Chapter 197 Mid - May , the elder Mr. ckwood concluded his North American diplomatic tour and returned to Ennd to bid farewell to his wife and son . The funeral for Andrew and Lady ckwood was scheduled for May 17th . The day arrived beneath a gunmetal sky , heavy clouds pressing down like a physical weight , the atmosphere thick with unspoken grief . Fifteen kilometers north of the ckwood estate stretched a private cemetery .


    Generations of ckwoods rested beneath its manicured grounds . Row upon row of headstones stood in dignified silence , sentinels marking time''s inexorable march and life''s inevitable conclusion . Today , two new markers joined their ranks , each bearing a name , birth date , and the same day of death . Mourners in formal ck moved quietly through the grounds , their faces drawn and solemn . The two graves were positioned one above the other , reflecting their generational difference .


    Floral tributes surrounded both headstones , white blooms stark against the rich earth . As the ceremony began , the minister''s voice carried across the gathering , deep and measured , guiding the assembled through the rituals of farewell . The mourners bowed their heads in silent tribute . Time seemed to stretch , heavy with finality . Finally came the moment of personal farewell . One by one , mourners stepped forward to ce white chrysanthemums on the graves .


    Despite theirplicated history with the ckwood family , Randolph and Victoria hade to pay their respects . After cing their flowers , they offered simple condolences to the three remaining ckwoods standing in a tight cluster . As the service concluded , a young woman in a tailored ck dress with a white flower in her hair approached . " Mr. ckwood , Aunt Catherine , " she said softly , addressing the elder Mr. ckwood and Catherine . 99.09 % The elder Mr.


    ckwood acknowledged her with a bare nod . Catherine''s response was equally minimal . " Lucia . " Having greeted them , the woman turned toward Asher . Her expression visibly softened , warmth creeping into her eyes . " Asher . " His face remained impassive , his response measured and distant : " Thank you for flying back for the funeral . " Lucia''s gaze held barely concealed tenderness . " I''m so sorry for your loss .


    " He responded with a nomittal " Mm , " deliberately shifting his gaze away . The message couldn''t have been clearer . Recognizing the dismissal , Lucia lowered her eyes , hershes fluttering slightly . She pressed her lips together and turned away without another word . As the remaining mourners dispersed , Asher scanned the crowd one final time , searching for a face that never appeared . Disappointment flickered briefly in his eyes before he masked it .


    That rainy night embrace now seemed dreamlike . Too perfect to have been real . Days had passed , yet he could still feel the phantom warmth of Thalia against him . Thalia''s wound hadn''t fully healed , her doctor advising against unnecessary movement . Though she''d wanted to attend the funeral , Randolph had put his foot down . So she remained in her hospital room , chafing against the restriction . She''d been texting Charlotte for updates throughout the day . Victoria hadn''t attended either .


    Witnessing Andrew''s suicide had left deep psychological wounds . Nightmares gued her sleep , leaving her waking up screaming . For weeks now , she''d remained secluded at home , receiving intensive therapy . Thalia called every few days to check on her . Sebastian always answered , his voice tight with concern as he reported Victoria''s slow progress . After the funeral , Charlotte finally returned Thalia''s messages with a call .


    " Hey , " Charlotte said , her voice hushed as she walked toward her car . " Just leaving now . The service was … A True Heiress 99.1 % Chapter 197 appropriately somber . " Knowing what Thalia really wanted to know , Charlotte added quietly , " Asher''s holding up . Don''t worry too much " Thalia exhaled softly . " That''s good to hear .


    " As Charlotte continued chatting , she nced up and froze mid - step at the sight of a familiar face approaching Her voice died mid - sentence as Lucia Schulz closed the distance between them . " Charlotte , " Lucia greeted with practiced warmth . " Been a while . " " Charlotte ? What happened ? " Thalia''s confused voice came through the phone . " Something''se up , " Charlotte responded quickly . " I''ll call you backter , alright ? " " Sure .


    " Ending the call , Charlotte met Lucia''s gaze directly . " Indeed it has . " " Free for dinner ? " Lucia asked , her tone casual but purposeful . " My treat . " Charlotte hesitated , weighing her options . Her instinct was to refuse , but then she recalled Lucia''s history with Asher . The calction shifted . Lucia had obviously flown in specifically for the funeral and had just spoken with Asher .


    This dinner invitation wasn''t merely social - Lucia clearly wanted information about Asher''s current situation . Simrly , Charlotte wanted to gauge whether Lucia still harbored ambitions regarding him . " Why not , " Charlotte agreed . " I''ll need to change first . You choose the ce . " " Perfect , " Lucia replied . " I''ll message you details . " Charlotte responded with a cool " Mm - hmm . " As Lucia walked away , Charlotte exhaled deeply .


    Should she tell Thalia about Lucia''s reappearance ? Despite their breakup , Thalia and Asher clearly still had unresolved feelings . Now that Malfoy was behind bars and Lady ckwood was gone , reconciliation seemed increasingly possible … Chapter 197 . A private dining room at an exclusive restaurant owned by Schulz Corp gleamed with understated luxury . Lucia and Charlotte sat across from each other , initial pleasantries exchanged .


    After requisite catching up, Lucia took a deliberate sip of tea before asking directly : " So Asher and Thalia really broke up ? " Though based abroad for years , Lucia had monitored Asher''s life with unwavering attention . His engagement to Thaliast year had devastated her for weeks . The Schulz and ckwood families shared connections spanning generations . In her childhood , there had even been half - serious jokes about her and Asher making a perfect match .


    Asher had been Lucia''s first love , the standard against which she measured all others . Despite her exceptional beauty and family credentials - qualities that attracted constant attention from eligible men - Lucia remained fixated on Asher , whose brilliance simply outshone everyone else . Before leaving for university abroad , she had actually confessed her feelings . She was neen then . About to depart for her studies overseas .


    Hoping to leave without regrets - and perhaps secretly wishing he might ask her to stay - she''d taken the risk . His rejection had been absolute . " I''m sorry , but my heart is already taken , " he had told her directly . " May I ask who ? " she''d managed to ask . Without hesitation : " Thalia Winters . " Lucia knew of Thalia . The Winters heiress , her contemporary .


    They asionally crossed paths at social functions - nodding acquaintances who moved in the same circles without truly intersecting . Learning of Asher''s feelings for Thalia had stung sharply . But even through her jealousy , she couldn''t deny Thalia''s appeal . The woman had reportedly been campus royalty from secondary school through university .


    99.3 % Chapter 197 Beyond her beauty , Thalia excelled academically while collecting impressive achievements across multiple domains - national youth golf champion , pianopetition special prize winner , and an art prodigy with des dating back to childhood . Among elite families in their circle , cultivating talent in arts and culture was expected , but few achieved Thalia''s level of excellence across so many fields . Pride had prevented Lucia from persisting after rejection .


    She had evenposed herself enough to say , " I can respect losing to her . But this isn''t over . " She hadn''t finished the thought aloud . I''ll be exceptional enough for you to notice me . Now , having asked her question , Lucia felt her heart quicken nervously . The breakup had happened in January - over four months ago . Sufficient time for reconciliation . She dreaded hearing what she didn''t want to know .