Chapter 2 - The Maui Return
The private viewing for Eleanor was held two days later at the most prestigious funeral home in Bellevue. I arranged everything down to the smallest detail—simple, elegant, white lilies surrounding the heavy mahogany casket.
Julian arrived forty-five minutes late, putting on a masterclass of staged devastation. He wore an expensive bespoke suit, his eyes artificially reddened, his posture slouched to convey the weight of a grieving son.
And walking two paces behind him, wearing a tight, inappropriate black designer dress and dark sunglasses, was Chloe Sanders.
She carried herself with an air of delicate, misplaced authority, hovering near Julian’s elbow as if she were already the lady of the estate. She looked around the funeral parlor with calculating eyes, assessing the cost of the flower arrangements and the caliber of the guests. She clearly did not recognize my face from any photos, nor did she connect me to the voice on the phone she had mocked three days ago. To her, I was simply the dull, weary wife Julian had complained about for years.
"Clara, my god..." Julian rushed forward, opening his arms to pull me into a tragic, performative hug. "I am so sorry! The storm in Chicago... the flight cancellations... it was an absolute nightmare trying to get back!"
I stepped backward smoothly, dodging his touch, leaving his open arms hovering awkwardly in the air. "Save your breath, Julian. The funeral director needs your signature on the authorization forms in the back office."
Julian’s eyes flicked to mine, a flash of annoyance bleeding through his fake grief at my coldness. "Right. Of course. Chloe, darling, wait here for a moment."
As Julian disappeared down the hallway, Chloe stepped closer to the casket, peering at Eleanor’s peaceful face before turning her attention to me. She adjusted her sunglasses, a smirk tugging at the corner of her lips.
"You must be Clara," Chloe murmured, her tone dripping with patronizing pity. "Julian has told me so much about you. It’s so sad... you look utterly exhausted. Nursing an invalid for twenty years really takes a toll on a woman's youth, doesn't it?"
I turned my head slowly, looking Chloe up and down. I noticed the faint, fresh tan lines on her shoulders, the ocean-scented perfume she wore, and the breathtaking diamond pendant resting at her throat—a necklace that had appeared on our joint credit card statement three weeks ago listed as a "corporate hospitality gift."
"Maui agrees with you, Chloe," I said cleanly.
Chloe froze. The condescending smile vanished from her face instantly. Her jaw dropped slightly behind her dark glasses. "What... what did you say?"
"I said the beach sun did wonders for your skin," I replied, stepping closer until I could see my own calm reflection in her sunglasses. "The sound of the ocean was quite clear over the receiver on Tuesday night. And the champagne pop... a lovely touch for a woman answering a dying mother's phone."
Chloe backed away a step, her breathing becoming shallow and erratic. "You... you were the one calling—"
"Thirty-one times," I interrupted, my voice dropping to an icy whisper. "While Eleanor was taking her last breaths, you were laughing about dignity in a luxury suite. I suggest you enjoy that diamond necklace while you still can, Chloe. Because every single cent Julian spent on your Hawaiian getaway came from accounts that are about to be frozen by a federal judge."
Before Chloe could recover her speech, Julian emerged from the side office, holding a folder of paperwork. He looked between the two of us, picking up on the sudden, toxic shift in the atmosphere.
"Is everything alright here?" Julian asked, frowning as he walked over.
"Everything is wonderful, Julian," I said, offering a smooth, vacant smile. "Chloe was just telling me how much she appreciates family traditions. We should head to the estate. Arthur Pendelton is waiting for us in the library."
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Julian’s eyes gleamed with a subtle, repulsive spark of greed. "Pendelton? The estate lawyer? Already? Clara, surely we shouldn't be dealing with legal matters on the day of Mom's viewing..."
"Eleanor left strict instructions," I said, sliding my hands into my coat pockets, feeling the heavy brass drive nestled inside. "And as you know better than anyone, Julian... my mother-in-law hated being kept waiting."
