The Best Actress

I lied for the first time in my life.  I felt that my heart was at my throat.  I wasn't good at lying.  Moreover, this lie couldn't convince myself, so would these people buy my story? As expected, Old Madame Brown, who held a walking stick, said in a cold voice, "Nonsense! He's dead. How could he sit up in the coffin? Come, send some people to find out the truth." Right then, a man in an inky blue suit came over. "Grandma, why is it messy?" The man shared similar eyes and eyebrows with Carroll, but his aura wasn't so strong as Carroll's.  The aloof Old Madame Brown instantly turned benign. "It's all about Carroll. He even caused trouble at his funeral." Nathan Brown was attentive to his grandmother. He helped her sit in a chair not far away and poured her a cup of tea. Nathan seemed like a good grandson.  I restored the offerings scattered on the ground to their old places and then stood by the coffin as I had yesterday.  I just needed to play my role, no matter what would happen next.  "So, you're the girl from the Smith family?" Nathan said in a frivolous tone as he swaggered toward me. I nodded. I hid half of my face behind my long hair to dodge the scrutiny from Nathan. "Girl, you said that my brother sat up in the coffin. However, never have you seen my brother. Why did you say so?" My mouth twitched at this question, but I soon calmed down. "Apart from him, who would be in this coffin? Besides, there is a big photo of him, and I'm not blind." Then, I pointed to the photo on the desk. The photo was amazing because Carroll in it stared at me wherever I stood.  I thought that Nathan must feel so too.  Nathan looked in the direction I pointed to and then shivered with fear.  He looked back at me and asked, "You said that Carroll appeared in your dream. Did he say anything?" Nathan picked up an apple from the offerings and put it into his mouth. "Yes." I smiled sweetly and looked at the black-and-white photo on the wall with admiration. "He told me to lead a good life here. He said that this was my home. By the way, he carried me back to his bedroom to sleep yesterday." This speech dumbfounded the crowd in the living room.  The dead silence lasted for about two seconds. Old Madame Brown tapped on the floor hard with her walking stick twice. "Nonsense!" Was it? Carroll did say that this was my home. With a sneer, Nathan picked up another apple to eat. The offerings were mine! I quickly snatched the apple from Nathan and put it back in its place. "Please show some respect to the dead, or Mr. Carroll may lecture you in the evening." "How dare you curse me? Are you tired of living?" Nathan was furious. He raised his hand to slap me. A slap was nothing to me. I got whipped by the rattan during my growing up.  However, I couldn't help but close my eyes. "Mr. Nathan, she is your sister-in-law. Please show some respect!" It was Jason's voice! I opened my eyes and saw Nathan's hand in the air. "Who do you think you are? How dare you tell me what to do?" Nathan looked down on Jason. "You are nobody in the Brown family." Jason was calm. He raised his voice and said, "Mr. Nathan, I would like to remind you that I am the only witness in the world to prove that Mr. Carroll is dead." "You..." Nathan was so angry that his face turned livid, looking ugly.  Jason didn't panic at all. He added with a smile, "No strangers appeared around the villa yesterday, so what Mrs. Carroll said is credible. Moreover, Mr. Carroll appeared in my dream and told me to take good care of his wife!" "That's right! Last night was my wedding night with Mr. Carroll. I think he didn't want me to stay here alone. Therefore, he appeared in my dream and told me to take a good rest in his room." I echoed. I let out a sigh. My husband wasn't that bad since he sent Jason to help me. Otherwise, Old Madame Brown and Nathan would swallowed me alive.  Perhaps I exaggerated too much. Jason's smile froze.  After one glance at me, Jason wore his polite but distant smile and said, "Mr. Carroll loves his wife so much." "He does. Mr. Carroll said yesterday that he needed more offerings. He preferred wine to the beverage. Moreover, he didn't want to be disturbed. It will be great if fewer mourners come." The complaint seemed ridiculous, but I could seek benefits for myself, couldn't I? With an awkward smile, Jason echoed. "Madam is right. Mr. Carroll did not like social interactions when he was alive." Old Madame Brown looked sullen, so I quickly added, "Ma'am, don't you miss Mr. Carroll? If he appears in my dream tonight, I will tell him to visit you." Hearing this, Old Madame Brown turned livid. Jason smoothed things over in time. "Old Madame Brown, you must be tired after a busy morning. Please leave this place to me." A dozen strong men in black suits appeared before Old Madame Brown and Nathan opened their mouths.  Obviously, Jason tried to drive them out.  "Grandma, this place is terrible. Let's go home!" Nathan pulled Old Madame Brown, who pulled a long face, away, and I didn't know whether they were scared. Nathan gave me a threatening look before his departure.  I let out a long sigh and then relaxed. "Jason, please thank Mr. Carroll for me." I didn't stand upright anymore. Jason said with a faint smile, "You'd better express your gratitude yourself. Mr. Carroll is waiting for you in the secret room." The secret room? There was a secret room in this villa? Carroll was still in this house . No wonder he appeared out of blue yesterday. The Brown family didn't find Carroll during their preparation for such a grand funeral.  Were they fools? Or, it must be that Carroll hid well.  Without hesitation, I picked up two apples and followed Jason. Jason led me past the mourning hall and stopped in a storeroom. The stuff inside the storeroom had one thing in common.  All of them had their trademarks on. No family would use a new scrubber every day no matter how rich they were. Therefore, the disguise here seemed careless. "Madam, this way please." Jason pushed, and there came the light. What a spacious study! Carroll casually leaned against his swivel chair and looked at me with interest. "It seems you aren't satisfied with our wedding night. You want more passion, don't you?" Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the mourning hall on the computer screen. In other words, Carroll watched me in the mourning hall through the surveillance cameras all the time. "Mr. Carroll, well, are you satisfied with my acting? May I take two apples as my reward?" I put the two apples beside my cheeks and looked at Carroll eagerly.