Chapter 181 Hayden's Relapsing Condition
Night had fallen, and the streets were lit up like a Christmas tree. Cars were parked in neat rows along the road. Albert stood by the window, watching the slow-moving traffic, looking worn out.
He unbuttoned his shirt, yanked it off, and tossed it aside. The shirt landed near the trash can, hanging on the edge, almost falling but not quite.
Feeling irritated, Albert walked barefoot to grab some clothes from his room, getting ready to wash up. Suddenly, his phone buzzed. It was James.
Albert frowned, not wanting to answer, but something felt off. Before he knew it, he had already picked up the call. "What do you want?"
James's deep voice came through. "You need to get to the hospital right now!"
"What's going on?" Albert asked, clearly annoyed but still curious.
There was some noise on the other end, like a bunch of people whispering. Albert frowned, feeling a sense of dread.
James's voice cut through the noise. "Your grandfather's condition has worsened. The whole Valdemar family is at the hospital. You need to come quickly."
Albert's expression shifted. The thought of the entire Valdemar family being there made him uneasy, and he remembered Hayden's condition last time. Even on a good day, Hayden looked old and tired, like he was carrying the weight of the world. He might not have much time left.
Albert swallowed hard and said, "I'll be right there."
Albert sped to the hospital, and sure enough, the entire Valdemar family was there.
The whole floor of the hospital was practically taken over by the Valdemar family, gathered in small groups. As Albert rushed in, everyone shot him unfriendly looks.
Albert stood at the back of the crowd, staring at the closed door of the ward from a distance, his heart pounding, making him clench his fists. Even when things were bad before, James had never asked Albert to come to the hospital.
At that moment, Loren and a few other relatives walked over. They looked Albert up and down with disdain.
Loren smirked and said to the others, "Look at Albert, always the dutiful son. He never came back all these years, but now that Hayden is unwell, he rushes back to show his filial piety."
Someone replied, "Of course, he has to come back now. While Hayden is still conscious, he needs to claim his inheritance."
Aonther one said, "He was stubborn since he was a kid. I thought he was a fool! But it turns out he's quite smart, choosing such a good time to come back."
Albert gave them a cold glance, too lazy to respond. Albert's gaze was so icy and intense that they didn't dare to say anything more.
Suddenly, the ward door opened, and James poked his head out. Seeing Albert outside, his eyes lit up. He waved at Albert, saying, "Albert, Hayden wants to see you."
Everyone around looked at Albert with jealousy and resentment but couldn't do anything. Since Hayden had specifically asked for him, no one dared to stop him.
Albert strode into the ward, following James to Hayden's bedside.
Hayden lay there, looking pale with an oxygen tube, his lips slightly blue. His usually bright eyes now seemed so tired.
Albert thought, 'Grandpa must be exhausted from holding on.' His throat tightened, feeling a bit of a sting in his nose.
As a kid, Albert was stubborn and often got the most beatings from Hayden. He'd grit his teeth and take it without a sound, always making Hayden even angrier.
But now, seeing the old man who could barely speak lying on the bed, Albert bent down slightly. "Grandpa."
Hayden, who had his eyes half-closed, slowly and laboriously opened them when he heard Albert's voice. Hayden tried to move his mouth, and Albert could see he wanted to smile but couldn't.
Hayden's voice was weak. "Albert, you're here."
"Yeah, I plan to come every day from now on." Albert smiled.
Hayden looked at him deeply but said nothing. Hearing Hayden's weak voice, Albert's uncles nearby immediately crowded over to the bedside.
"Dad, you're awake?"
"Dad, how are you feeling now?"
"You finally woke up! You've been asleep for so long!"
"Dad, I just got back from a business trip, and I've taken care of everything you asked. You can rest easy!"
"Me too, I've completed the last project ahead of schedule. You need to get better soon."
They seemed to be comforting Hayden, but every word was actually about showcasing their contributions to the company, hoping to gain more from Hayden. But Hayden was just an old man lying in a hospital bed.
Albert couldn't stand the Valdemar family's disgusting behavior. His eyes were cold as he glanced at them. Before they could finish speaking, Hayden fell asleep again, his breathing steady.
Seeing Hayden asleep, Albert felt somewhat relieved. These words were better left unheard.
Albert's lips pressed together as he whispered, "Grandpa isn't even dead yet. You're already trying to claim credit and divide the money. Truly the Valdemar family way."
Albert's voice was low, full of sarcasm. The uncles were instantly furious, shouting, "Hayden is your grandfather; you can't talk like that!"
"James, your son sure knows how to talk. He never shows up, and now he appears with such a nasty attitude. What's the meaning of this?!"
"James, Dad is still in bed, and he talks like this? You really need to get him under control."
They shouted loudly, completely lacking the demeanor of a prestigious family.
The noise in the ward was too much, and the doctor who had been observing Hayden's condition finally couldn't stand it. He stood up, blocking the bed, saying, "Please leave the ward. We need to examine Hayden now."
The uncles glared at Albert but reluctantly left the ward. James, the last to leave, seemed quite pleased. He whispered to Albert, "You did well today, making me look good in front of everyone else."
Albert didn't even look at him, coldly saying, "You're no different from them."
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