Max and Gabriella’s steps stopped when their eyes caught the image of someone unexpected. The previously warm atmosphere suddenly turned frozen. There were no more conversations or sighs of laughter. Silence had accompanied the couple who were unmoved to greet the guest.
“How are you, Max?” the man asked with the corners of his lips raised stiffly.
Hearing the familiar pretentious tone, the man who was still holding his wife’s hand instantly snorted. “What are you doing here? Are you sent by your father to kill me directly?” he replied sarcastically.
With a guilty expression, the uninvited guest shook his head. “It is not like that. I come here of my own accord.”
“What for?” Max asked as if he didn’t know how to be friendly.
Instead of stating his purpose, the man with furrowed brows only blinked, looking for the courage. Tired of waiting, Max finally pulled his wife’s hand to walked with him.
“If you came to disturb me, sorry, I don’t have time to serve you,” Max said as he walked away.
Looking at the younger brother walking over his shoulder, Julian’s hands were clenched into fists, holding back the turmoil in his chest. After swallowing hard, he finally turned around and exclaimed, “I come to apologize.”
In an instant, Max’s steps slowed down. After a flash of contemplation, his legs no longer moved.
“I come to apologize, Max,” the older brother repeated in a more quivering voice.
Hearing the confession, the younger brother laughed blandly. After gritting his teeth, he turned around and revealed the reddened eyes.
“Why do you apologize? Did you do something wrong? After all, even if you feel guilty, isn’t it pointless? Things won’t change with just one apology.”
Realizing that his mistake was too fatal, Julian looked away, saving the remaining courage to stand firm.
“If I forgive you, will everything turn out okay? Is it possible that I can immediately return to my peaceful life?”
A second later, Max shook his head in answer to his own question. “No, Julian. I was already forced to let Gabriella or the company go. As a result, I had an accident that left this head vulnerable, which indirectly caused my wife to lose her womb. Do you realize that all of it can’t be changed?”
Seeing Julian bent down maximally, the anger in Max’s heart burned even more. Even, Gabriella could hear the roar of his breath beating the sound of the night wind.
“There’s no point in apologizing. If you feel sorry for me, carry that burden for the rest of your life. Now, go back to that world you crave so much. Gabriella and I won’t take it from you.”
Without another word, Max rushed to his house. Without daring to make a sound, Gabriella was forced to keep up with the man fast pace. She knew that her husband was drowning in such great anger.
When the couple arrived at the door, their eyes opened wider. Someone who was also unexpected, was stood by to welcome them.
“Good evening, Mr. and Mrs. Evans.”
A second later, Gabriella breathed lightly. Without further ado, she let go of her husband’s grip and ran to hug the guest.
“How are you, Mia? Why didn’t you tell me if you wanted to come here?”
The secretary spontaneously raised her hand, about to hug Gabriella back. However, before her palm touched the woman’s back, Max had blocked her movement.
“Be careful. Gaby’s back still hurt. Don’t press too hard,” the man warned, successfully making the secretary blink in confusion.
“What’s with Madam’s back?” she asked with a stiff face.
“Didn’t your boss tell you everything?” Max inquired as he realized that his brother was behind him.
“He knows nothing,” Julian implied in an awkward tone. “Actually, I also don’t know what happened to you. Dad only had time to say that you had bad luck as a result of his actions.”
Hearing the CEO’s statement, Mia immediately frowned. “Wait a minute. What really happened? Can you tell me so I don’t have to guess?”
The atmosphere suddenly froze. Max didn’t want to open his mouth, while Julian didn’t want to make matters worse.
Realizing that the tension between the brothers was still gripping, Gabriella finally sighed. “How about we go in first? I’m starting to feel tired.”
Not wanting his wife’s health to decline, Max rushed to open the door. Then, ignoring his brother, he invited his former secretary in, while supporting Gabriella.
***
With quivering eyes, the secretary looked at the woman who had just finished the story. Grabbing the cold hand, she sighed in pity.
“I really didn’t expect such misfortune to happen to you, Madam,” Mia said in a thin voice.
Receiving such sincere sympathy, the corners of Gabriella’s lips lifted slightly. “But now, I’m fine. Max has helped me through it all. You don’t have to worry.”
“If my mother had known, she would have flown right away,” the secretary said with tears in her eyes.
“You are right. Auntie must be very panicked. Therefore, please, don’t tell your mother. I don’t want her to be shocked and sad,” Gabriella said before forcing a wider smile.
“Since you’ve heard our story, now it’s your turn to explain why you came here,” Max said as he sat up. His sharp gaze only focused on Mia. The man sitting in the other chair seemed invisible to him.
A second later, the secretary turned back to Gabriella. “Have you read the message I sent?”
The pale-faced woman tilted her head. “I only read until you told me about Mr. Herbert’s improving condition.”
After examining the look in her superior’s eyes, Mia finally took a deep breath. “Right now, Mister Herbert is in critical condition. The doctor said that he should immediately have a liver transplant.”
“You don’t come just to ask me to donate my liver, do you?” Max guessed with narrowed eyes.
“No,” Mia said firmly. “We come to fulfill Master Herbert’s last request.”
Getting that answer, Max’s heart suddenly twisted. The aching chest had forced his lungs to stop for a moment.
“The last request?” Gabriella asked, representing her husband’s surprise.
“Mr. Herbert refuses to have a liver transplant. He said he didn’t deserve to live. He just wants to meet his son before his last breath,” Mia explained, successfully breaking the silence.
With a flat blink, Max digested the situation. He never expected that the person who had ruined his life would suddenly want to meet him one last time.
“Why did he ask that?” he sighed, trying to break the rigidity.
“Because Dad has admitted his guilt, Max. He has regretted what he did,” Julian interrupted as he could no longer contain the turmoil in his chest.
Unexpectedly, a bland laugh escaped the youngest son’s mouth. “Is this another trap? It’s impossible for people like him to want such an unreasonable thing as a last request,” Max denied the fact.
Knowing her husband’s confusion, Gabriella slipped her fingers into the man’s grip. He realized that Max was in need of extra strength and support.
“I knew you wouldn’t believe me,” Julian sighed, stealing all the attention. “Because of that, I bring Mia. She couldn’t have lied to you, could she?
With an even face, the secretary nodded, confirming his superior’s explanation. “Mr. Julian is telling the truth. Your father also asked for my help in persuading you to see him. He has something important to say.”
“It doesn’t make sense,” Max sighed as he shook his head with a meaningless laugh. “That old man couldn’t just give up or regret his actions. There must be something behind all this.”
Without adding another word, the man suddenly got up from the sofa. “If you still want to brag, then go ahead. But I won’t hear.”
A second later, his gaze turned to his wife. “You need rest, Gaby. Let’s go to the bedroom. Don’t mind these people.”
With a wrinkled brow, Gabriella followed her husband’s orders. She couldn’t possibly refuse and side with Mia, because actually, it was difficult to understand the situation herself. The information she just received, really seemed impossible.