Chapter 22 Grandfather's Critical Condition
Arabella sent the email on a whim, and surprisingly, he replied.
But their communication was limited—just an annual New Year's greeting with photos of foreign landscapes or landmark buildings attached.
Arabella found herself yearning for such experiences, but lacked both the means and opportunity to travel abroad.
Thinking about her narrow social circle, she let out another involuntary sigh, feeling more than ever that this marriage was a prison.
She was awakening to a consciousness of freedom.
She wanted a divorce, wanted to leave Luminara, wanted to work, wanted to earn money—lots and lots of money.
Then she'd travel to different places, meet different people, and experience different landscapes.
She wanted to scatter the pain and suffering of these years to the wind along her journey of healing.
Lost in these turbulent thoughts, she didn't even notice her phone ringing in her purse until a girl sitting nearby reminded her, "Your phone's ringing."
She startled back to reality and fumbled for her phone in her bag.
Looking at the screen, her brow furrowed with hesitation.
Gabriel.
They hadn't been in contact for the past two days.
But she knew her every move was surely being monitored by him. Even though she'd deliberately ditched Samuel, he'd find ways to stay informed.
Was he calling now because he'd returned from his business trip?
At this thought, Arabella's hesitant unease suddenly turned to anxiety. After a moment's pause, she swiped to answer and brought the phone to her ear. "Hello..."
"What are you doing? Why did it take you so long to answer?" Gabriel's deep, displeased voice came through immediately, carrying a clear accusation.
He assumed Arabella was still on her date with her lover, deliberately ignoring his call when she saw his number, which explained his hostile attitude.
Arabella was stunned by his inexplicable anger, defiance flaring in her chest. "Who has so much free time to sit around waiting by their phone to answer calls instantly?"
"You're such a busy woman, of course, you don't have time."
The comment was loaded with implication, which Arabella naturally caught. But before she could retort or demand an explanation, he suddenly threw out, "Grandfather's in critical condition. I don't care where you are—get to the hospital as fast as possible!"
"What? Grandfather's critical?" Arabella's mind went blank, panic flooding through her instantly.
No longer concerned with Gabriel's cold, excessive attitude, she stood up and looked at the transit map in the train car. "I'm... I'm on the subway, I'll transfer and head to the hospital right away! Right away!"
Before she finished speaking, her voice was already thick with tears.
Just then, the subway stopped at a station. She rushed off in a frenzy, hailed a taxi, and raced toward the hospital.
When Gabriel heard she was on the subway, he wanted to ask her location to see if he could pick her up directly.
But her end was noisy, and then the line went dead.
Earlier, when leaving the restaurant, he'd deliberately glanced at that table—she and the man had finished eating and left.
Now she was on the subway—was she heading to yet another rendezvous?
This thought brought back that suffocating feeling of betrayal, his grip tightening on his phone as he abandoned the impulse to call her again, instead urging his assistant to drive faster.
Arabella arrived at the hospital in frantic haste. Only while riding the elevator did she suddenly realize—had Gabriel returned from his business trip? Or was he still away, having received the news and called to tell her to rush over for one last goodbye with William?
She didn't have time to figure it out. The elevator doors opened, and she pushed through the crowd, hurrying toward the ward.
Sure enough, the door to the room stood open, with dozens of Sterling family members crowding from inside all the way out to the hallway.
Hearing the commotion, everyone turned to look at her, their gazes filled with disdain, contempt, or reproach.
Clearly, she was late.
"What are you standing there for? Get over here!" Gabriel, standing beside the hospital bed, barked sharply upon seeing her belated arrival.
She steeled herself, wiped her tear-reddened eyes, and quickly approached.
William was already in his final moments.
The medical team had originally wanted to take him to surgery for intubation, which might have bought him a few more days, but he'd refused.
He'd long since come to terms with life and death, unwilling to undergo excessive treatment or continue such an undignified existence.
He'd refused intubation and resuscitation, only asking that the children come so he could see them one more time.
One more look, then he could depart without regrets to join his departed wife and old friends in the next world.
Gabriel stood in the inner circle. Surrounding the bed with him were his father, the family elders, and his cousins Chase and Ryan.
The women stood alongside their respective husbands.
Only Arabella was pulled forward by Gabriel, who reached out, grasped her wrist, and drew her to William's bedside.
This action immediately drew disapproval from everyone present.
But what shocked them even more was William's reaction upon seeing Arabella—his expression struggled to become more gentle, and he weakly lifted his finger, speaking with great difficulty, "All of you... go out. Don't be sad... I'm going to heaven, where I won't... suffer this pain anymore... You two... stay."
The "you two" clearly referred to Gabriel and Arabella.
The crowd was even more astounded!
The men said nothing, but as the women turned to leave, they began murmuring, "William must be delirious from illness—he hasn't said a word to his own grandsons, but keeps this outsider behind."
"Do you think William secretly left her additional assets?"
"That can't be, can it? Didn't they say William changed his will and left her a share? The will is with the lawyer—did he secretly give her something else as well?"
"Hard to say—what if William's playing favorites..."
"Enough! Aren't you ashamed of talking like this?" The Sterling family elders heard their muttering and quietly rebuked them. The women finally fell silent and slunk out.
Only Gabriel and Arabella remained beside the bed.
"Arabella."
"Grandfather..." Arabella heard his weak voice and immediately burst into tears.
The pain in her heart was indescribable—another person who truly loved her was about to leave this world.
"Don't cry..." William tried to comfort her, though he could no longer lift his hand.
Gabriel moved closer, grasping his grandfather's hand tightly, his own eyes red-rimmed with unshed tears.
"Gabriel... promise Grandfather one thing..." William closed his eyes, struggling to breathe, his speech becoming increasingly labored.
"Tell me, Grandfather. I promise!" Gabriel bit down hard, pain flooding wildly through his heart, though he refused to show it all.
He didn't want them to be sad and distressed—he needed to let William depart in peace.
"Since... you don't... love Arabella... let her go... The children... stay with you for now... but later, if she... can raise them... and she's willing... let the children... go with her... She's just a girl... with no family... it's not easy... don't make things... difficult for her..."
Gabriel's expression tightened sharply. He glanced down at Arabella kneeling beside the bed, shock waves continuing to crash through his mind.
He'd never imagined that in just the few days he was away on business, this woman had somehow managed to convince William to pressure him into agreeing to a divorce.
He'd truly underestimated her!