Unexpected Marriage With Mr. Leighton: Rebirth of the Villain-Chapter 337: FUNERAL

It was a cloudy day at the graveyard as they held the funeral. Everyone didn’t say much. They stayed there for a while and lowered their heads.

Renna had been like family for them. Therefore, her passing left all members of the Rose family deeply saddened.

"Mama... where is Granny Renna?" Ashlyn asked. She stared at Renna’s graveyard. It was the second time she had to lose someone close to her.

On the other hand, River was not sure how to explain the situation to her daughter. Dealing with someone’s death was not a new experience for Ashlyn; she had lost her mother before. However, explaining the concept of death to her remained a challenge.

"Renna is with your mother now; she left to be with her," Ranon said gently.

"Why?" Ashlyn’s eyes filled with tears. "I don’t want her to leave. Why does Mama take her?"

Yesterday morning, they found Renna passed away in her sleep. River noticed Renna was not around in the morning, and when she waited for her, she still didn’t show up.

Therefore, River checked on Renna in her bedroom, and only then did she realize that Renna had long gone. It was a heart attack. Renna had a heart attack in her sleep.

"No, Mama didn’t take her. Renna wants to leave because she misses your mother," Ranon said softly.

Hearing that, Ashlyn pursed her lips and nuzzled her face against River’s chest. She was upset and holding back her tears.

Renna had two daughters. They attended the funeral, and they expressed gratitude to the Rose family and the Leightons for caring for their mother until the end.

They told them how happy their mother was to work for them.

"Our mother must be in a better place with Miss Hazel." The eldest daughter wiped her tears and tried to smile.

River put down a bouquet of flowers on Renna’s grave, and she walked away to leave Renna’s two daughters alone after she talked to them and offered her condolences.

Meanwhile, Ranon and Ashlyn were waiting for her in the car, because their little girl started to cry.

However, before River could reach them, Greyson approached her. He looked unhappy, and River knew what he wanted to complain about.

"Not here, Greyson. This is the funeral for Renna; at least respect her." River walked away from him, but Greyson blocked her.

"Why did Ashlyn refer to you as her mother?" Greyson narrowed his eyes dangerously. He lowered his voice to hide how furious he was, but it was too obvious for River.

"Why can’t you be happy that she can talk again?" River crossed her arms and threw a dagger-like glare at him.

"You are not Ashlyn’s mother," Greyson says grimly. He was indeed thrilled to hear his granddaughter could finally talk again. But he felt bitter to know how easily Ashlyn accepted River. Perhaps because she was still young, she didn’t remember much of her mother; nonetheless, it left a bitter taste for him.

"I am not. No one can replace Hazel as her mother. I will never do that, but will you punish her by not letting her have a mother figure for the rest of her life?"

The thing with River and the fact that she lived as Hazel was too complicated and absurd to explain. Therefore, even though it was she who gave birth to Ashlyn, and Hazel was actually her, River and Ranon agreed to put the two of them separately.

Therefore, in this life, River would always be known as Ashlyn’s stepmother, but River didn’t have any objection to that. She could live with that, as long as she was in her daughter’s life.

"Ranon shouldn’t have found a woman this fast. He doesn’t even know you. He should have grieved for his late wife, not tried to find a replacement as soon as possible."

In a way, River could understand that. Ranon got a backlash too because he chose to be with River, and their relationship was moving too fast.

Yet, they didn’t owe anyone an explanation about their private life.

"Are you suggesting that Ranon should live his life the way you do? Feeling bitter because your wife died and then grew resentful toward all of your children?" River narrowed her eyes. "You are the last person who should advise about grieving and moving forward."

Greyson gritted his teeth, but before he could say anything, River had nodded at the person in the distance. When Greyson followed her line of sight, he saw Logan approach Renna’s grave with a young boy who looked like him.

"You need to stop trying to control everything. You had never been a good father as your children were growing up, no matter what your excuse was. You made a mistake, so how could you judge your children when they also made a mistake?"

"I don’t make a mistake like he does."

"Therefore, you think you are better than him?" River knew that Greyson didn’t believe Logan’s story about Grace. "Can you at least trust your children and put them first? Swallowing your ego will not kill you."

After saying that, River walked away toward her little family, who were waiting for her. She chuckled a bit when she saw Ashlyn press her face against the window glass of the car, staring at her as if urging her to walk faster.

***

"Come with me."

That was the first thing that Laurel said when she entered the penthouse. River was enjoying her lunch with Ashlyn, and Peni was washing strawberries for them.

After Renna’s passing a month ago, River asked Peni to work again in this house, but not as a babysitter like before, but to replace Renna’s work.

Peni had worked for them before, and they liked her. At that time, they stopped Peni from working for them because of the situation, and now, after another background check, River and Ranon agreed that Peni would be the best option.

Moreover, Ashlyn was familiar with her.

"Where?" River was not surprised to see Laurel; she liked to barge in whenever she thought Ranon was not around.

"Buying you clothes," Laurel said with determination. She sat down next to Ashlyn, and her expression softened. "My baby is big now; give me a kiss, kiss, kiss."

Ashlyn kissed Laurel, and she beamed happily. She became much friendlier when she learned Ashlyn had started to speak again when River was around.

After so many therapies and everything that they had done to make her talk, it was River’s presence that managed to make this little girl speak again.

Even though Laurel didn’t say it, and she would never do it, she was grateful for what River had done for her niece.

"No thanks, I have a lot of clothes."

"They’re not your clothes," Laurel said dramatically. "I don’t understand what is in Ranon’s head to let you wear his late wife’s clothes, but you should be ashamed enough not to wear them."

"I am not ashamed," River replied in a matter-of-fact tone. Those clothes were hers, though, even when she couldn’t prove it.

Laurel disagreed with that; she waved her hand comically. "No, we are going to buy you new clothes and change your wardrobe. You can’t wear Hazel’s clothes anymore."

"No, thanks, I’d rather not waste money on that." 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

Laurel grinned. She then pulled something from her wallet. "Why should you waste your money while there is someone else’s money to waste?"

River narrowed her eyes at the small card that Laurel was holding. "Is that... Ranon’s card?"

"Yes." Laurel smiled triumphantly. She came to Ranon’s office before she came here. "I told him that you want to buy clothes, and he handed me his card."

"Without confirming with me?" River was in disbelief. She was astounded that Ranon could be reckless.

"I don’t think he minds it." Laurel shrugged her shoulders. "He was busy and was about to attend another meeting, so I think he didn’t ask much because he knows how persistent I can be."

"You are so shameless. Why don’t you use your money?" River was unhappy with this.

"Because you are not my wife," Laurel smirked from ear to ear. "Let’s go."

"No, I don’t want to go."

However, River was well aware of how persistent Laurel was, and she had no other choice but to go with her, or else this woman would pester her and give her a headache.

Five hours later, Cam and two bodyguards who came with them looked very gloomy. They had a lot of bags on their hands, and if something happened to River and Laurel, they wouldn’t be able to react fast enough.

"There is nothing that will happen in the middle of the shopping center," Laurel said as she dragged River with her to enter another shop.

Some of their items had been asked to be sent to the apartment, though.

"I think this is enough," River said tiredly. She narrowed her eyes at Laurel suspiciously. "I think it is you who wants to go on a shopping spree by using Ranon’s money."

"How could you say that?" Laurel clutched her chest dramatically. "All of the items are for you."

Laurel was right, though.

"Come on, try this." Laurel nudged River to try another dress.

"No, I am done. I want to go home." She left Ashlyn with Peni at home, and Ranon should be home around this time, too.

"Fine, no need to try it on; we will buy it."

Thankfully, after another three hours, River could go home to her family.

"Tired?" Ranon asked, kissing her forehead.

"Your sister is insane."