239: THE FAREWELL

THE FAREWELL

Clifford suddenly feel a stinging pain in his ears for seconds and hearing some deafening sound which cause him not to hear everything except the doctor's last words 0

"…take care of yourself..."

Take good care.

Take good care.

'Ahh, I feel like I'm dying.'

The poor man thought that his wife left him. He feels like he was thrown in an abyss.

He covered his ears, his face becomes stiff, his breath becomes uneven, his veins pops up and started to become visible on his redenning face, catching his breath.

Due to stress, over fatigue, lack of sleep and skipping of two meals his head spins and without warning he collapsed.

"Clifford!" Lance shouted

"Master Clifford!"

The bodyguards shouted in unison. The doctor who just left recently heard the shouting and went back his way to check what has happened and motioned the hospital staff to aid the patient.

"Just like I thought." The doctor sighed. He then looked for some reliable person among the men present, "whoever is the closest kin of the patient, kindly follow us."

…:heart_suit:…:heart_suit:…:heart_suit:…

At the Howards mansion…

A small boy sitting on the sofa is waiting patiently at the living room. His eyes wanted to close because of sleepiness but he keeps on ignoring it. He can't wait to see his dad and mom coming home together with his unborn younger siblings.

What has puzzled his innocent mind is that almost all of his 'playmates', the bodyguards left, uncle Griffith is not around, too, to play with him.

The butler then comes over to where his young master sits when he noticed that he's been sitting there for almost five hours which is very unusual for the young master to do since he likes to roam around, or read his books or poke fun to the bodyguards among other things. He knew that this young master knows how to amuse himself on his own or find something interesting to do. But he's unusually static this time.

"Young master, it's getting late, you need to take a bath, drink your milk and then go to sleep." The old man admonishes.

"But uncle butler… I want to make sure that dad and mom are around and that they are safe before I sleep." The young boy insisted.

"Oh no, no, young master. Your father has strictly instructed me to put you to bed if they're not around yet." The butler tried not to give in to the young master's urging.

He was informed by Griffith earlier about what happened to his master's daughter. He must remain calm and should not let them see that he's panicking upon hearing the news. He must be alert at this moment since master Lance is not yet around. Master Clifford himself wanted to conceal the incident to avoid terrifying reactions from his in-laws. This will be a huge blow to them especially his father-in-law who is still slightly ill as of the moment.

"But uncle butler! I could not sleep! I am worried about them..." the young boy protested and he even bargained, "please uncle butler, I will do everything you say just give me more time to wait for them, please?"

The middle aged butler seems helpless to the young master's persuasion. It pains him inside seeing how persistent this child to wait for his parents to no avail. All he could do is to give in to his appeal.

"But in one condition…" the child looked at him intently, "…only after an hour."

"That's unfair! Shouldn't we wait until they arrive? Why limit our time in waiting when I know that it'll be worth it?"

The butler is dumbfounded. This young child never fails to amaze him every time he wanted something he would really stick with it. His persistence is unbearable.

'Agghhh, I just don't know what will happen if the twins will grow like him as well. Ahh triple chaos in a good way..' He grunted and laughed at himself.

But sorrow filled his heart upon remembering the twins and Madam Ingrid's situation.

'Just how are they now? I hope they are out of danger.' He silently prayed.

…:heart_suit:…:heart_suit:…:heart_suit:…

When tiredness left Clifford, his mind comes into consciousness and all he could remember was that he was kneeling for like an eternity, the doctor went out and talked to him and said 'Please take good care'. Then he slowly opened his weary eyes and tried to get up when he remembered his wife but he winced in pain on his back.

"Ingrid…" there's no sound could be heard from him since his throat is dry and it aches.

'Where am I?' suddenly, someone spoke,

"Master Clifford, thank God you're awake. How are you feeling, sir? Are you hungry? What do you wanna eat?" he could feel the nervousness in Gary's voice which makes him smirk for a second.

"I'm fine, where's my wife? How is she? How about the twins? Where are they?" he courageously asked but part of him feared that something might bad happen to her or to their children.

"Ahh… about that, Doctor Darvis will be around any minute sir, so it's best that it's he who will explain to you everything. But yes, they're alive, but Madam Ingrid–"

They were interrupted when someone opened the door and both of them looked who came.

"Clifford!!! What happened to you? Oh God honey! Who did this to you?"

The woman rushed to his side and checked him as if it's the most natural thing to do for her.

"VANESSA! What the heck are you doing here?!" Clifford could not stand the woman's presence and her malicious antics. He's been so through with this woman.

He then shot a murderous glare at Gary who looks so surprise of the woman's presence and then he noticed that Gary's eyes narrowed for seconds and then his stare become normal again.

"I was so worried about you… I've been told that the VeanCo received a bomb threat and then I immediately went over to you, however you went back to Vienna immediately after what happened. So here I am, visiting you…" she smiled demurely.

"There's nothing you should be wary about, Miss Reiley. So please get out of my sight." His jaw clenches and irritation took over him, of which he doesn't know why he suddenly feels that way to her. Then he glances at Gary and said, "escort her way out. I believe Miss Reiley's time here is over. Hand her the documents that she needs to sign as well."

"What's the meaning of this Cliff? Are you sending me off? What documents are you talking about?" she looks so indignant and her eyes bulge in disbelief.

"Mr. Gary here will explain everything to you. I need to go to someone more important, so please get out. This is good bye."

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