Chapter 388 Felix's Final Days
"I'll be there right away."
Alexander pushed back from his chair so abruptly the legs scraped against the floor. He tossed the words over his shoulder and was already halfway to the door, heading for the hospital.
Marcus set down his chopsticks, a crease of worry between his brows. "Catherine, go with him. See what's going on."
"Alright."
Marcus knew exactly how fragile Felix's health was. Catherine had been the one treating him for months—performing surgeries, prescribing medication. If anyone could help, it was her.
As Alexander's fiancée, it was only natural for Catherine to be there. No one in the Windsor family questioned it.
Aurora walked them to the door and stood there until the car disappeared into the night. Her unease only deepened. "I should call George," she murmured to herself. "Have him check in too. How could this happen out of nowhere?"
Bright Heal Hospital. Outside the operating theater.
A cluster of doctors stood in tense silence, helplessness written across their faces.
The moment they saw Alexander stride in, flanked by Catherine, the ER physician hurried forward. "Mr. Alexander Howard, Mr. Felix Howard's condition is critical—"
"Where's Gavin?"
"In the OR."
The doors swung open. Gavin's eyes went straight past Alexander and landed on Catherine, as if she were a lifeline. "Finally! Come quickly!"
Catherine squeezed Alexander's hand, a silent signal to stay calm. "I'll go see your grandfather."
"Alright."
He looked like he wanted to say more, but swallowed it back. He trusted her. He knew she would give everything she had to save Felix—and that the pressure inside that room would be crushing.
The doors closed again. The red light above flicked on.
Arabella sat on the bench, her face composed, but her trembling hands betrayed her.
"Grandma, why did Grandfather collapse so suddenly?"
"He stayed up late… taking care of something."
Alexander pressed his fingers to his brow, anger breaking through. "That's reckless! What could possibly be worth him losing sleep over?"
Arabella lifted her heavy eyelids and gave him a slow, almost distant look. "Alexander… people have their own paths. He wanted to do this for you. That was his choice."
"How can he gamble with his health like that?"
"Enough." Her gaze dropped. The crucifix in her hands turned slowly between her fingers, but the prayer she wanted to speak refused to come. No one knew Felix's condition better than she did.
Half an hour later, the light above the OR went dark. Catherine stepped out, pulling off her mask. Her eyes held a restrained grief.
Gavin followed, his voice heavy. "We did what we could. But the surgery won't change much. Mr. Howard refuses a tracheotomy."
Alexander's frown deepened. "Refuses? At a time like this?"
Arabella rose, gripping her cane. "Let him keep his dignity, Alexander."
Gavin handed over a document—Felix's signed treatment directive. He knew his prognosis and chose every medication himself. He had also refused any invasive intervention. After a lifetime building the Howard Group into a powerhouse, Felix wanted to leave with his head held high.
He would not cling to life at any cost, nor let his family suffer through his decline.
Arabella's voice was steady. "I'll go see him. Alexander, you and Catherine… start preparing for what comes next."
She hesitated. "At least let Catherine send him off as his granddaughter-in-law."
Catherine could not refuse. "Alright."
Tears glimmered at the corners of Arabella's eyes, but her steps toward the ward were steady.
Alexander drew a deep breath and turned to Catherine. Her gaze met his, and the chaos inside him quieted. He took her hand. "How long does he have?"
"If we push… maybe a month," she said softly.
Gavin exhaled. "If not for Catherine, it would have been days."
The weight in the hallway was suffocating. Even in daylight, the motion-sensor lights hadn't kicked in, leaving the corridor dim.
Catherine's voice was low. "I'm sorry. His condition has been worsening for a while. He didn't want you to know."
Alexander pulled her into his arms, his hand firm on her shoulder. "It's not your fault. Keeping this from us… that must have been hard."
Felix was stubborn to the bone. If he wanted to hide the truth, Catherine and Gavin had no choice but to stand with him.
Alexander brushed a hand over her hair. "Don't worry about me. How is he now?"
"He's awake. Go talk to him."
"You go first. I need to call the family."
"Alright."
She turned toward the ward, pausing when she heard Arabella's voice inside.
"Did I scare you?"
"You think I'm made of glass? After all these years, what haven't I seen?"
Felix chuckled, though his eyes were clouded with fatigue. "Arabella… sing me something."
"Now? You think I'm here to entertain you?"
A beat of silence. Then a slow, wavering melody filled the room, carrying decades of shared history, until it broke into a quiet, choked sob.
Felix fumbled for her hand. "Don't cry… when you cry, it's like my heart's breaking."
"You're imagining things."
The song went on.
Catherine let her hand slip from the doorknob. She didn't go in.
Gavin nodded toward his office. "We still need a care plan. He'll need close monitoring."
"Alright."
She glanced back at the ward before following him. In the office, Gavin handed her a file.
"Every drug he's been on is in here. He's been throwing everything at it… just to make it to your engagement."
"He didn't want to ruin it by dying on that day," Gavin added quietly.
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