Mourning Interrupted: A Scandal Laid Bare

Lester sneered. "You pathetic, worthless leech. Even your family doesn't stand with you. Who's going to help you now? You're an embarrassment to all men!"

Lester glanced at the memorial photo, and then at the scattered gifts in the house. He scoffed, "That photo must be of your mother, right? And all these gifts are probably from Rosalie.

"You're living off the dead. Don't you have any shame? Your whole family's a bunch of parasites. Don't think for a second you'll get a penny from my fiancée even if someone's dead!"

With that, he directed his group to smash everything in sight. Only then did I realize Lester had brought over two or three dozen people, each one holding a club or stick.

As the memorial photo crashed to the ground, glass shards scattered across the floor. My newly purchased porcelain vases, each worth tens of thousands, toppled one by one, sending sharp fragments flying and cutting into my legs.

I wanted to speak up to stop them, but seeing the recently installed security cameras on the wall, I held my tongue.

I waved subtly to the bodyguards waiting nearby, signaling them to hold back unless absolutely necessary. Then, turning to Lester, I gave him a slight smirk.

"Lester, just a heads-up, the damages you're causing here are well over a million. But hey, if you're ready to cover it, keep going."

Lester looked at me like I was an idiot. "Acting tough, are we? All that money comes from my fiancée anyway. What's it to you?"

"I'll break whatever I want! What are you going to do about it? Rosalie is happy to spend on me! I'll keep breaking them!"

Seeing no one stepping in to stop him, Lester grew bolder. He motioned for his men to pin me down before he mentioned in a voice dripping with contempt, "Tell you what. If you get on your knees right now, in front of everyone, and beg me for forgiveness, I might consider letting you go pay your final respects to your mother. Otherwise, you'll just have to watch her witness you getting beaten to a pulp."

I was immobilized as I was held down by a dozen sticks. As I weighed my options, I fixed my gaze on Lester.

"If Rosalie cheated, you should take it up with her. Why come after me?"

At this, Lester's expression changed, a flicker of resentment clouding his gaze. "Rosalie's just too soft-hearted to say no to anyone. How is any of this her fault? It's your fault. If you hadn't selfishly drained her account of that eight million, she would have bought me a new car by now! It's your fault she was humiliated at the dealership when she couldn't pay! You'd better return the money!"

As soon as he finished, a hail of blows rained down on me.

Several strikes hit my stomach, leaving me gasping and nearly stumbling as my face paled.

Lester's grin widened. "That's more like it. Now you look exactly like the good-for-nothing leech you are. Smile for the camera. I'll send a picture of you to all the rich ladies out there. Maybe one of them will take a liking to you."

Hearing this, the onlookers smirked, some even pulling out their phones to snap pictures.

My mind began to reel, memories surging back.

The same thing happened a few years ago. Mona and the villagers had treated me the same way. And now, at her funeral, I was once again being humiliated like this.

Anger exploded within me, propelling me into action. Fueled by rage, I fought back, fending off seven or eight people, taking down each one who came at me.