“Then what do you mean? Do you know how many of my friends attended this wedding? And now, thanks to you, I’ve become the laughingstock of the entire city! I’ve completely lost face!” Kim fumed. “I don’t think I can live like this anymore. We might as well just call it quits!”
“Fine! If you want to break up, then let’s break up!” Henry snapped, completely losing his temper. He had put in so much effort to make this wedding work, yet Kim kept pressuring him as if everything was entirely his fault. Sure, Olivia was involved, but Kim had always known about her. It wasn’t like he could erase his past.
“If you don’t want to stay married, then let’s end it! We just got married—it’s still early enough to fix things!”
Kim’s eyes turned red with anger, and the two of them started another heated argument.
Outside the door, Andrea stood in silence, listening to their shouting match. Without a word, she turned and walked away.
She didn’t call for the family driver. Instead, she hailed a taxi at the entrance and headed to the nursing home where the old man was staying.
—
Andrea had no trouble entering the old man’s hospital room.
This nursing home was equipped with its own private hospital, featuring state-of-the-art medical facilities and internationally renowned doctors. But the price was exorbitant—it was a place exclusively for the wealthy.
The old man had once invested in this institution, so naturally, he was now staying in its best ward.
Unfortunately, patients who suffered a stroke as severe as his rarely made it out alive.
Given his age, the chances of him waking up were practically nonexistent.
Andrea had already inquired about his condition, and the doctors’ responses had confirmed her suspicions. The stroke had come on suddenly, and with the current level of medical advancements, he had no chance of regaining consciousness.
Even if he did wake up, at his age, his body would never recover properly. He wouldn’t be able to walk or speak again.
And in that case, what was the difference between being alive and being dead?
Andrea stared at the old man’s face.
The nursing home’s care was indeed exceptional. Even though he had been bedridden for so long, he hadn’t lost much weight. He still looked almost the same as he had before falling ill.
A breathing machine was attached to his mouth, helping him struggle for every breath.
Andrea ran her fingers over the machine and let out a cold laugh.
“You can’t blame me for this. In your condition, what’s the difference between being alive and being dead? I’m actually doing you a favor, sending you off sooner rather than later.
“All your money—what was the point? Did any of your children truly care about you?
“You hoarded all that wealth but never gave a single cent to me. Instead, you left us to fight like vultures over your inheritance.
“If you ask me, you brought this on yourself!”
Her fingers tightened around the cold, hard plastic of the breathing apparatus.
Richard’s words echoed in her mind:
“You know what needs to be done. A will only takes effect after death. How much Henry inherits is entirely up to you as his mother.”
Andrea let out a bitter laugh.
Yes.
Who else but her would make these kinds of sacrifices for her son?
She was going to die soon anyway, so what difference did it make?
“Old man, you go first. And if you’re not satisfied and want my life in return… I’ll give it to you soon enough.”
With that, she reached out—
And pulled the breathing machine away.
Once the old man’s breathing stopped, Andrea finally exhaled in relief. She quickly left the room before anyone could come.
There were no guards stationed at the hospital room that night, making it incredibly easy for her to enter and leave unnoticed. Strangely, after completing the deed, Andrea didn’t feel any joy—nor did she feel guilt. She was dying soon anyway. It seemed that when a person was near death, they gained a peculiar kind of courage. Things they once feared or hesitated to do suddenly became possible.
She no longer had to bear responsibility for anything.
As for everything else—she didn’t care.
Richard had already made his preparations. The lawyer had said that the will in Richard’s hands might not hold up in court, but proving it invalid would take a long time. During that period, Richard would have enough time to consolidate his position. If he could drive Livinus out of the company in the meantime, then even if the will was eventually overturned, Livinus would struggle to return to Scott Corporation.
Just as Andrea stepped out of the room—
The old man’s eyes suddenly opened.
He lay there, staring blankly at the ceiling, unmoving.
—
Livinus and Sophia arrived at the hospital soon after.
They didn’t dare tell the old lady what had happened, fearing she wouldn’t be able to handle the shock.
“Dad, don’t be upset,” Livinus said.
The old man hadn’t been pretending to be unconscious earlier—he was still in recovery from his stroke, and his movements were naturally sluggish. Sometimes, he needed assisted oxygen, but Andrea didn’t know that. She must have assumed he was dependent on the ventilator to survive.
Her actions made it clear—she had wanted to kill him.
He continued staring at the ceiling, unable to comprehend how his life had come to this.
He had never neglected his children’s upbringing, yet each of his four sons had grown into completely different men.
When he was young, he had worked tirelessly to secure a powerful family legacy for his children. He wanted to build a dynasty that could be passed down through generations.
But in the end, after a lifetime of struggle, he had finally accumulated great wealth—only to find that it was this very wealth that had turned his own children against him.
His son wished for his death.
His daughter-in-law had personally removed his oxygen supply.
