Lance looked at Deanna, who was crouched under the observation window, crying like a child, and felt a deep sense of sorrow.
Julia couldn't stand the atmosphere either. She turned around and buried her face in Lionel's shoulder, sobbing.
"Why, why does this happen? Why can't good people live long lives?!"
She questioned through her tears, lightly pounding Lionel's shoulder with her fists.
Lionel held her, his expression heavy, not knowing how to answer.
At this moment, Lance stepped forward and helped Deanna up from the ground. He softly said, "Stop crying. Grandma is waiting to see you. If you go in like this, she won't be at ease and won't leave peacefully."
However, these words seemed to touch a nerve in Deanna.
She grabbed Lance's arms tightly, her eyes bloodshot, and pleaded bitterly, "I don't want Grandma to leave. Lance, please, help me..."
Their eyes met, and Lance lowered his head.
He couldn't promise Deanna anything.
Grandma's condition was so severe that even Mr. Martinez had issued a death notice. There was no other way.
Deanna knew this too; she just couldn't accept it.
She had been fine just a while ago...
The light in Deanna's eyes gradually dimmed. She released Lance and seemed to lose all her vitality.
Lance immediately sensed something was wrong.
Just as he was about to say something, the alarm from the intensive care unit went off.
The urgent and piercing sound brought Deanna back to her senses.
At that moment, doctors and nurses rushed over from afar.
They didn't have time to pay attention to Deanna and the others. They went straight into the ICU and began to resuscitate Old Ashley with practiced efficiency.
Deanna watched their busy figures, her heart in her throat. She unconsciously grabbed Lance's hand, trembling all over. "Grandma will be okay, right?"
Lance glanced at the terrified and shaky Deanna beside him, unsure of what to say.
Finally, he said hoarsely, "Grandma has held on for so many days. She will make it through this time too."
Hearing this, Deanna forced a smile that looked more painful than crying.
Tears blurred her vision, but she couldn't bear to blink. She stared at the ICU as if afraid that blinking would make her grandmother disappear.
She kept praying, hoping that heaven wouldn't take her grandmother away.
But heaven didn't hear her plea.
After about ten minutes, the doctor came out of the ICU with a heavy heart.
Before he could say anything, Deanna rushed over emotionally and cried out, "How is my grandma? Please, you have to save her."
"I'm sorry, Miss Deanna. We've done our best. The old lady doesn't have much time left. You should go in and accompany her for her final moments."
The doctor's eyes also welled up as he spoke.
Deanna was so shocked by his words that she staggered backward as if all her strength had been drained. She almost fainted.
Fortunately, Lance caught her in time and said painfully, "Deanna, don't be like this."
But Deanna couldn't hear him. Her mind was filled with the doctor's words.
Not much time left...
"Take me in, take me in!"
She clutched Lance's arm tightly, her voice trembling with desperation.
Lance pursed his lips and agreed softly.
At that moment, his heart was also heavy with sorrow.
But he couldn't show it. He had to stay calm and arrange everything that needed to be done.
Julia watched them go in and said hoarsely to the man beside her, "Let's go in too."
"Okay."
Lionel nodded and held her hand as they followed into the ICU.
The two little ones had already gone in when Deanna entered the room.
Gunner stayed outside, giving them space for their final moments together.
Inside the ICU, Deanna stood by the bed looking at her dying grandmother. Tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.
"Grandma-"
She knelt by the bed, her hands trembling as she held the old lady's thin arm.
Deanna... don't cry
Old Ashley's lips moved, but she was too weak to make a sound.
Her cloudy eyes were filled with tears as she looked at Deanna with worry. Her gaze kept shifting between Deanna and Lance.
Seeing this made Deanna even more heartbroken. She murmured through her sobs, "You promised me you'd see me get married and watch Gregory and Chloe grow up. I haven't gotten married yet. Gregory and Chloe haven't grown up yet. You can't leave us. If you go, I won't have any family left!"
"Great-grandma, don't die. Chloe doesn't want Great-grandma to die..."
The two little ones cried uncontrollably as well.
Julia couldn't hold back either and started crying again. "Grandma, you promised to see me and Deanna get married and help us raise our kids. How can you leave us now? You can't break your promise. You can't leave..."
Hearing these words filled the old lady's face with reluctance.
"No... don't cry."
She spoke with difficulty, her voice broken and intermittent. "I... am... satisfied... I saw... you all... will be... fine."