Love, Lies and Billionaires

“Well, hi” the newcomer said in a low voice as she sat. Maren raised her head at the sound of the voice and turned to look beside her.

“I was thinking you wouldn’t come.”

“You really have the guts to show up here, don’t you, Irene? Maren spat but quietly, to avoid attracting attention to herself while keeping her eyes forward and focused on the priest who had begun to speak.

He held a shiny Bible and began to speak in a gentle, yet authoritative and audible tone.

“Dear friends and family, we gather today to bid farewell to a remarkable individual, William Sinclair. A man of great vision, entrepreneurial spirit, and of course, a man of great leadership…”

Maren almost scoffed, but kept it inside of her. As much as she felt sad that he was gone, being beside Irene only reminded her of everything both of them had done and it made some kind of hate grow inside of her again.

“Why did you decide to come, you fake ass bitch?” Irene whispered.

“At least I didn’t go into hiding after William left me,” Maren shot back, making Irene turn to her sharply and eyed her with contempt.

The sun cast gloomy rays over the graveyard as usual, but Maren still insisted she’d keep her glasses on regardless, so no one could see her actual expressions.

She stared at the mahogany polished casket, which had a golden cross up front and was designed with gold lines at the sides. She just wished William would walk out of it and come take his whore home.

“I know you killed him,” Irene said, now looking towards the priest.

Maren scoffed inwardly. “Why would I want to do that? He’s the father of my child.”

“To take revenge,” Irene stated.

“Darling, if I wanted revenge, you’d be in his place. You were the beginning of this total shit”

“No, I wasn’t, you were!”

“… William’s legacy will live on through the lives he touched and the businesses he built. May his memory inspire us to strive for greatness, even as we mourn his passing,” the priest concluded, and they all rose for prayers.

Maren, on her own part, was confused. What did Irene mean by it was her fault? She thought as she heard the priest increase the volume of his voice a little, making it hard for her to pour some more hate on William and Irene.

“…May his soul rest in perfect peace and may our lord bring peace and comfort to those he left behind.” The priest said in conclusion.

They all echoed ‘Amen’ before the sound of dirt being shovelled into the grave was heard, followed by occasional sniffing from an elderly lady, who Maren knew as William’s paternal aunt.

For the record, they were never on good terms while she was with him. The ceremony was done and people took their turns in dropping a flower on the now closed grave.

“What do you mean, it was my fault?” Maren asked, finally letting out the question which was stuck in her chest. She was walking quickly, half trying to catch up with Irene and half trying to avoid the reporters who were at her heel.

Irene sighed and let go of her dress, which she held up to avoid stepping on it then she turned to Maren. She was about to speak, but then her eyes wandered to the reporters who stood behind Maren, their cameras ready in their hands.

Maren noticed and turned to them. “Would you get the fuck away?” She said in annoyance. They all scurried away, and Maren turned back to Irene. “Glad to see you still have some regard for decency.” She said,

“Now what did you mean by it was my fault? What did he tell you?”

“I know you might deny whatever I want to say, but I know it’s true. William was a lot of things but not a lair”

Maren rolled her eyes. “Oh, please”

“You put him under pressure, Maren. You wanted a child before you guys got married, but he knew he couldn’t”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Let me finish!” Irene shot, staring daggers at Maren. “He came to confide in me each time you guys had the discussion and that was how we got intimate, Maren. William was a really good man, and you knew it.”

“He held himself all the while till his mom died and that was when he decided he was done with you so he could get with me because I understood him better and he loved me for that” her voice was beginning to break as tears built beneath her eyes.

“He tried all he could to get you out of his mind, but somehow, he found himself in your arms all over again, Maren. You’re ungrateful and inconsiderate!” She spat, making Maren more confused.

“What are you saying?”

“He agreed to go on with the marriage because he didn’t want to hurt you. You weren’t supposed to find out about us. At least he didn’t. I wanted you to find out before the wedding, but of course you were too engrossed with yourself to notice anything”

“William loved you so much and I hated it because I saw the way you made him feel, Maren. Sometimes when we’re out, I have murderous thoughts but I still could get myself to kill you”

“Irene, stop this. I really need to understand you.” Maren half begged as she was getting worried and tears threatened to burst out of her lids.

People who were still around discussing or saying a few words to the journalists began to turn in their direction as the tension was beginning to get obvious.

“Maren, is everything alright?” Alexander asked, and he placed his hands gently on her shoulders from behind.

“I’m fine,” she replied, telling him off.

“Are you sure?” He asked, eyeing Irene.

“Yes, we just have a few words to say to each other. We’ll head home when I’m done”

“Alright then,” he answered and kissed her hair before leaving.C0pyright © 2024 Nôv)(elDrama.Org.

Irene gave a short laugh after he left. “I am loving the pretense, Maren. I can’t wait for both of you to screw yourselves up,” she said, trying to get her tears back into her eyes, if it was possible.

“Please, just tell me what you meant by everything you said.”

“William was impotent, alright?!” she snapped.

“What?”