Chapter 801 Unfortunate Event
Day Eighty-Four...
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Nathan was heartbroken and devastated when he heard Jane's decision. It looked like Jane had already given up on them. He had been sulking in his room, since last night. He drowned himself in alcohol to temporarily forget his pain. But when he sobered up, his sorrow still remained.
Knock! Knock!
"Dad! Can you open the door?" Ethan's voice snapped him out of his deep thoughts.
Nathan got off his bed and traced his steps toward the door. The moment he opened the door and Ethan stepped into his room, the child immediately wrinkled his nose and glared at his father.
"Dad! You smell gross! Did you get drunk last night? Your room–" Ethan didn't finish his words as he covered his mouth and his nose.
Holding his breath, Ethan pushed his father toward the bathroom. "Go and take a bath first. I will call our maid to clean your room!"
Ethan reprimanded his father. He shook his head helplessly after shutting the door of the bathroom behind him.
"After taking a bath, follow me in the dining area, Dad!" Ethan raised his voice so that his father could hear his last remarks.
As Ethan left, Nathan found himself staring at his reflection in the mirror, a heavy burden settling on his shoulders.
"How will I tell him this?" Nathan murmured to himself, his voice thick with anguish. "He will be heartbroken..." The guilt and frustration boiled over, and he felt an uncontrollable surge of anger. Nathan clenched his jaw and threw a punch at the mirror. The glass shattered instantly, a cacophony of tiny shards raining down.
CRASH!
Nathan's hand throbbed with pain, but he barely noticed. Blood dripped from his knuckles, mingling with the broken pieces of the mirror scattered on the floor. He stared at the fractured glass, each fragment reflecting a distorted version of his tormented face.
He took a deep breath, his resolve hardening. "I have to do this," he whispered to himself, his voice trembling. "I have to be honest with him, no matter how much it hurts."
But his words were not only meant for his son. They were a message to himself. He had to come to terms with the harsh reality that Jane hadn't chosen him.
With a bleeding hand, Nathan took a quick bath. He wrapped his hand with bandages before joining Ethan in the dining area. The young boy was waiting for him.
As soon as he settled down, Ethan asked him excitedly. "Dad, have you talked to Gramps Hiroshi? Will he help us rescue Mommy Jane?"
Nathan looked at him with complicated emotions. He didn't know how he would begin revealing Jane's decision.
Ethan's eyes were wide with desperation."Dad! I need to talk to Mommy Jane. I have to see her. If you don't marry her, she will die in the next sixteen days!"
Nathan frowned, trying to make sense of his son's words. "Ethan, what are you saying? Why would she die?"
As much as he wanted to reveal Jane's 100-day mission to Nathan, he couldn't do that. Bam-Bam warned him not to tell anyone. Ethan's voice trembled with urgency. "Please, Dad. You won't understand. I have to see her. Please bring me to her. We can't let anything happen to Mommy Jane."
Nathan felt a chill run down his spine. Hearing his son's frantic explanation made him think that this was part of Ethan's breaking down. His son couldn't accept the fact that Jane chose Vincent not him. He thought Ethan was making up a story.
Nathan embraced Ethan tightly. "It's okay, son. Everything will be fine. Nothing bad will happen to Jane."
"Dad? You don't believe me, do you?" Ethan couldn't blame his father.
Nathan was about to respond. But his phone suddenly rang, interrupting them. It was a call from Chantha.
"Son, please calm down, okay? I'll have to pick up this phone call first." Nathan released his son from his embrace.
Ethan could only bob his head.
As soon as he answered the call, Chantha's panicking voice was heard from the other line.
"Supreme Leader! Did you receive any update from Axel? Please, Boss, tell me. Did he contact you? Do you know where he is right now?"
Nathan frowned. "No, he hasn't contacted me since last night. Why?"
Suddenly, there was a loud thud.
"Chantha!" Violet screamed, rushing to her twin sister who had just collapsed on the ground, overwhelmed by emotional turmoil.
"Hello? Chantha? Are you there? What's happening?" Nathan's voice came through the phone, filled with concern and confusion.
Violet knelt beside Chantha, gently tapping her cheeks to rouse her. "Chantha, wake up! Please, stay with me!" Her voice was frantic, fear evident in her eyes.
Chantha's face was pale, her breathing shallow. Violet quickly grabbed her phone, her hands shaking. "Boss, it's me, Violet," she stammered, her voice choked with fear. "Chantha just fainted! We think... something bad happened to Axel. He's gone missing! And his car... his car was found at the riverbank."
There was a brief silence on the other end before Nathan's voice, filled with urgency and concern, cut through the line. "Violet, calm down. Where are you right now?"
"We're at headquarters," Violet replied, glancing down at Chantha's motionless form.
"Alright. Summon everyone for an emergency meeting. I'll go there now. Take care of Chantha."