Chapter 2

"And that chandelier in the middle of the living room is way too flashy. It doesn't feel dignified at all. Swap it out for some simple torchère lamps," I instructed.

"Miss Yvona, that's Mr. Souchon's favorite piece..." the butler said weakly.

"We need to move on. We must not dwell in the past," I intoned solemnly with a pat on his shoulder.

Thereafter, I also told him to put away all the flashy decorations and put up the "Celebration of Life" memorial banners I had brought from home. These were the standard hanging scrolls hand-made by my dad.

Thanks to my tireless effort, the whole villa's vibe changed in a flash from extravagant European luxury to a somber funeral hall.

The butler just stood there, gaping. He was on the verge of tears, but powerless to do anything about it. "Miss Yvona, if Mr. and Mrs. Souchon see this when they get back, they… they will freak out..."

I simply gave him a knowing smile and issued him further instructions on the finishing touches, such as placing two massive wreaths right at the villa's main door.

The day after I finished setting up everything, Liliane finally returned home after getting discharged from the hospital, looking very "frail."

As soon as the whole family got out of the car, they froze in front of the main door.

Pierretta took one look at all the memorial banners, epitaphs, and wreaths that filled the whole house, and her heart nearly stopped. She almost followed in Liliane's footsteps.

"Yvona! What... what on earth have you done?" Pierretta's voice was trembling with anger.

Liliane leaned against her mother and croaked weakly, "Yvy... I know you're upset with me, but you don't have to jinx me like this..."

Before they could blow their tops, I rushed up to welcome them. "Dad! Mom! You're finally back!

"Take a look! I was worried Liliane's soul might not find peace, so I have set everything up just for her!

"It's called guiding the soul. It's a practice that we have. This way, her soul can rest in peace and move on to the afterlife smoothly."

I pointed at the seemingly endless rows of votive candles inside, looking every bit the expert. "So, what do you think? Bright enough? If not, I can always add more!"

Didier's face was as stormy as a thundercloud. He jabbed a finger at one of the epitaphs on the wall and bellowed, "And what about these? Are those part of your so-called practice too?"

I nodded eagerly. "Of course! It's to showcase Liliane's beautiful life and the positive impact she had on all our lives when she was still with us."

I then pointed at Liliane. "See? Doesn't she look so much more at peace now?"

Liliane's lips were twitching like crazy.

Yule, who hadn't said a word until now, finally lost it. "Yvona! That's enough!

"Lili just got discharged from the hospital. Can't you let her have one day of peace? Do you have to turn the whole house into some eerie, creepy place before you're satisfied?"

I gave him a bewildered look."Yule, I'm only doing this for Liliane.

"Don't you guys want to send her off with all the respect and honor she deserves?

"Or are all of you..." Realization hit me suddenly, and I looked at everyone with great heartache.

"Are you guys not happy because giving her a proper send-off costs too much money?

"No worries at all! Mom, Dad, Yule, if you feel that money is tight, I have plenty! I've been saving up all the bonuses I received as a professional mourner at funerals since I was a kid. I can use that sum to throw Liliane a funeral.

"I guarantee you, hers will be the most glorious funeral service for miles around!" I proclaimed with pride.

The Souchons were so incensed by my words that they were totally lost for words.

Liliane finally dropped the act. She shoved Pierretta aside and pointed at me as she screamed loudly, "You're the one who's dead! Your whole family's dead!"

I clutched my chest and staggered back a couple of steps like I had been deeply hurt. "Liliane, how could you say that? Aren't we supposed to be family?

"Everything I did was just to make sure you would have a peaceful send-off, you know..."

Liliane's chest was heaving, clearly seething from my so-called "good intentions." She looked ready to start yelling again, but Pierretta quickly pulled her back before she could say another word.

Didier's face was also livid as he delivered his final ultimatum. "Sebastian! Get all this stuff out of here, right now! Every last bit of it! Don't leave a single thing behind!"

Seeing them all united against me, I lowered my head in dismay.

"Fine... fine then... If you all think Liliane's send-off should be low-key, then... I'll just do whatever you want.

"It's such a shame... Liliane won't get the grand farewell she really deserves."

After that whole fiasco, the atmosphere at home became downright frosty.

Liliane lay low for a few days, but it was obvious that she was plotting something big.

Sure enough, it wasn't long before Pierretta told me, "Yvy, in a few days it's your Grandpa Ludovic's death anniversary. We're heading back to the family cemetery to pay our respects. Just stay close to Lili and try not to screw things up."

Pay respect to the deceased? Now this was my field of expertise. This was a realm where I could really shine!

Inwardly, I was practically bursting with excitement, but outwardly, I just nodded demurely.

On the day of the commemoration, the Souchon family cemetery was packed with relatives.

All of them looked at me with outright contempt.

In stark contrast, Liliane, wearing only a simple white dress, stood at the center of everyone's attention and adulation.