Chapter 388 Felix's Last Days

Chapter 388 Felix's Last Days

"I'll be right there."

Alexander suddenly stood up, explained briefly, and prepared to leave for the hospital.

Marcus set his utensils down, looking a bit worried.

"Catherine, you should go with him and check on the situation!"

"Okay", Catherine responded.

Marcus was well aware of Felix's physical condition.

Besides, Catherine had been Felix's primary physician all along. She'd been the one who saw him for every consultation, performed his surgeries and prescribed medications for him—so she knew his situation best and was in the best position to help.

Catherine was Alexander's fiancée, so it was perfectly normal for her to go along and check on Felix's condition. The Windsor family didn't think much of it.

Aurora saw Catherine and Alexander to the door, waiting until the car drove off into the distance.

After some thought, Aurora still felt worried. "I should call George and have him go take a look too. How could Felix suddenly fall ill like this!"

Bright Heal Hospital, operating room.

A large group of doctors stood outside the door, all stumped with confusion written on their faces.

Seeing a crowd of people surrounding Alexander as he came up, the emergency room doctor immediately approached.

"Mr. Alexander Howard, Mr. Felix Howard's condition is very bad..."

"Where's Gavin?"

"In the operating room!"

The operating room door opened, and Gavin's gaze fell on Catherine beside Alexander. For a second, he looked at her as if she were the only hope, his focus so absolute that Alexander might as well have been invisible.

"You're finally here! Quick!"

Catherine squeezed Alexander's palm, signaling him to relax. "I'll go check on Grandpa's condition."

"Okay!"

The emotions in Alexander's eyes were somewhat complicated. He seemed to want to say something but swallowed it back.

He had complete trust in Catherine. He didn't want to put too much pressure on her, and he understood that Catherine would do everything possible to save Felix.

Inside the operating room, Catherine was under as much pressure as he was.

The operating room door closed again, and the "surgery in progress" light came on.

Arabella sat on the bench, looking extremely calm, but the slight tremble in her hands gave her away.

"Grandma, how did Grandpa suddenly fall ill?"

"He stayed up late dealing with some matters."

Alexander pressed his brow, annoyed. "That's ridiculous! What matter was important enough to keep Grandpa up so late that he fell ill?"

Arabella lifted her somewhat drooping eyelids and glanced lightly at Alexander.

"Alexander, everyone has their fate;it is impossible to control. He wanted to do one last thing for you all. "

"Grandma! How could Grandpa joke around with his own health?"

"Shut up."

Arabella looked down with some displeasure, the cross in her hand rubbing back and forth between her fingers, but she couldn't bring herself to say the prayers!

No one understood Felix's situation better than she did.

Half an hour later, the operating room light went out, then Catherine came out while removing her mask.
She looked at Alexander with an expression of suppressed grief.

Gavin followed beside Catherine, sighing. "...We did our best, but the surgery doesn't mean much. Mr. Howard refused to accept a tracheotomy."

Alexander frowned. "Refused?"

How could he refuse?

Was this the time to be stubborn?

Arabella stood up, gripping her cane tightly. "Enough, Alexander. Let him keep some dignity."

Gavin pulled out a treatment report that Felix had signed earlier.

It clearly stated that Felix knew his physical condition, and and all the medication dosages administered to him during this period were of his own volition.

He also refused tube treatment. Felix, who had walked through storms for half his life and managed the Howard Group to its peak, wanted to step down with his head held up high.

He refused to cling to life, and didn't want his descendants to suffer too long over his illness.

Arabella said calmly, "I'll go see him. Alexander, you and Catherine should prepare for what happens next."

She paused briefly.

"At least let Catherine send him off in her capacity as granddaughter-in-law."

Catherine couldn't refuse such a request.

"Okay."

Tears welling in her eyes, the elderly Arabella walked with faltering steps but still with determined eyes, heading toward Felix's hospital room one step after the other.

Alexander took a deep breath and looked at his fiancée who had been worried about him.

Meeting Catherine's gaze, the panic in his heart instantly calmed. Gripping Catherine's hand tightly, Alexander asked, "Grandpa... how much longer does he have?"

"If we try our best, a month."

Gavin sighed along. "It's also because Catherine is here. Originally, with Mr. Howard's condition, it would have been just a matter of these few days."

It was somewhat heavy. Gavin simply turned around. "I'll go check on him in the ward. You two talk!"

The atmosphere in the corridor was somewhat oppressive. Even during the day, when the motion-sensor lights weren't on, it was still rather dim.

Catherine said softly, "...I'm sorry. Grandpa's condition has been deteriorating for some time, but he didn't want to tell you all."

Alexander pulled Catherine into a hug, his large hand clamping down on her shoulder with a firm pressure.

"It's not your fault. You and Gavin have been hiding Grandpa's physical condition for so long—that must have been hard too."

Everyone knew Felix was an incredibly stubborn person; if he was determined to hide it from the family, Catherine and Gavin would have been under immense pressure to help him pull it off.

Alexander stroked Catherine's hair. "Don't worry, I'm fine! How is Grandpa doing now?"

He couldn't stand the thought of Catherine worrying about him.

"He's awake. You should go talk to him."

"You go first. I need to call the family."

"Okay."

They still needed to notify the other members of the Howard family. Except for the unnecessary relatives that Annie could contact, Alexander needed to make the other calls himself.

Turning to walk to the hospital room door, Catherine heard Arabella speaking softly with Felix.

"Did I scare you?"

"You think I'm made of paper? After all these years, what storms haven't I seen?"

Felix smiled, a light yellow film covering his eyes.

"Arabella, sing me a song!"

"At a time like this, you still want to hear songs? You really think I'm here for your entertainment?"

After a moment of silence, a slow melody rose in the room, wrapped in the affection of half a lifetime, then turning into choking sobs.

Felix fumbled anxiously. "Don't cry... when you cry, my heart breaks..."

Arabella let out a dry, shaky laugh. "You're seeing things, I'm not crying." Then, the melody continued.

Catherine withdrew her hand from the doorknob and backed away from the door.

Gavin jerked his chin. "Do you mind coming to my office? Mr. Howard still needs careful monitoring during this time. I need you to help me come up with a plan."

"Okay, let's go."

Catherine said as she looked back at the hospital room and let out a faint sigh.

Walking into the office, Gavin handed Catherine a file.

"These are all the medications Mr. Howard has been using recently. We've used everything. The only reason he's held on for this long is because he wanted to see witness your engagement."

"He's worried that if he died on such a good day, it would bring you bad luck."