Chapter 200: The End of a Life

Lady He Ben's two children each had their own lives and duties to fulfill, so they left again. But they still instructed Henry to contact them immediately if anything arose.

At times like this, it's better to worry about missing something than to complain later about a wasted trip.

From this kind of arrangement, everyone knew something was about to happen—only no one spoke it aloud.

But one unexpected person stayed behind: Jean Grey, the Phoenix woman, known to all as 'Phoenix'.

Early in the morning, Henry was shoveling snow, watching as Phoenix—either playing with or being besieged by five dogs—left his snow-shoveling assistant speechless.

These five Jack Russell terriers truly had no fear of death; they didn't realize they could turn into BBQ at any moment.

"What disrespectful thought are you having?" Jean Grey asked suddenly.

"No! I wasn't!" Henry replied sharply. But then he remembered who she was, and added guiltily, "I was just thinking how glad I am that you stayed to help."

It was true. Because the person needing care was a woman, there were certain things Henry couldn't assist with.

Though Robert, the so-called life partner, was present, he was already over fifty, nearly sixty—some things were beyond his strength. If one misstep occurred, both might fall and get injured, which would be worse.

So Jean Grey's arrival filled the caregiving gap perfectly.

The Phoenix woman, aware of her own importance, declared proudly: "Back at the school for young mutants, I always handled logistics and medical care. This is all child's play to me."

"Yes," Henry replied without argument. He simply didn't want to delve deeper into that topic. At that moment, his snow sculpture was just one final shovel stroke away.

When he made the final stroke, a lifelike Snoopy sat in the courtyard.

Jean Grey had watched the entire sculpting process in awe. Yesterday it had been the Genie from Disney's Aladdin; the day before, Garfield.

If she knew that before Lady He Ben's hospitalization, Henry had been recreating master sculptures, she might think even more of him.

Each day that followed was plain and uneventful. Henry still set aside time to practice piano and read together in the afternoon.

But now, mostly, Henry read aloud while Lady He Ben listened. The content, of course, was the thousand love stories from different cultures he had promised—one per day.

He read them in their original languages, translated them into English or French, explained the cultural and narrative context, selected the finest translations, and recorded them…

Even Jean Grey cherished this time. As Lady He Ben had once said, no matter their age, all women never tire of love stories.

The final countdown passed, second by second, within this quiet, ordinary life—until January 19, when Lady He Ben fell into an abnormal coma again.

Henry called her two children and said: "The time may be near. Please return as soon as you can."

The next day, Xiao En Farrel and Luca Dotti both returned to the family home in Trochenaz, Switzerland. A family physician arrived with nurses, setting up basic monitoring equipment like heart rate monitors.

Perhaps everyone had long prepared for this day, so the atmosphere felt less tense than expected.

Those who didn't smoke now smoked; those who already smoked smoked even more—some nearly shoved an entire pack into their mouths just to light it.

Yet everyone strictly avoided alcohol, none getting drunk.

Though some occasionally stepped into the courtyard for air, most remained gathered around Lady He Ben's bedside.

The television was the only sound in the room besides the beeping of machines—and the news was just reporting something about Audrey Hepburn.

It mentioned how, in December last year, former U. S. President George H. W. Bush awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom. But her condition made transoceanic travel impossible, so White House officials accepted it on her behalf and later delivered it to Switzerland.

Another report concerned Mother Teresa, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Upon hearing of Lady He Ben's critical condition, she called on all nuns worldwide to pray through the night for her miraculous recovery. The prayers echoed across the globe.

From the news footage showing global locations, it was clear this was an expensive publicity campaign—but no one knew who benefited. Still, the people in this house didn't care.

On the evening of the 20th, Lady He Ben's family physician declared her dead and shut down all equipment.

Grief spread among those gathered by her bedside: Robert, her life partner, and her two children, Xiao En and Luca.

Henry and Jean Grey, along with the other maids, stood at the very edge of the room. Most quietly wept—such a considerate employer was a rare gift.

No one was untouched by sorrow at Lady Audrey Hepburn's passing.

Even Jean Grey, who had only known her for a few days, was swept up in the same grief.

Only Henry remained unnaturally calm. But in such moments, having someone steady to handle things allowed others to fully surrender to their sorrow—and that wasn't so bad.

On the 24th, Lady He Ben's funeral was held at the church in Trochenaz, presided over by Pastor Maurice Endiger. This pastor had also officiated the wedding of Audrey Hepburn and Mel Farrel in 1960, and baptized their child, Xiao En.

Many friends and relatives attended: her two sons, Robert Wards, her half-brother Ian Qualls Van Ufford, and her two former husbands, Mel Farrel and Andre Dotti.

Her closest friend, Hubert de Givenchy, was of course present. Senior officials from UNICEF also attended in large numbers.

From Hollywood, the most notable figures were French legendary actor Alain Delon and Roger Moore, the second James Bond.

Gregory Peck, who played the male lead in Roman Holiday, sent flowers. So did Hollywood's "Queen of Diamonds," Elizabeth Taylor, and the Dutch Royal Family.

The eulogy was delivered by Pastor Agasathruddin Khan Salud of UNICEF.

The six men who carried her coffin were the most important men in her life: Givenchy led, followed by Mel Farrel, Andre Dotti, Robert Wards, Xiao En Farrel, and Luca Dotti.

That six men could walk in harmony, escorting the same beloved woman on her final journey, spoke volumes. This moment—this is what "judgment after death" truly means.

Ultimately, Lady Audrey Hepburn was buried in the Tolochnaz Cemetery in Trochenaz. Her sixty-three-year life had come to an end.

(End of Chapter)