Chapter 194 "I want to see you."
Albert's car zipped through traffic like a bullet, tires screeching every time he swerved or changed lanes. He didn't let up on the gas, racing towards the hospital. By the time he got there, he was drenched in sweat, his palms clammy, and half his body felt numb.
Inside, the hospital was a sea of sorrowful faces, but there was a sharpness in their eyes. A few uncles spotted Albert and made a beeline for him.
"Albert! Hayden's gone. Took you long enough to show up."
"Yeah, even if you don't want anything to do with the Valdemar family, Hayden was still your grandpa. You should be here."
"Get in line. Once the others are done, you can go in."
They made it clear Albert was an outsider. Albert didn't give a damn about their words. He kept his face stern, a heavy aura around him, and walked straight in, ignoring the so-called line.
Seeing his determined stride, the uncles didn't dare stop him, just yelled after him.
"What do you think you're doing? Don't just barge in!"
"Are you here to see him or cause trouble?"
Albert stopped, his cold gaze sweeping over them. "Do I need your permission to see my grandpa?"
The Valdemar family might not be kind, but Albert's menacing vibe shut them up. They exchanged glances but didn't stop him.
Albert walked into the room where the funeral home staff were already at work. Hayden lay on the bed, dressed simply but clean, eyes closed peacefully, face pale.
Albert froze at the doorway. James, looking somber, glanced at him. "Scared?"
Albert's hands hung by his sides, fists clenched tight. Was he scared? Yeah, but not of his grandpa lying there. He was scared of himself and that his unresolved anger had made him miss out on his grandpa's final years.
Albert hesitated, but the staff were getting ready to move Hayden. He couldn't wait any longer. He stepped forward and took Hayden's cold hand. "Grandpa." That was all he could manage.
Albert's Adam's apple bobbed, eyes turning red. Suddenly, he knelt by Hayden's bedside. From the moment he heard "your grandpa has passed away," he knew regret was inevitable.
People kept coming in to see Hayden, but no one noticed Albert kneeling there.
"How did Hayden pass away so suddenly? He seemed fine just a few days ago."
"Yeah, with Hayden gone, what's gonna happen to the Valdemar estate?"
Albert's uncles glanced over.
"It's up to us to support the Valdemar family now."
"Don't worry, as your elder brother, I'll take on the responsibility."
"It's okay, big brother. We'll all help out. You won't have to do it alone."
"Yeah, James and I will pitch in too. If we stick together, the Valdemar family will be fine."
Their words sounded united, but their eyes were full of selfishness. Albert couldn't take it anymore. He abruptly stood up and stormed out of the hospital room. He stood by a window at the end of the hallway, watching people rush around the hospital.
A gentle breeze blew, rustling the leaves outside in the sunlight. It made a faint sound, but no one inside the hospital seemed to notice. It felt like a waste of such a beautiful scene, but it was only because those leaves had grown in the harsh environment of the hospital.
Albert lit a cigarette, the flame flickering at his fingertips, and the smoke slowly drifted out the window. His brows furrowed, eyes still red, and a deep pain gnawed at his heart. He kept taking deep drags on that cigarette, hoping it would help.
He lowered his gaze, pulled out his phone, and swiped the screen, hesitating to make the call. It wasn't until the cigarette burned out that he finally took a deep breath and dialed the number.
Since Lassie had been moved from the ICU to a regular ward, Yvette hadn't had a moment to think about anything else.
Lassie's surgery had been complicated, and she'd spent a long time in the ICU. Yvette had run out of money and even had to ask Wayne for help, so hiring a nurse was out of the question. She had to take care of Lassie herself.
Lassie had always had a bad temper, and the physical discomfort and mental stress made her even more difficult to handle, leaving Yvette overwhelmed.
Yvette took advantage of Lassie's nap to grab some food from the cafeteria. Just as she was about to take the food out of the plastic bag, her phone suddenly rang.
Yvette was startled. It was Albert. She answered softly, "What do you need?"
"Where are you?" Albert's deep, hoarse voice came from the other end of the line.
Yvette bit her lip but didn't answer his question. Instead, she asked, "What do you need from me?"
She instinctively glanced at the time on her phone. The divorce cooling-off period hadn't ended yet, so it couldn't be about the divorce.
Albert paused, his voice still hoarse. "Do you have time now?"
Yvette looked at Lassie, who was sleeping on the hospital bed, and sighed helplessly. It seemed Albert had forgotten that her mother was sick. Her mother had just had surgery, so she definitely didn't have time.
Yvette's throat tightened, but she still asked, "Is there something you need from me?"
"Yes," Albert said slowly, "I want to see you."
Yvette was stunned. She hadn't expected Albert to say that. She lowered her gaze, feeling a mix of emotions.
The simple phrase "I want to see you" quickly broke down Yvette's emotional defenses, and she felt an overwhelming urge to see him.
But remembering their last unpleasant meeting, Yvette hesitated again. Their relationship had reached this point. Other than finalizing the divorce, they shouldn't meet for any other reason.
Yvette's grip on her phone tightened, her fingertips turning white. Just as she was about to speak, Lassie suddenly stirred on the bed and slowly opened her eyes.
Lassie, who had been suffering from headaches recently, groaned in pain as soon as she woke up. Yvette's nerves instantly tensed, fearing that Albert would hear Lassie's voice. She bit her lip and refused, "No."
With that, Yvette quickly hung up the phone. "Mom!"
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