2024-09-10 08:20:13Shock rippled through the room as they heard the voice. A guest of the Washington family? Eyes turned to Tedmond, widening in disbelief.
To be a guest of the Washington family meant that Tedmond was a big shot or potentially related to them. Even some of the Washingtons' relatives had tried to get in but were always denied entrance.
How could someone like Tedmond be allowed?
“Are you sure it’s the right person?” Gregory questioned. Despite shivering, he couldn’t help but ask.
“How dare you ask me that?” the person on the other end bellowed. “If I lose my job, you're going to regret it! You’d better let that fellow into the ward, or else!”
Gregory was taken aback by the mention of his boss losing his job. As the call ended, he hurriedly bowed to Tedmond, terrified that he might lose the position he had worked so hard for.
“I’m sorry for not recognizing you, sir,” he apologized. “I’ll walk you to the room,” he added, raising his head to look at Tedmond. “Let’s get—”
“No need,” Tedmond cut him off, disgusted by how quickly Gregory had changed his attitude once he realized Tedmond was a guest. “I can find it myself, just like I intended to do before.”
The phone call had confirmed that everything was real, but Tedmond still needed an explanation for all this.
“Sir!” Gregory called out, but Tedmond ignored him and walked off to find the ward.
The women were equally stunned, unable to speak. They just watched Tedmond leave, clinging to the thin hope that they wouldn’t get fired.
Minutes later, Tedmond’s eyes lingered on the sign above the ward that read Room 509. The door was slightly open, and he could see the window but not the hospital bed. He hesitated, wondering if it was right to enter without knocking.
“You’re here,” a familiar voice said.
Tedmond’s head snapped down to see the little girl he had saved earlier peering up at him. She had changed into different clothes and was holding a teddy bear in her hand.
“My grandpa wants to see you before he…” she trailed off softly. “You have to come in quickly.”
Tedmond nodded and followed her into the ward. The first thing that greeted him was the stare of a middle-aged man in glasses and a frail old man lying on the hospital bed.
“Hello,” Tedmond said, swallowing hard. He had no idea what else to say. “I got a call from you and noticed my account had been credited, and you mentioned I’m the heir of the Washington family. What’s going on?”
The man in glasses bowed slightly. “I’m Thomas, the Washington family’s butler. You’ll get your answers soon.” Gesturing to the old man on the bed, he sighed. “This is Mr. Jeffrey Washington, the head of the family.”
Tedmond stepped closer until he could see the old man clearly, the little girl clutching her grandfather’s hand.
“Hello, Mr. Washington,” Tedmond said politely, controlling his curiosity.
Jeffrey didn’t look well, as if he was about to take his final breath, just as his granddaughter had hinted earlier. Tedmond realized the girl was indeed the Washington family’s granddaughter.
Jeffrey managed a smile. “Ted…” he called weakly. “I’ve finally found my heir. Welcome back, grandson.”
“What’s going on?” Tedmond asked, shooting Thomas a questioning look. “Why is he calling me his grandson?”
His question went unanswered as the life support machine began beeping, and the room filled with tension. The beeping quickened, and Tedmond froze. Thomas immediately sprang into action, pressing a button by the bedside.
“We need a doctor! Now!” Thomas shouted, his voice steady but urgent.
A nurse rushed in moments later, her expression shifting to concern as she assessed the situation. “His condition’s worsening,” she muttered, checking the machines. “We need to stabilize him.”
“Where’s the doctor?” Tedmond asked, glancing between Thomas and the nurse. He felt the weight of the situation crashing down on him—he had no idea what was happening, but it seemed he was now part of something much larger than he had ever expected.
“Dr. Howard is on his way,” the nurse replied quickly, turning back to the patient and adjusting the machines.
Jeffrey’s breathing grew more labored, and the little girl clutched her teddy bear tighter, standing silently by her grandfather's side, her eyes filled with worry.
Moments later, a tall man in a white coat stormed into the room. “Step aside!” he ordered, moving swiftly to the bedside. His hands flew over the equipment, exchanging rapid words with the nurse.
Tedmond stood helpless, watching as the doctor and nurse worked to stabilize Jeffrey. Every second felt like an eternity, and the feeling building in his chest intensified.
Jeffrey’s breathing became increasingly shallow, and the beeping from the machine slowed. Dr. Howard glanced at the nurse, and they exchanged a look that told Tedmond all he needed to know.
Despite their best efforts, it was too late.
The doctor shook his head, his face grim as he checked the old man’s pulse one last time. The room fell silent, except for the soft whimpering of the little girl clutching her grandfather’s hand.
“I’m sorry,” Dr. Howard finally said, his voice low. “He’s gone.”
Tedmond stood there, disbelief washing over him. The man who had just called him his grandson—who had somehow linked him to this mysterious fortune—was now dead.
The little girl let out a soft sob, and Thomas closed his eyes, his expression unreadable as he whispered, “Rest in peace, Mr. Washington.”
Tedmond, unsure of what to feel, watched as the nurse gently covered the old man’s body with a sheet. It was surreal—a few minutes ago, Jeffrey Washington had been calling him “grandson,” and now he was gone. The answers Tedmond had hoped for had died with him.
“What now?” Tedmond whispered, his voice barely audible.
Thomas, though visibly shaken, straightened and turned toward Tedmond. “Mr. Washington made his decision before he passed. You are now the heir to the Washington family’s legacy, Tedmond. It’s up to you to carry it forward.”
Tedmond stared at him in shock, the weight of those words crashing down on him. How could this be happening? Just hours ago, he had nothing—and now he was the heir to a family he didn’t even know.
“What… what does that even mean?” Tedmond stammered, the enormity of the situation closing in on him.
“It means,” Thomas replied solemnly, “that everything Mr. Washington owned now belongs to you. The fortune, the businesses, the responsibilities—it’s all yours.”
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CHAPTER 553
Persis nodded, her mind racing through a thousand terrifying possibilities despite the lack of panic in Bianca’s tone.“What is it, Bianca? What happened?” she called out again, not waiting for an answer this time.Sudden, frantic energy took over as Persis stepped out of the tub, ignoring the trail of water left on the marble floor.A lightning-fast rinse under the showerhead washed away the lingering bubbles and the lavender scent.Trembling slightly, she grabbed her thick silk bathrobe and tied the sash tightly around her waist. The bathroom door flew open, steam billowing into the bedroom behind her.Bianca was standing right there, her hands clasped tightly to her chest.When Persis glanced down at her, she saw that Bianca’s eyes were wide, shimmering with an intensity that made Persis’s breath hitch.“Bianca, talk to me. What is happening?” Persis demanded, her hands gripping Bianca’s shoulders.“His hand…” Bianca whispered, her voice trembling. “I was reading, Persis. I was ju
CHAPTER 552
Thomas paused at the foot of the stairs, his hands folded neatly in front of him.“The medical team has been checking his vitals every hour, Miss Persis. He is stable. His breathing is deep, and the doctors say his neurological responses are the strongest they’ve been since the transfer.”Persis let out a long, shuddering breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.“And is he alone?”“No,” Thomas replied, his expression softening slightly. “Miss Bianca is with him. She hasn’t left his side since she arrived. When I checked in a few moments ago, she was sitting by the bed, reading him a book—something about the history of the coast. She said she wanted him to hear a voice that wasn’t clinical.”Persis nodded slowly, her fingers tracing the intricate carvings of the banister.“Bianca was always the heart of this house. She knows he’s still in there somewhere, even if the doctors are just looking at screens.”“Shall I have a tray sent up to your room, Miss? Or perhaps a bath drawn?”“Jus
CHAPTER 551
The question from the officer hung in the air like a death sentence.For a split second, the ICU suite was deathly silent.“None of them moved,” the lead officer observed, a sardonic grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. “What’s the matter? I thought Griffin blood was thicker than iron bars.”The panic was instantaneous.Adeline, who had just been crying at her brother’s bedside, scrambled backward so quickly she nearly tripped over a medical cart. Her hands flew up in a gesture of frantic surrender.“No! No, you misunderstood!” she stammered, her voice high and thin. “I’m not—I’m not saying I want to go! I was just… thinking of the medical protocol. I have no intention of interfering with the law!”Tina was even faster to distance herself. She stepped away from the bed, her face a mask of cold, sharp terror.“We were just worried about the liability,” she said, her voice trembling but resolute. “As citizens. We wouldn’t dream of standing in the way of a criminal’s transfer. Isn’t
CHAPTER 550
The world did not end with a bang.For the Griffin family, it ended with the sound of a heavy steel bolt sliding into place and the rhythmic, hollow thud of shovels hitting wet earth.Otis did not see the sun as they moved him.He was transported in a windowless van, his wrists and ankles linked by a short, heavy chain. The weight forced him to hunch forward, a posture of submission he had never known.The "alienic" gray of his remaining eye was fixed on the floor of the vehicle.He could feel the vibration of the engine through his boots—a constant, numbing reminder. He was being carried further and further away from the world where his name meant "God."When the van finally stopped, the doors swung open to reveal the towering, concrete throat of Blackwood Maximum Security.The air here didn’t smell like the expensive cologne of his father’s study. It didn't smell like the sterile disinfectant of the precinct.It smelled of scorched metal, old sweat, and hopelessness."Step out, 9921
CHAPTER 549
Otis Griffin stood when they told him to.The chains around his wrists were tight, cold, unforgiving.Each step toward the center of the courtroom felt wrong, like his body had entered a place it was never meant to occupy.Defendant.He had never used this word before.Kyle watched him walk past.For a second, their eyes met.Kyle didn’t feel fear. He didn’t feel anger either.What he felt was a quiet, unsettling clarity.'This is who he’s always been,' Kyle realized. 'I just refused to see it.'Otis looked away first.Judge Halloway rose.No one spoke. No one shifted. Even the air felt still.“Otis Griffin,” she said, her voice even, controlled. “You have been found guilty on all counts.”Otis’s jaw tightened.'Guilty' was a word used by other people.“Kidnapping. Sexual assault. Attempted murder. Conspiracy. Obstruction of justice. And multiple counts of first-degree murder.”Each charge landed separately. Deliberately.Otis’s thoughts began to fracture.'They’re stacking it,' he to
CHAPTER 548
No one moved after the agent’s words landed.We’re looking for bodies.Bodies?The sentence seemed to hang in the air, vibrating faintly, as though the courtroom itself hadn’t yet decided whether it was real.No one had expected that there would be bodies in the Griffin home where they lived.Otis was still pinned to the floor.Two bailiffs had his arms wrenched behind his back, metal cuffs biting into his wrists. Another pressed a knee between his shoulder blades, forcing his chest against the cold marble.The position was humiliating and undignified, but what terrified him wasn’t the restraint.It was the silence.Sterling was the first to recover.“Objection!” he barked suddenly, the sound cracking like a whip. “Your Honor, this is highly prejudicial! There has been no formal admission of evidence, no authentication of that device—”“Sit down,” Judge Halloway said sharply.Sterling froze.Her eyes were fixed on him now, not with irritation, but with something colder.Something fina
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