The Last Rite

The mansion was alive with activity, though the air was thick with sorrow. It was supposed to be a solemn day, one of mourning and respect for the great leader who had just passed. But to Sarah, it was much more than that. It was a day of reckoning, a day to make it clear to all who had betrayed her great-grandfather and her family that they would not go unpunished.

The room was filled with mourners, each one paying their respects to Auto Dane Lim—the man who had built the Cojuangco Mafia Empire into the powerhouse it was. His death was a wound that would take time to heal, and in the interim, there was power to be seized.

Sarah stood at the center of the room, her back straight and her eyes cold. She wore a black dress with sharp lines that spoke to her strength and poise, her mask of sorrow a stark contrast to the fury that brewed beneath the surface. Around her, the whispers and murmurings of the attendees echoed. They came from every corner of the world—people who sought favor with the Lim family, or those who had once been allies of Auto Dane. Some were loyal, but most were opportunistic vultures, circling in the wake of his death, eager to claim whatever scraps they could.

As Sarah stood near her grandfather's coffin, taking in the sea of faces, her sharp gaze cut through the crowd. She knew that not all of these people should have been here. There were some—like **Wyatt Felix Lim**, her own father, who had come only to maintain the pretense of his position in the family, and the snake-like figure of **Kristine Madielle Lorre**, his mistress. Their presence was a stain, an affront to the sacredness of the occasion. But Sarah's focus wasn't on them. Not yet. It was the others who had no business here—those who had been excluded from the funeral, the people who dared show up uninvited.

The first to approach Sarah was a **businessman** from a rival family who had once tried to manipulate Auto Dane, offering his condolences in a hollow tone. He was tall, his suit tailored to perfection, his face plastered with a smile that never reached his eyes.

"I am so sorry for your loss, Sarah," he said, his voice smooth but insincere. "Auto Dane was a great man. A man of vision. The Cojuangco Mafia will never be the same without him."

Sarah stared at him for a moment, her cold, calculating gaze not once leaving his face. She could see through his thinly veiled words. He wasn't here out of respect; he was here to see if he could secure a deal while the family was grieving. His eyes darted around, looking for an opportunity to speak with someone from the inner circle.

"Is that so?" Sarah said quietly, her voice cutting through the noise of the crowd. "You'll have to forgive me if I don't share the same sentiment. You and your kind are not welcome here. You were never invited, and I don't take kindly to opportunistic leeches."

The businessman froze, his face draining of color. He stumbled for a moment, but Sarah's piercing gaze held him in place. She didn't need to raise her voice; her presence alone was enough to freeze him.

"I would suggest you leave before things get… unpleasant for you," Sarah added, her tone deadly calm.

Before the man could respond, Sarah turned her back on him, her eyes scanning the room for the next undeserving visitor.

One by one, the uninvited began to approach, each trying their best to appear sympathetic, to feign respect for the late mafia patriarch. A **middle-aged woman**, her face painted with a phony sadness, stepped forward, her hand reaching out to Sarah.

"I know this must be a difficult time for you, dear," the woman said, her voice dripping with false sweetness. "Auto Dane was a great man, and his legacy will live on through you, of course. The family will need guidance, and I'm sure you'll make him proud."

Sarah's lips curled into a smile that was anything but kind. She knew exactly who this woman was. A member of a rival family that had tried to sabotage the Cojuangco Mafia at every turn. She had once called herself a 'friend' of the family, but Sarah wasn't fooled. This woman had only ever seen the Cojuangcos as a way to expand her own influence.

"Pride?" Sarah asked, her voice colder than the grave. "You think I care about making him proud? What I care about is wiping out every last trace of filth that dares to pretend they have any right to be here. This isn't your place. Don't ever show your face again."

The woman gasped, recoiling as Sarah's words struck her like a slap to the face. For a moment, she considered retorting, but the danger in Sarah's eyes made her think better of it. She stumbled backward, whispering an apology before turning and fleeing from the room.

As the crowd grew uneasy, Sarah's posture remained flawless, her demeanor unwavering. She had inherited not just Auto Dane's blood but his power. She was unyielding, impervious to the weakness that often plagued men in power.

Then, another figure—**the father of a former ally**, a man who had never been fully trusted by Auto Dane—approached. His expression was full of grief, but his eyes betrayed a hidden agenda. This was a man who had seen an opportunity for control after Auto Dane's death.

"I know this is a difficult time for you, Sarah," he said, his voice trembling with feigned emotion. "Your grandfather was a true leader. I have no doubt that you will lead the family with the same strength and wisdom he did."

Sarah's eyes narrowed, her gaze flicking over the man's shoulder to her father, Wyatt, who was standing near the door, surrounded by his own supporters. He seemed as weak as ever, caught up in his own grief and failures. But Sarah's focus was on the man before her now.

"You think you can manipulate your way into my favor?" Sarah asked softly, her voice dripping with disdain. "Your words are empty. You weren't invited. You don't belong here, and neither does anyone who has ever crossed the Cojuangco family for personal gain."

The man's face flushed with embarrassment and humiliation as Sarah's words cut through him like a knife. He opened his mouth to protest, but no words came out. He had underestimated her.

"This isn't the place for you. Leave, now, before I make sure you regret staying any longer," Sarah added, her tone icy.

There was no hesitation in her voice, no room for negotiation. She turned away, dismissing him with a flick of her wrist. The man stood frozen for a moment, his dignity shattered, before he too fled from the room in shame.

Throughout the funeral, Sarah did the same with everyone who had no right to be there. She was methodical, ruthless in her execution. Her father was too weak to take control, and so Sarah had to step in, reminding every person who crossed her path that she was the one in charge now.

By the time the ceremony concluded, the uninvited had all been sent away, their faces stained with shame, their hopes dashed. The mourners who had come out of true respect for Auto Dane remained, but Sarah knew they could never replace the man she had lost. They would never fill the void he had left behind. She didn't need their sympathy; what she needed was loyalty. And she would make sure that anyone who betrayed the family knew exactly what the cost would be.

As the last of the guests filtered out, Sarah stood beside Auto Dane's coffin, her gaze unflinching. She knew the next steps wouldn't be easy. Her great-grandfather's death had created a vacuum of power, and it was her job to fill that void—one calculated step at a time.

She was ready for it. There would be no more mercy, no more second chances. The Cojuangco Mafia was hers now, and anyone who dared challenge her would pay the price.