Chapter 294

With Sophia missing, Henry had mobilized most of his security team to search for her, leaving only a skeleton crew to guard his grandfather.

Though William hadn't explicitly said anything, suspicion had already taken root in his mind.

Still, he trusted his grandson's capabilities. So when he saw the figure standing at the foot of his bed, his eyes suddenly lit up with recognition.

"You," he whispered, his voice barely audible.

The visitor smiled, stepping closer to the bed. "Surprised to see me, old man?"

What had once been eyes full of warmth and light were now nothing but hollow pits of despair.

William's pupils contracted to tiny dots, refusing to accept even the faintest ray of light—a cold abyss formed from the intertwining of apathy and disappointment surging from the depths of his heart.

Meeting William's gaze, so filled with profound disappointment, the visitor fell silent for a moment.

But they quickly recovered.

"I came at this particular time to bring you something special," they said, voice dripping with false sweetness. "This is a new drug developed by your precious daughter-in-law, Sophia. It's not particularly useful for other conditions—it's specifically designed for heart patients. I hear it has miraculous effects."

As they spoke, they moved to William's left side where the IV was connected to his arm.

With practiced ease, they added the mysterious liquid to his drip.

"I'm just here to test its effectiveness," they continued, smiling broadly. "If you actually die from this, well... you can blame your daughter-in-law!"

Their laughter was loud and grating. William made no plea for mercy, showed no signs of surrendering. Instead, his right hand moved toward the call button at his bedside to summon a nurse.

But the visitor was faster, knocking his hand away and cutting the call cord.

Seeing this attempt fail, William tried to reach for the IV needle in his arm, desperately wanting to pull it out.

The visitor had anticipated this move. They rushed forward, slapping his right hand away, then produced a length of rope, quickly binding both his hands to the bed frame.

"William Harding, today is your day to die!" they announced triumphantly.

After being ill for so long, William had little strength left in his body. No matter how hard he struggled, he couldn't break free from his restraints. He could only watch helplessly as the drug dripped steadily into his veins.

"What can you possibly gain from this?" William asked, his voice steady despite the situation. "The police won't let you get away with it." He paused, changing tactics. "Why not release me and we can discuss terms?"

The visitor remained unmoved, flashing him a brilliant smile.

"I have nothing to discuss with you. Right now, I only want you dead." Their eyes gleamed with malice. "Dead from Sophia's newly developed drug. You'll pass away painlessly."

Another cruel smile. "Of course, I'll make sure the whole world knows she developed this poison."

William could feel his heartbeat slowing, each beat more labored than the last. He could sense his life force ebbing away, all sensation becoming increasingly dull. He fought to keep his eyes open, to stay conscious, but his eyelids grew unbearably heavy.

"Aren't you afraid of going to hell for this?" he managed to ask, his voice barely a whisper.

The attacker let out a silvery laugh. "Hell? I'm already living in hell!"

William could no longer move. The flame of his life flickered like a candle in the wind. The drug worked quickly—in just a few minutes, his breathing had become shallow and weak.

Each breath felt like his last desperate struggle.

Yet as he sensed life leaving him, he felt neither fear nor anxiety.

He knew he was about to leave this world, to join his wife who had passed away years ago.

His fading pupils suddenly filled with light at the thought.

When Mark returned to the hospital room, the two security guards were absent from their post outside the door.

Staring at the empty doorway in confusion, he couldn't help but call them. Moments later, the two men came running down the hallway.

"Mark, another Harding security team member called us away," one explained, slightly out of breath. "Said Mr. Henry needed us. We searched the entire hospital but couldn't find him anywhere."

Hearing this, Mark's heart sank. "Something's wrong!" He had a terrible premonition and immediately pushed open the door, rushing to William's bedside.

Seeing the old man sleeping peacefully in his bed, Mark let out a sigh of relief. He held up the coffee he'd just purchased.

"Mr. Harding, I've got your coffee!" he announced cheerfully. "It's your favorite kind. Wake up and have some."

William didn't stir.

Mark frowned and repeated himself, raising his voice slightly.

William still showed no response.

Now genuinely alarmed, Mark gave William's shoulder a gentle shake.

That's when he realized something was terribly wrong.

"Help! Someone call a doctor! We need a doctor immediately!" he shouted, panic rising in his voice.

While everyone's attention was focused on finding Sophia, an unexpected visitor appeared in Oliver's hospital room.

This visitor wore casual athletic clothes and comfortable running shoes. They first created a series of distractions outside the room to lure away Oliver's bodyguards, then calmly walked into his room.

Once inside, they removed their hat, smiling at the man who was staring at them with wide, disbelieving eyes.

"Oliver, don't you recognize me?" they said playfully. "It's only been a few days, and you've already forgotten your old lover!"

Oliver couldn't believe his eyes. He looked at the woman standing beside his bed with absolute terror, opening his mouth to call for help.

That's when he realized he couldn't make a sound.

"You..." he mouthed silently, face contorted with fear.