Chapter 35
Wathisst Anber, Serena worddn’t even be alive. There was no way she would let anyone call her mother’s memorial worthless.
Tuge surged through Seemnia, furling her strength as she violently fore herself from Zach’s grip and lunged back into the burning chapel.
Zach tried to stop her, but frustrations flared in her eyes. Without hesitation, she slapped him hard across the face, her breath ragged with anger.
“Stay out of my business! Get lost!” she snapped.
She showed Zach’s arm away and finally grabbed her mother’s memorial, Clutching it tightly to her chest, she turned just as a burning beam crashed from above,
She let out a sharpery, dodging just in time, but still refused to accept even the slightest help from him
Outside, the panicked shouts of the Jansen family members tilled the air.
Zach watched as Serena dodged the falling debris, and the pain in his chest was far worse than the sting on his face. Without thinking, he lunged forward, grabbed her, and dragged her through the side exit.
The moment they stepped outside, Serena yanked her hand free, shoving him away.
“Inever asked for your help! Leave At least at least Mom’s memorial is safe.”
She cradled the memorial in her arms, carefully inspecting it. Amber had chosen the wood and inscription herself before she passed–it was irreplaceable.
Zach’s heart was still racing. If he had been a second too late, she could have died in there. He couldn’t bring himself to care about a wooden memorial when her life was on the
He stood his ground, refusing to leave, “Rena, we need to talk.
Suddenly, a sharp scream from Rachel pierced through the air outside the door. “See? I told you it was a bad day! The minister’s prediction came true!”
She bellowed, “Serenal We let your mother’s memorial into the family chapel, and look what happened! You set the place on fire! The Jansen family’s ancestral memorials were inside.”
As soon as those words were spoken, several members of the jansen family began blaming Se
Serena for bringing misfortune.
Barbelled her Ups into a smirk, unseen by anyone. With the family chapel gone, even if Serena still had her mother’s memorial, it was meaningless.
Serena stepped around from the side entrance, catching the look in Rachel’s eyes. Her gaze tumed cy
There was no doubt–Rachel had done this.
Sering Serena stay silent, Rachel pressed on, “Why aren’t you saying anything? Feeling guilty?”
“Of course she is!” someone chimed in. “Serena definitely started this fire! She’s always resented us! She was even disrespectful earlier…” Before the accusation could continue, Serena raised her arm. The flame had left an angry red burn on her skin, proof of her struggle inside.
Her sharp gaze swept over the crowd. “I think someone was trying to kill mel barely escaped being crushed by burning beams and banners.
“If you all believe I started this fire, then call the police. Let them investigate whether someone deliberately set this fire to kill me or if I actually intended to burn down the family chupet!”
The moment they so the burn wound on Serena’s arm, some of the elders hesitated. If she had set fire to the family chapel herself, she wouldn’t have hurt herself. Barbel’s expression stiffed. She couldn’t let Serena call the police, if they investigated the source of the fire and traced it back to her….
“The family chapel is a sacred place. How could we let outsiders barge in? Rachel began. “I took a good look just now, and it seems only the interior doors and partitions wete damaged Most likely, a candle accidentally set the banners alight and started the fire.
“Everyone, even though Serena is hot–tempered, she knows better than to do something so reckless. This must all be a misunderstanding a simple accident.”
By the end of it, Rachel was sweating
Someone even praised her. “Being a stepmother isn’t easy. You’re always the one cleaning up after her messes.”
Upon hearing that, Serena felt sick to her stomach. Disgusted, she clutched Amber’s memorial and turned to leave. She needed to find a quiet, clean place for the memorial.
She had barely stepped past the chapel gates when a strong grip yanked her wrist.
Serena had almost forgotten Zach was still here. She turned sharply to face him. “Let go of me!”
