Du, I've got something to do here, I think...I will go see Ms. Du at her grave..."
Amanda, forcing a smile, rose to her feet.

...

It was irony that even after death, people were ranked in the cemetery. At least it was so in the Blue Mountain cemetery.

Maybe due to his guilty conscience, Bill Fu didn't arrange a better place for Lydia Du even though he had promised to take care of the Du Family. He just erected a hard stone tablet like ordinary people and buried it in a group of cemeteries of the same size and shape. It took quite a while and the instruction of the Mrs. Du for Amanda to locate Lydia.

Placing her fruit in front of Lydia Du's gravestone, Amanda crouched down, unable to hold back her tears as she looked at the cold lettering and smiling portrait.

"Lydia, no one will scold me like you did any more; no one would share my thought any more, and no one knows that I am still alive. If you are still lingering around, bless me to kill that beast Bill Fu with my own hands and avenge the blood feud!" Amanda touched the stone." Here's your favorite mango, enjoy it; next time, I do not when I was able to see you again, I don’t know if I would be still alive..."

The stone stayed cold as the sun burning face of Amanda. Amanda stood up and walked toward the another corner of the cemetery.

Her father was placed in a better place, better view, larger space and cleaning stuff sweeping the floor daily. The tomb costed much more that of a house for the poor people; Amanda tittered at Bill Fu for what he had done.

And her own tombstone was erected next to her father’s; luxury was the word she could think of compared with that of Lydia Du. And it read “R.I.P; Beloved wife, Amanda Juan” and signed below was “Bill Fu”.

Was what she felt right now how ghosts in the world felt standing right in front of their own tombstone? What a sweet and loyal husband! How lucky was she to be able to marry a man like Bill Fu...

The picture on the stone was her with a confident smile; Amanda had never felt more envious of herself being so resolute. She was now lost, timid and confused.

‘Amanda under the tombstone, tell me, what am I supposed to do?’

Amanda caressed the face of herself in the picture while from behind a familiar sound of footsteps got close.

Amanda turned around; Bill Fu, her dear husband, was walking toward her.