Chapter 279: No Tears When Sad

Chapter 279: No Tears When Sad

Victoria kept begging her mother, "Hang in there, just a little longer, just a little longer."

"We'll be at the hospital soon. They can save you once we get there."

Aria nodded with difficulty.

To keep Aria from falling asleep, Victoria kept talking—telling jokes even as she cried.

The jokes were actually funny.

But Victoria couldn't laugh. As she told them, tears just kept streaming down her face.

Aria played along. Hearing Victoria tell jokes to cheer her up, she struggled to pull at the corners of her mouth, forcing a smile for Victoria.

As Aria listened to the jokes, a wave of exhaustion crashed over her—deep, all-consuming, unbearable..

Her entire body was drained—so exhausted that even keeping her eyes open demanded all her strength.

Her eyelids felt like they had lead weights hanging from them, so heavy.

Aria's vision began to blur, unable to focus.

Looking at Victoria in front of her, she saw many Victorias.

She searched for a long time but couldn't find where Victoria was.

An image of Hayden from his younger days flashed before Aria's eyes.

It was this same day, over twenty years ago.

Heavy snow was falling.

Back then, Hayden was still a poor young man who hadn't yet founded the Gonzalez Group.

She wanted to be with Hayden, but her family opposed it.

So she stole her household registration booklet and met Hayden at the courthouse entrance.

Hayden wore a suit, making it feel ceremonial. The heavy snow suddenly lightened, and the dark clouds seemed to be pushed aside by a giant hand.

Golden sunlight broke through the clouds, shining on the falling snowflakes.

Shining on the gentle and refined Hayden.

That day she wore a soft pink dress that showed off her perfect, sexy figure.

She called out "Hayden."

He reached out his hand to her, his palm gilded with sunlight.

She placed her hand in his. His palm was broad, warm, and gave her an inexplicable sense of security.

The two went to the courthouse to get their marriage certificate.

The clerk processing their documents said they were a perfect match, like a prince and princess.

Outside the courthouse, the two happily held hands, stepping through thick snow in the gentle sunlight, facing the white snowflakes.

Hayden's large hand gently cupped her chin, and as he leaned closer, her heart raced.

Suddenly the beautiful scene vanished.

Aria saw Hayden on the balcony, being pushed down by Martin.

Hayden, clad in the clothes he wore moments before his death, lay covered in blood in her arms.

Aria broke down, tears streaming as the world blurred and darkened, her lungs fighting for air.

After a moment, she heard someone calling her name.

She turned around—it was Hayden.

Somehow, he had transformed back to his younger self, though he remained clad in the very clothes he had died in.

But the clothes had no bloodstains—they were clean and neat.

He walked toward her with a warm, gentle smile, just like when they first met.

"Come with me." Hayden took her hand, his voice deep and rich.

In the car, Victoria saw the vehicle pull up at the entrance of Emerald City Hospital.

This was a hospital under Martin's control.

She lowered her head and said to Aria, whose eyes were nearly completely closed, "Mom, we're at the hospital. Just hold on a little longer!"

Brian was parking.

Victoria heard Aria murmur with closed eyes, "Victoria, I think I see your father."

"Mom, we're about to be saved." Victoria pressed her lips together.

Aria shook her head. "It's too late. Your father wants me to go with him. He says without me, he can't sleep down there."

The car door opened.

Aaron was about to lift Aria.

But Aria's hand, which Victoria had been holding, suddenly slipped from Victoria's grasp.

It fell heavily onto the car's carpet.

"Mom, Mom!" Victoria grabbed Aria's hand and shouted.

Aria's hand had completely and utterly lost its warmth.

Not a trace of warmth remained.

It was ice cold.

"“Mom… wake up.” Victoria’s voice trembled as she gently shook Aria. “Please don’t scare me. Don’t do this."

But no matter how much Victoria cried, Aria showed no response.

"Mr. Hill, please carry my mom into the hospital, quickly!" Victoria wiped her tears and hurried out of the car.

Aaron carried Aria and rushed into the hospital.

Terry was on the first floor doing rounds.

He paused, a little puzzled, as he saw Aaron carrying Aria with Victoria and Brian trailing after.

"Terry, please save her quickly." Brian made this request.

Terry immediately had Aaron carry her to the emergency room.

After just a quick examination, Terry sighed, his eyes complex as he glanced at Victoria and the others. "Mrs. Collins, my condolences. Mrs. Gonzalez has passed away. We missed the best window for resuscitation."

Victoria blinked.

She couldn't help but step back several paces.

Her legs went weak, and she nearly fell.

Aaron caught Victoria. "Ms. Gonzalez, my condolences."

My condolences—again, my deepest condolences.

Since last night, people have kept telling her to accept her grief.

Two people dead in two consecutive days.

How could she accept it?

How could she possibly accept it?

Victoria pushed away Aaron's support. "I understand. Thank you, Terry."

"Mrs. Collins, no need to be polite. I suggest sending her to the crematorium soon. If she's left too long, there will be livor mortis and decay. When someone has just passed, it's also easier to change their clothes." Terry was afraid Aria might suddenly wake up again—after all, last time Victoria had stopped breathing but then woke up.

So he wanted Victoria to cremate her quickly.

Aaron carried Aria, following Victoria and Brian out of the hospital.

"Ms. Gonzalez, do you plan to take Mrs. Gonzalez home or...?" Aaron looked at Victoria uneasily.

Victoria didn't speak, as if thinking.

Brian spoke up. "We could take her home for a few days. Maybe she'll wake up, you never know."

Will she wake up?

Victoria wondered silently.

Probably not.

Aria went to find Hayden. She said without her, Hayden couldn't sleep.

Hayden was alone back home now.

She should let her parents reunite sooner.

Besides, her own body was getting worse by the day. If nothing unexpected happened, she only had a few days left too.

She couldn't delay any longer. If she collapsed too, who would help bury Aria?

"Go to the crematorium. Let them reunite." Victoria exhaled.

At the crematorium, Victoria watched with her own eyes as Aria was gradually consumed by the flames.

Aaron and Brian, worried something might happen to her, insisted on staying by her side.

Victoria's face was expressionless. This morning, she had been here with Aria watching Hayden's body being cremated.

So soon, it was Aria's turn.

When would it be her turn?

Was this fate? Was this her destiny?

She thought that having cancer, she would do everything possible to settle her parents, then peacefully close her eyes and leave this world.

Instead, fate directly took her parents away, leaving her with no worries at all.

All her efforts for so long, all her struggles, were destroyed in just one day.

Making her efforts seem so ridiculous, so laughable.

The phone rang at that moment.

She looked over and saw Brian looking down at his phone, somewhat hesitant.

"Whose call?" Victoria's voice was flat and weak, like a porcelain doll drained of all energy.

Brian pressed his lips together. "Mr. Collins."