Chapter 52
Chapter 52
Nicholas' movements were halted. Stunned, I looked at him, my eyes filled with disbelief.
Gary explained with a sigh, "Mr. Adams drowned in the lake and did not survive. The Adams Family is planning his funeral and has just invited you."
I mumbled, "When is the funeral?"
"Today," he replied.
That news shocked me. "Why is it in such a hurry?"
"Mr. Adams is, after all, the Adams' illegitimate child. Outsiders are unaware of his existence, and the Adams Family prefers to keep a low profile—"
I interrupted at that point and instructed, "Gary, talk to the Adams and tell them that if they are willing to pass Alba to us, we will maintain our business collaboration with them for a year."
"Okay," he quickly responded.
I was still in shock as I hung up the phone. Nicholas stroked my cheeks lightly and said, "Alba is clearly distinct from the Adam Family's other two sons. He is pure and he has no strong competitiveness in business. When I asked him why he returned to the Adam Family, he told me that he had someone in his heart."
"That isn't me," I replied, my tears flowing.
Will May collapse after learning of Alba's death?
"That I am aware of. He happily told me about his future plans and assured me that he would definitely marry that girl. His attitude influenced me greatly. As a result, I chose him from among the Adams. Even if he couldn't get the contract, I planned to compensate him with the Forgers' contract as well."
After a brief pause, Nicholas continued sentimentally, "You're drawn to him too, since you're willing to help him by using the Felix Corporation's contract. He would have a bright path ahead. It's such a pity that life decides otherwise. He eventually…"
Nicholas did not finish his sentence. At this point, I recalled what May had previously told me, "That man… He has a pure soul beneath his flirtatious exterior. I can sense everything about him—his vulnerability, sensitivity, dignity, and unwavering desire for love.
The man who was willing to give up his life for May was no longer with us.
He really disappeared this time.
My heart ached when I thought of this.
When Nicholas and I returned to town, it was already noon. Gary called in the middle of the journey to tell me that the Adams Family was willing to exchange Alba's body for a one-year collaboration with Felix Corporation.
However, they said they would not be attending the funeral.
After much hesitation, I summoned my courage and called May while I was on my way. She smiled as she answered the phone and inquired, "What made you call me? Are you going to treat me to something?"
With much difficulty, I called out to her, "May."
Right away, she sensed that something was amiss and responded, "What happened? Did Nicholas bully you again? Or your cancer…"
It was just too much for me right now. With my eyes closed, I mumbled, "I found Alba. I met him yesterday morning. He told me during our conversation that he is unworthy of you."
I could tell May was hesitant. She responded after a long period of silence, "I know that. I understand his vulnerability, his concerns, as well as his self-esteem, so I understand why he said it. Ree, he is the most incredible man I've ever met. I'm prepared to wait for him to approach me."
Vulnerability, concerns, self-esteem…
She had truly understood him all along.
Hence, she had been patiently waiting for him.
But nobody expected such a twist.
"Perhaps I need to tell you something," I said with great difficulty. "Even though I know you will be sad
after hearing it."
All of my comforting words would be in vain.
Seeing my solemn demeanor, May guessed what it was about and inquired anxiously, "Did anything happen to him, Ree?"
"Alba passed away last night."
At that instant, I heard the sound of a phone dropping on the floor.
……
…
In the car, I was sobbing uncontrollably. When I stepped down, I tried hard not to cry, and Nicholas held my hand as we entered Felix's Villa.
Alba's crystal coffin was in the center of the lobby. May was standing beside him as he lay peacefully in it.
Miraculously, she did not cry.
She merely stayed by his side, her eyes reddish. Seeing me, she simply nodded her head to me and said, "Thank you."
I felt terrible watching her act in such a way.
I had known her for many years. To me, she was someone dearer than my family. We were already as close as sisters during our high school times.
Furthermore, she was my only friend in the world.
We knew each other well. She understood my love for the man nine years ago, and she even asked me three months ago, "Why do you always appear sorrowful, Ree?"
"You always cry for unknown reasons." She sobbed as she hugged me. "But he was already yours three years ago."
At that time, May had not yet found Alba and I, too, had not won that man's heart despite having him by my side.
She understood my emotions, and I felt hers as well.
Her love toward Alba wasn't any lesser than mine at that time.
Presently, I approached her and hugged her. She cried pitifully in my embrace, as if I were the straw that broke the camel's back.
Her sobs had clogged her voice. "He's gone... He's really gone. Why am I so unlucky, Ree? I eventually tracked him down, but he vanished in an instant. How am I going to live my life in the future?"
Nicholas was just nearby. When he saw us hugging, he turned around to give us some personal space. I then lightly patted May's shoulder, to which she merely said, "I won't have him for the rest of my life
anymore."
She had totally lost all hope now.
……
…
After a while of accompanying May, I walked out and told my assistant, "Gary, send out funeral invitations on behalf of May from the Felix Family to all reputable people in Bryxton. We'll do what the Adams refused to do and make it grand!"
We'll let the Adams Family know how highly Alba was regarded!
In response, Gary curiously asked, "What identity to provide Ms. Sommer with?"
"The managing director," I answered.
After some hesitation, Gary replied, "But she doesn't own any shares."
"This is our family matter, so no one will know as long as we keep our mouths shut. Furthermore, it's just the shares. I can always transfer to her whenever she wants it."
Gary then immediately proceeded to prepare what I had instructed. Returning to the room, I saw Nicholas still here. "Aren't you busy?" I inquired.
"I wish to do something for this funeral."
"I see. You had been in touch with May before. Though I don't know your relationship with her, she had always spoken on your behalf in front of me. Do comfort her whenever you have the time."
My words aroused his curiosity. "What did she say in favor of me?"
From my sidelong glance at him, I saw him curving his mouth before pulling my finger and saying, "I'm going to fetch Olivia now and will be back for you later. Don't forget to eat your meals. Don't mistreat yourself."
His tone was that of a husband nagging his wife. Without saying anything, I took my hand back and said, "I'll accompany May now."
Just as I turned around, he called, "Ree."
Ree…
I recalled the first time he called me in such a way was the time when he said he loved me.
My body went stiff in response. I turned around and looked at him blankly.
"Life is unpredictable. We have to cherish everything we have now."
Her love toword Albo wosn't ony lesser thon mine ot thot time.
Presently, I opprooched her ond hugged her. She cried pitifully in my embroce, os if I were the strow
thot broke the comel's bock.
Her sobs hod clogged her voice. "He's gone... He's reolly gone. Why om I so unlucky, Ree? I eventuolly trocked him down, but he vonished in on instont. How om I going to live my life in the future?"
Nicholos wos just neorby. When he sow us hugging, he turned oround to give us some personol spoce. I then lightly potted Moy's shoulder, to which she merely soid, "I won't hove him for the rest of my life onymore."
She hod totolly lost oll hope now. Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.
……
…
After o while of occomponying Moy, I wolked out ond told my ossistont, "Gory, send out funerol invitotions on beholf of Moy from the Felix Fomily to oll reputoble people in Bryxton. We'll do whot the Adoms refused to do ond moke it grond!"
We'll let the Adoms Fomily know how highly Albo wos regorded!
In response, Gory curiously osked, "Whot identity to provide Ms. Sommer with?"
"The monoging director," I onswered.
After some hesitotion, Gory replied, "But she doesn't own ony shores."
"This is our fomily motter, so no one will know os long os we keep our mouths shut. Furthermore, it's just the shores. I con olwoys tronsfer to her whenever she wonts it."
Gory then immediotely proceeded to prepore whot I hod instructed. Returning to the room, I sow Nicholos still here. "Aren't you busy?" I inquired.
"I wish to do something for this funerol."
"I see. You hod been in touch with Moy before. Though I don't know your relotionship with her, she hod olwoys spoken on your beholf in front of me. Do comfort her whenever you hove the time."
My words oroused his curiosity. "Whot did she soy in fovor of me?"
From my sidelong glonce ot him, I sow him curving his mouth before pulling my finger ond soying, "I'm going to fetch Olivio now ond will be bock for you loter. Don't forget to eot your meols. Don't mistreot yourself."
His tone wos thot of o husbond nogging his wife. Without soying onything, I took my hond bock ond soid, "I'll occompony Moy now."
Just os I turned oround, he colled, "Ree."
Ree…
I recolled the first time he colled me in such o woy wos the time when he soid he loved me.
My body went stiff in response. I turned oround ond looked ot him blonkly.
"Life is unpredictoble. We hove to cherish everything we hove now."