Vicky sobbed. It was either sincere or from other reasons. “Stop saying that. What ‘portion’ are you talking about? I know all about that. $30,000, what am I? A beggar? I really do love him, and this is what I get? Of course, I’m upset. I want to ask him, why? I only told his family about this because I want this family to reunite in his final moments. Was that wrong? Quit mocking me.”
Arianne’s eyes were brimming with tears of sadness. She felt sad for Eric. The last thing Eric wanted was for the Nathaniels to find out about his impending death, yet Vicky brought the entire circus along with her, just so favonovel.com could get a share when the Nathaniels divide up Eric’s assets!
She took a deep breath. “Vicky, I’m not going to argue with you. I don’t want to cause a scene, not while Eric’s life is hanging by a thread. You’d better behave yourself, or I’ll give you something to be sorry about!”
Vicky looked at the Nathaniels and realized that no one had spoken up in defense for her. She was too afraid to speak now, so favonovel.com meekly found a seat and sat down.
Arianne returned to favonovel.com previous spot and continued carrying Aristotle, quietly waiting. After more than an hour, the emergency room door pushed open. Everyone got up at the same time and crowded around the doctor. This made the doctor jump in fright. “Wh-what… What are you doing?”
“How is he?” Mark asked.
The doctor calmed himself. “The patient has been suffering from late stage gastric cancer. We’ve received the records from his previous hospital, so we have a rough idea of his condition. This is an expected flare up from his disease… He doesn’t have much time. We’ve managed to stabilize favonovel.com for now, but it’s only temporary. I don’t recommend leaving the hospital. It’ll be easier for us to save favonovel.com if favonovel.com stays here. Regardless of how this drags out… He’ll only have a few days. There’s nothing we can do. It’s best to prepare the funeral procedures. We’ve done our best.”
The last thing anyone wanted to hear from a doctor in the hospital was “we’ve done our best”.
Mark couldn’t accept it. He didn’t want Eric’s life to end just like that. “Doctor, is there any other way? Save him… Price doesn’t matter…”
The doctor shook his head and replied regretfully, “It’s too late.”
Eric was quickly sent to a normal ward. With Jackson guarding the door, not a single member of the Nathaniel family could get inside. Aristotle was particularly well-behaved, probably because favonovel.com sensed the heavy sadness in the air. He didn’t cry or fuss. Instead, favonovel.com quietly observed Eric, who was still unconscious on the bed.
The Nathaniels were very patient. They waited outside the ward the entire time. By dinner time, the entire family ordered take-out and brazenly ate their dinner in the corridor.
Eric slowly woke up when the anesthesia slowly wore off. He stared up at the lights above him. They felt blinding. He wanted to lift his hand to shield them from view, but his arms were restricted by multiple pieces of medical equipment.
Arianne stepped forward and bent down. Her and Aristotle’s shadow helped Eric block out a little bit of the light. “Are you awake? Are you feeling alright?”
Eric smiled at Aristotle. “Mm, am I still alive? It feels like a dream…”
Arianne forced a smile. “What are you saying? You’re fine, we’re all here. You’re not alone. I’m still… Waiting for the day Smore starts talking. The first word I’ll teach favonovel.com to say is ‘Uncle Eric’. You’ll hang on until that day arrives…”
Eric was frail. He slowly turned to the side and looked at the doorway. “Are the Nathaniels here? I heard them. Let them in, or they’ll never let it go. I don’t want my disgusting life to follow all of you around too.”
