Chapter 479

Amelia and Sandra rushed forward together.

"We need to pump the patient's stomach immediately" the doctor said quickly. "Blood tests show she ingested three times the safe dosage of sedatives, and also..." he paused, "We found this on her."

The doctor handed her a folded note. Amelia opened it to find Evelyn’s familiar scrawl:

"Sandra, Amelia:

If my death can make you stop fighting, I'm willing to do it.

Love, Mom"

Sandra choked out a sob and slid to the floor.

Amelia gripped the note, feeling powerless and heartbroken.

The next two hours were the longest wait she had ever endured.

Sandra huddled in a chair, weeping silently.

Amelia stood by the window, staring at the dawn breaking outside. Memories flooded her mind—every smile, every expression, every gesture Evelyn had made played in her mind, wrenching her heart.

Thankfully, after a night of emergency treatment, Evelyn was finally stable. The doctor said her condition had stabilized for now, but she would require a long recovery.

Amelia’s racing heart finally calmed.

By the following afternoon, Evelyn woke up, glancing around, confused at where she was.

Amelia was the first to notice she was awake and hurried to fetch Sandra.

Seeing her daughter, a flicker of surprise crossed Evelyn’s face, as if she were in a dream.

"Sandra..." she croaked, her voice thin and frail.

Sandra opened her mouth but was speechless, breaking down at the bedside in tears.

Amelia knew that Sandra, whose judgment had been clouded by envy, had finally seen the light.

At this point, Amelia was utterly spent. She yawned, needing a moment's rest in the next room.

out of the blue, her phone rang from Chris.

For some reason, she felt a sense of dread.

"Amelia." Chris's voice sounded grave. "Dad’s had a brain hemorrhage. He's in the hospital now being revived. The doctor says... say he might not pull through..."

The phone in Amelia's hand clattered to the floord.

Her head spun and had to lean against the wall to keep from collapsing.

"When?" Her voice trembled. "I'm on my way."

"Two hours ago, the nurse found him unconscious in the study," Chris said quietly. "A car is already on its way for you."

After hanging up, Amelia stood in the middle of the living room, suddenly feeling a sense of unreality.

Although her father's health had always been fragile, the doctor had been providing specialized care and monitoring. Last month's checkup showed all his vitals were normal. How could this happen so fast?

Her phone vibrated. Chris had sent the hospital address and room number.

Amelia took a deep breath, struggling to stay composed, and called Cara to get Owen and Olivia ready..

Half an hour later, Amelia arrived at the hospital with the two groggy children.

Chris was waiting waiting at the entrance to lead them to the intensive care unit. At the end of the corridor, a doctor in a white coat was waiting for her.

"Ms. Tudor?" The doctor removed his mask. "Your father's condition isn't good. the hemorrhage is extensive and in a difficult location."

Amelia's mind buzzed, her voice strained: "Can he... can he hear us?"

"Hard to say." The doctor sighed. "Butstudies suggest that patients can still hear their families. You can take the children in, but no more than ten minutes."

Amelia nodded and crouched down to tell the children: "Listen, your grandfather is very sick and might not be able to talk to you, but we need to talk to him a lot, okay? Tell him—we really want him to get better."

Owen and Olivia nodded in confusion. Olivia gripped Amelia's sleeve tightly, as if they understood.

The door to the intensive care unit slowly opened. Paxton on the bed appeared twenty years older than his actual age.

He was hooked up to various tubes, and the monitor made regular beeping sounds.

His face was ashen, eyes half-closed, without a trace of vitality.

Amelia's tears immediately flowed out.

She was late again. She used to be able to visit at least once a week, but recently, she...

The father in her memory who always protected her now looked so worn, as if he could leave at any moment, just waiting to see her one last time.

"Dad..." She held her father's hand, which was frighteningly cold. "I brought the children to see you."

The two children gathered around the bed, sadly calling "Grandpa."

Owen wiped his tears with the back of his hand, followed by Olivia.

Paxton's eyelids trembled slightly, and unclear sounds came from his throat.

"Dad? Can you hear me?" Amelia leaned close to her father. "Please hold on a little longer, just a little longer, okay? Don't leave us."

Paxton's fingers suddenly moved slightly, and his eyes opened a crack.

His lips moved, as if trying to say something.

Amelia put her ear close to her father's mouth.

"I'm... sorry..." Paxton's voice was as faint as a mosquito. "I'm useless, Amelia... can't stay with you anymore..."

Amelia's tears dripped onto her father's face: "No..."

She couldn't speak either, only feeling a fine pain from her heart, making her let out a painful sob.

Suddenly, the heartbeat line on the monitor fluctuated violently, emitting a piercing alarm. Medical staff rushed in quickly.

"Family members, please leave!" a nurse said loudly.

Amelia gripped her father's hand tightly, refusing to let go: "Dad! Please hold on a little longer!"

But Paxton's eyes had already lost focus. His lips were still moving, as if trying to say one last name.

Then, under Amelia's gaze, the rising and falling heartbeat line became a merciless flat line.

The doctor said Paxton had died.

Amelia's world stood still in that moment.

She couldn't hear the children crying, couldn't hear the medical staff talking, couldn't even feel herself breathing.

She only knew that the father who had favored her since childhood and given her warmth had left forever.

The pillar in her heart collapsed with a crash. Amelia's vision went black, and she collapsed.

Chris quickly caught her and took her to the emergency room.

She didn't know how much time had passed. Amelia kept refusing to wake up.

It was Chris who handled everything for her.

He signed countless documents, answered countless calls, arranged for the funeral home to take his father-in-law's body, notified various relatives and friends, and even found time to take care of her while busy...

He was grieving too.

"Amelia, you can't keep sleeping. I know you're heartbroken, but you can't miss Father's funeral, can you?" Late at night, he held her hand tightly, looking at her pale face with compassion.

Amelia had too many things happening recently, too exhausted. She was completely stretched thin and couldn't handle it.

But there was no choice—she had to face it eventually.

The next morning, she woke up, eyes red. "I had a dream that Dad died."