The phone rang in the silent memorial hall before Jonathan picked up the call and answered it. After listening to the conversation for a moment, he calmly replied, âOkay. I understand. Iâll come over soon.â
After putting away his phone, he looked at the photo again and said, âI truly am your son, am I not? I would value a woman so much that Iâll even give her my life. I daresay that my life would also lose all its meaning if that woman were to abandon me completely, but I will never allow myself to end up like you. Never!â
After saying that, Jonathan turned around and left the memorial hall.
Carlos, who was on guard duty outside, looked happy when he saw Jonathan coming out.
âMr. Youngblood!â
âPrepare the car. Iâll be visiting my grandfather in the hospital,â Jonathan said indifferently.
âYes, sir,â Carlos answered.
Not long after, the black car slowly drove away from the Youngblood Residence and made its way toward the hospital.
At this moment, a frail and haggard old man was lying on the bed in the hospitalâs highest-level VIP ward as he listened to the doctor talking about his current situation. After a while, he waved his hand impatiently and said, âJust tell me how long I have left to live.â
The doctor said embarrassedly. âAbout half a year if the situation is ideal.â
âAnd what if itâs not?â Leonard asked.
âThen itâll be about four months,â said the doctor.
âAll right. You all can leave now. Just treat me with whatâs needed. Iâll give you my full cooperation,â
Leonard said.â
The doctor and the nurse then left the ward. After that, Leonard lay on the bed and gave orders to his personal assistant, saying, âWake me up when Jon arrives.â
âYes, sir,â the assistant answered. He looked at the once all-powerful old man who was now lying weakly in the hospital bed as he waited for his life to end in a matter of months.
Jonathan only saw Leonard asleep on the bed when he walked into the ward.
Leonard was gaunter compared to when Jonathan had last seen him. His cheeks looked sunken, and his hair had become thinner due to the drugs he was taking. It seemed as if an air of death loomed over him.
âMy grandfather has truly aged,â thought Jonathan when he saw his feeble grandfather asleep. This roused some complicated emotions in him.
Leonardâs personal assistant planned to wake him up, but Jonathan just waved his hand and said, âLet him sleep a little longer. Iâll wait next to him.â
Upon hearing that, the personal assistant said nothing and stepped aside.
Jonathan then sat on the couch and waited for Leonard to wake up.
After more than an hour, Leonard stirred awake. Seeing that Jonathan was already there, he asked his personal assistant beside him, âWhy didnât you wake me up just now?â
âMr. Youngblood said to let you sleep longer,â the personal assistant replied while helping Leonard to sit up.
âYou deliberately told someone to call me and summon me here, so whatâs the matter?â Jonathan asked.
âRumor has it that you got back together with that wench Rosalie again recently?â asked Leonard.
âWhy donât you just end it for good since youâve both already broken up? Since when are you so indecisive?â
Hearing that, Jonathan smiled. Leonard said he heard rumors, but he naturally had his sources collecting information for him. Even if he was now hospitalized and his weakened body had deteriorated to this extent, Leonardâs desire for control was still there.
âSo what? Who I want to be with is my business, is it not?â Jonathan said indifferently.
Leonard seemed displeased since his mood turned sour as he started to hack and cough. After coughing for a while, he said, âDo you want to repeat your fatherâs mistakes?â
âWhat? Did you also think that Rosalie might be the end of me?â Jonathan retorted.
Leonard was silent before he suddenly said, âCalvin was also in love with that woman, and he still doesnât know Rosalie is the one heâs actually looking for all this time. Do you think you have a chance of winning if he finds out? You chose to break up with her before because of Calvin. You were afraid that Rosalie would betray you over him, right?â
Jonathanâs eyes were fixated on his grandfather. One could say that the old man in front of him was the person who understood him the most.
âTherefore, everything will be fine as long as she doesnât betray me. Isnât that so?â Jonathan answered.
âA personâs heart is the most difficult thing to understand in the world. Do you really think you can control whether or not someone betrays you?â asked Leonard once more.
Jonathan pursed his lips and said nothing.
âThat Rosalie woman will ruin you! I donât have much time left. After I die, I donât want the Youngblood family to be in ruins because of a woman!â Leonard said in a serious tone.
âDonât do anything to her.â Jonathan stood up, walked to the bedside, and looked condescendingly at the old man on the bed. âIf you touch a single hair on her head, then Iâll make sure to ruin the Youngblood family before you die. You neednât wait for your death for this to happen.â
âYou-â Leonard glared angrily at his grandson, but he could tell that Jonathan was not messing around.
âThe heir I raised with my bare hands will put the entire Youngblood family at stake just because of a woman?â mused Leonard.
âOkay⦠I seeâ¦â Leonard suddenly laughed and coughed before he continued, âI wonât hurt her, but sooner or later, youâll know that everything I do is for you and the Youngblood family!â
âRest well. You donât have to worry about my affairs and the Youngblood family,â Jonathan said coldly before he turned and left the ward.
Leonard turned around and said to his personal assistant beside him, âIf there comes a day Jon really gets back together with Rosalie again, then do as I say.â
âYes. I understand,â the personal assistant answered.
After that, Leonard sighed, lay down again, and slowly closed his eyes. âLoving a person too much can only lead to destruction,â he thought.
He did all this so the Youngblood familyâs lineage would reign forever.
Leonardâs son had already ruined himself because of love, so he was determined not to let the heir he raised be destroyed by that same emotion again.
On Sunday, Rosalie asked Amelia, Aiden, and Lillian to meet up, wanting to discuss Aidenâs enrollment in a kindergarten. Callum was there as wellâ¦
Amelia thanked Callum repeatedly when she found out Lillian had asked for his help to look for a kindergarten for Aiden.
âOh, itâs nothing,â said Lillian with a wave of her hand. Right now, all her thoughts were on Aiden.
âThis kid⦠Itâs just like Rosalie said. Heâs more good-looking and cute in person compared to the photos of him. My heart will melt if I have a son like him!â mused Lillian.
Lillian bent down and said to Aiden, âOf course! Iâd be happy if youâd give me a kiss and let me hug you!â