Chapter 324: Reunion

Confronted with Benjamin's questioning, William lowered his head.

He had asked himself the same question before.

When Isabella left, he had been standing right beside her, just watching.

For the first time, Isabella—who had always been so compliant and never refused him—made such a firm decision for herself.

William stood by the bed, staring at the sunlight on the floor.

He could hear the noise from outside the window.

William slowly raised his head. "This is my fault."

Not wanting to dwell on it any longer, he slapped himself.

"Isabella is a wonderful girl. I don't deserve her."

"I know apologizing now won't change anything."

"But I will take good care of you for her sake."

As he spoke, he slapped himself twice more.

Watching him punish himself, Benjamin still forced himself to stand and grabbed his hand.

"Isabella has always been kind."

"She won't blame you."

"I'm going to find her mother, and then we'll go see her together."

Looking at the phone that had just been delivered, he suddenly said, "I've had enough of this place. I want to be discharged today."

"Please help me arrange it."

William nodded in agreement. "Your body has mostly recovered. Staying in the hospital is just for safety, to observe for a few more days."

"If you want to be discharged, I won't stop you."

"But I hope that after you leave the hospital, you can move in with me."

William paused. "You must really want to see Isabella in person, right?"

Benjamin pressed his lips together, his eyes turning to the cabinet by the bed, where a photo album sat.

He held the album in his arms, thinking that yes, he really should go see her.

Isabella had always been so kind.

I'm her father, so I should visit her even more.

"I'd rather live in my own place, but I will go see her."

"Let's go now."

Benjamin urged, wanting to leave immediately.

Dylan went down first to arrange the car. The discharge procedures, all those official formalities, could be handled anytime.

He wondered what Benjamin would feel like when he saw Isabella.

But the thought only flashed through his mind for a moment.

He drove the car himself and pulled up in front of Benjamin.

Benjamin sat in the back seat. William kept stealing glances in the rearview mirror, observing the changes in Benjamin's expression.

After the private detective stopped causing trouble, he felt his peaceful life had become too quiet and boring.

Looking at the bruise on Benjamin's forehead, he remembered how Benjamin had been beaten at the night market.

William wondered, if the private detective had told him Isla had gone abroad, would he have gone overseas right away too?

They drove for half an hour. Benjamin's gaze stayed fixed on the view outside the window.

He watched rows of trees receding backward, watched pedestrians being left behind one by one.

Even though the sunlight above was bright, his heart felt gray and dull.

His daughter was dead, and he had been abandoned by his only wife.

At least he had a son-in-law who stepped up at this time to help him.

When the car stopped, Benjamin looked at the tall villa before him, feeling both scared and nervous.

Over the past few days, he had spent all his energy searching for Isla.

He had almost deliberately ignored the fact that Isabella was already dead.

But now, standing in front of the villa, Benjamin knew he could no longer deceive himself.

Isabella was dead. His last daughter—and when she died, he, her father, couldn't be by her side.

Benjamin blamed himself. He resented his carelessness while driving.

If he had been more careful then, maybe he wouldn't have fallen into a coma.

If he hadn't been unconscious, maybe Isabella wouldn't have died.

If he hadn't been unconscious, he could have stopped Juniper.

Even though he knew this car accident was arranged by Juniper, he still took all the blame upon himself.

He wasn't a good father.

Benjamin stood in front of the villa, looking from afar at the open door.

He closed his eyes and adjusted his breathing several times.

His mind kept imagining what Isabella looked like now.

Neither William nor Dylan interrupted; they just stood quietly off to the side, waiting.

He had pretended to be a good son-in-law for so many days, and now the day had finally come to reap the rewards.

With a trace of anticipation in his heart, he found himself hoping Benjamin would hurry up and go in.

He wanted to see it himself—see Benjamin standing before Isabella's coffin in repentance, see him in pain and regret.

Finally, Benjamin opened his eyes.

A gust of wind blew past him, making his loose hospital gown sway slightly.

Benjamin steadied himself and slowly took the first step.

Isabella, I've come to see you.

His steps grew faster and faster, and the wind around him seemed to blow more insistently.

The branches and leaves of the trees in the yard swayed more fiercely.

William led the way, bringing him to the second floor.

When William opened that special room, Benjamin stood at the doorway, not daring to enter for a moment. All the mental preparation he'd done earlier was gone now.

He looked at the crystal coffin gleaming brilliantly in the sunlight, like a sacred giant gem.

For a moment, it was as if he had arrived in heaven.

He moved his feet, step by step, until he was standing before the coffin. Through the transparent casket, his gaze fixed on the face below, so incredibly familiar.

Benjamin slowly reached out his hand, his fingertips touching the coffin lid.

He traced the outline of Isabella's forehead in the air, not saying a word.

He just bit his lips tightly, his left hand trembling constantly.

A smile suddenly appeared on his face, and then he looked at William.

Tears in his eyes, yet a smile on his face.

"She looks like she's sleeping. Look, Isabella is so beautiful."

William's nose stung, and his eyes grew moist, too. He quickly looked away.

Not daring to meet Benjamin's eyes, not wanting to hear a single word he said, he quickly looked away.

But he still needed to play the role of the good son-in-law, so he couldn't cover his ears or pretend to be deaf.

Benjamin stroked the lid, murmuring, "Like a sleeping princess."

"Isabella, I've come to see you."

"Can you hear me?"

A tear rolled down his cheek and dripped onto the coffin lid.

The photo album in Benjamin's arms also fell to the floor.

He still remembered that little sun holding a paper pinwheel, running toward him so quickly.

Now the sun's light had gone out.

Outwardly, Benjamin's emotions remained calm and controlled.

But his body betrayed him.

His stomach churned, and something kept pushing upward.

Benjamin leaned on the coffin lid, unable to control his dry heaving.

He bent over, hunched his back.

His hand clutched tightly at his chest, where something felt like it was cracking, bit by bit.

But he couldn't bring anything up.

Dylan quickly came up and patted his back.

Benjamin dry heaved for several minutes before waving Dylan off.

"When you get old, you just become useless."