Shael sat up straight before picking up the call, "Father."
"Come home as soon as you can, your father is dying," a low-pitched voice on the other side said.
"Fath.....," the other party hung up before Shael could say something.
Shael's expressions got grim, "I think I need to go."
"It seemed serious," Ronan noticed Shael's dark expressions.
"He just talks to me like that, I am sure everything is alright," he tried to stand up, but any little movement hit him with pain, and he quickly leaned his head on Ronan's shoulder, "how am I supposed to go in this condition?" Shael groaned.
Ronan patted his head before holding him, "Let me help you."
He supported Shael to get up.
"It's okay, I can move by myself. It's just that my brothers might make fun of me, and it's quite embarrassing."
Ronan cupped Shael's face, "How they see you doesn't matter, although it might be a little embarrassing."
Ronan grabbed his phone, "Let me call the guards to escort you."
Shael held his hand, stopping him from calling, "My dad doesn't like me to appear weak. Don't worry, I will be fine."
Ronan looked at him as he nodded, closing his eyes, a gesture asking Ronan to believe him.
"Okay, if you say so." Ronan agreed still concerned, and Shael entered the washroom to take a shower.
"It's bad!" Shael exclaimed as soon as he walked out of the shower, "I need a proper suit, my father doesn't like casual clothes," he got dressed.
"What about my clothes....." Ronan said reluctantly.
"Just look at our bodies," Shael smiled slightly, "don't worry, I will buy one on the way, I will get late if I head home to pick one now."
"Could I get your car keys?" Shael asked, grabbing his phone and sliding it in his pants.
Ronan walked to the table and grabbed the keys, handing them to him. He walked to the doorsteps, Ronan following him closely. He turned around to give Ronan a tight hug, "I will be back soon and will accompany you longer," he said before walking out.
On the way, Shael received a message from his father.
"Huan Hospital, second floor, room number 102."
Shael's heart sank, and he raced his car through the traffic. After hours of distance, he parked his car and ran to the elevator, pressing the second floor. He forgot about the pain and rubbed his hands against his temple as he was sweating.
He got out of the elevator and searched for the room number like a mad person. Finally, he spotted the room, gulped before he grabbed the handle. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes before opening the door.
The first thing he saw were his three brothers and their mothers sitting on sofas aligned near the table. He turned his head to the patient's bed and noticed his father lying, connected with tubes, an oxygen mask on his face, his bed inclined at an angle putting him in a half sitting, half lying position. He was conscious, muffled heavy breathing, and turned to look at Shael as he walked in.
A man in a grey suit was holding onto some files. Shael's eyes filled with tears that he couldn't shed to hide his weakness. He walked to his father and stood at a certain distance, "What's going on?"
"Attorney Marcus," his dad instructed, "everyone is here, you can proceed with the will."
"Will?" Everything started to go dark in front of Shael's eyes, "Is he really dying?"
"Mr. Wahan Shael, the oldest son, will receive five percent shares of the company regarding he never participated in the development of the company's progress. He would be receiving two plots and Wahan Family's house located in Cinnabar."
The mistresses chuckled unpleasantly and glared at Shael as if they would eat him alive.
"Mr. Wahan Kael will be receiving fifty percent....." The attorney's voice got lost into the darkness as Shael's gaze was fixed on his father, as if he was standing alone in the darkness, nothing visible but his dad who was dying, "He never called me son, but how dare he call me for property share? I already knew he never accepted me as a son, but how could he..... How could he..."
Shael couldn't control his tears anymore and ran out of the room in the middle of the reading.
Everyone looked at him rushing out.
"Continue," his dad instructed.
Shael took the stairs and kept going up. It was as if the world was spinning around, putting all its weight on his chest. He gasped for air and couldn't breathe. He stumbled many times but couldn't just stop running.
The rooftop door slammed open, and he walked towards the edge as if the roof under his feet was about to crumble.
"Property?" He mumbled through the muffled sobs, "That property again!"
He plopped on his knees and leaned his head to the wall.
His whole life I was just worth a few pennies, I waited for him to give me some love, and now he is dying. Even when he is dying, he is still thinking of giving me his assets instead of love.
He cried there for a long time and collected himself before walking downstairs. His feet were slow and heavy as if someone tied huge rocks to them.