“The Remains of Summer) Chapter 24
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As Amelia closed her phone and stood up, the housekeeper entered, looking
flustered.“Miss Lincoln, there are people here claiming to be your parents. They
want to see you.”
Amelia frowned.“My parents?”
The housekeeper explained. Her estranged parents, both remarried with new families, had apparently heard rumors of her survival and return. After
abandoning her during her darkest hour, they now wanted to reconnect.
Amelia listened impassively. Liam put his arm around her. “They’re not here
to see you. They want something from the Lin family.”
Amelia looked at him, confused. He chuckled, tapping her nose.“Your father‘
s company
is on
on the
verge of bankruptcy, and your mother’s new husband’s
business is failing. They tried contacting me, but I ignored them. Now they’re
trying their luck with you.”
Amelia wasn’t surprised. Their abandonment during the divorce had spoken volumes. They’d moved on, built new lives, new families. Their love for her, if it
ever existed, was long gone.
She shook her head, dismissing the housekeeper, then turned and went
upstairs. She didn’t care about their reaction.
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<<<The Remains of Sum…
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Outside, her parents erupted in angry disbelief when told she wouldn’t see
them. The housekeeper looked at them coldly.“You weren’t there for her when
she needed you. You have no right to demand anything from her now.”
They fell silent, shamefaced.
A month passed. Liam introduced Amelia to his family and friends,
showering her with warmth and affection.
On the day they returned to New Zealand, the sun was shining. They bid
farewell to their friends and boarded the plane.
In a hospital ICU, as if sensing Amelia’s departure, a tear rolled down Ethan‘
s cheek.
He remembered Amelia’s words the day she “died.” If he ever fell in love
with someone else, he should tell her, and she wouldn’t fight him. But if he lied,
she would disappear forever.
He’d lied. And she was gone.
A sharp pain pierced his chest. He gasped for air. The heart monitor beeped
frantically. Doctors rushed in.
The clock ticked. The heart monitor flatlined.
The doctor sighed, even though he’d seen death many times before. Ethan’s
<<The Remains of Sum…
vitals had been stable. This was unexpected.
“Notify the family.”
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Amelia and Liam attended Ethan’s funeral, standing silently under a black
umbrella, watching the somber procession, the lowering of the casket, the
scattering of flowers, the placing of the headstone.
One by one, mourners approached the grave, bowing their heads in silent
tribute, then leaving.
Finally, only Amelia and Liam remained.
After a long silence, Amelia walked towards the headstone, her gaze
the photo.
A youthful Ethan, smiling, his eyes full of love and hope.
fixed on
