جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 120

"Alexander was never intended for me, Selena," Helena whispered, her voice a raspy thread barely audible above the hum of the life support machine.I froze beside the hospital bed. The fingers holding my glass of warm water trembled slightly. "What do you mean, Mother? All this time... the whole family thought Alexander was by your side to manage the company."Helena shook her head slowly. The oxygen mask covering half her face fogged over with every shallow breath. Her sunken eyes fixed on me, brimming with remorse."Your father chose him," Helena said, her voice broken by a soft cough. "Long before your father passed away, long before this illness destroyed my body."I set the glass on the bedside table and pulled the metal chair up close to the edge of the mattress. "Why would Father do that without ever telling me?"Helena reached out her thin hand. An IV needle was taped to the back of her skin, which was mottled with dark blue bruises. I quickly met her cold fingers and held the

"Get out of this room before I throw you out!" Alexander barked, grabbing the lapels of the envoy's gray suit jacket and dragging him back toward the hallway.Alexander shoved the man until he stumbled back several steps, then locked the glass door of the ICU from the inside.I remained standing rigid beside the bed, my hands trembling violently. "Two hours, Alex. How can we possibly handle a DNA test and a wedding in two hours?""We don't need to prove any DNA test to the board of directors, Selena," Helena's voice sounded extremely soft, yet it halted the panic in the room.I turned quickly toward the bed. Tears tracked down Mother's wrinkled temples. The oxygen mask over her face fogged rapidly with her increasingly labored breaths."What do you mean, Mother?" I asked, my voice barely audible. "Don't we have to prove that Uncle Richard is lying?"Helena reached out her thin fingers, gesturing for me to draw near. Alexander stepped close beside me, positioning himself as if ready to

"Alexander, come in. I know you are outside the door," Helena called out. Her voice sounded even weaker, broken up by heavy breaths.The door to the hospital room opened slowly. Alexander stepped inside with a tense look on his face. He walked over to Helena's bed and stood right next to Selena, who was still wiping away her tears."How is she doing?" Alexander asked, his eyes shifting between Helena's pale face and Selena's swollen eyes.Helena offered a faint smile. "My time is running out, Alexander. These machines are only delaying the inevitable."Selena squeezed Helena's hand tighter. "Don't talk like that, Mom. The doctors can surely do something."Helena shook her head gently. Her cold hand softly brushed away Selena's grip, then she gestured for Alexander to come closer. "Sit beside Selena, Alexander."Alexander moved the chair on the other side of the bed and sat down. He reached out to touch Selena's back, offering her strength. "I am here, Mom.""There is one big thing I w

"Selena, look into my eyes. Do not look down like that," Alexander said softly from the side of the hospital bed.Selena raised her head. Her swollen eyes met Alexander's face as he stood tall beside her. The guilt that had weighed heavily on her chest for years suddenly felt lighter after hearing Helena's honest confession."I still find it hard to believe, Alexander," Selena whispered, her voice raspy from so much crying. "All this time I thought my presence was just a burden and the cause of the complications between you two."Helena, lying weak on the bed, gave a faint shake of her head. Her hand, fitted with an IV line, reached out to stroke Selena's fingers. "Never think like that again, sweetheart. You are the best gift in my life."Alexander sat down on the edge of the bed, taking his spot right beside Selena. He took both of Selena's hands and held them tightly, passing along a warmth that made Selena let out a sigh of relief."Do you hear what Mom is saying?" Alexander said,

"Open the pillow right now, Alexander! Hurry!" Selena cried out, her voice trembling violently.Alexander did not waste a second. Together with the nurse, he gathered Helena's limp, exhausted body and carefully laid her back onto the hospital bed. As soon as Helena was lying helpless with the oxygen mask tightly reattached, Alexander reached under the white hospital pillow.His fingers caught the corner of a thick paper envelope. Alexander pulled it out. A brown envelope sealed with black wax was now in his hands."Here is the document, Selena," Alexander said, holding up the envelope.Selena approached the bed, her breathing ragged. Her eyes darted between her mother's paling face and the envelope in Alexander's hand. "Open it, Alexander. Mom said we must open it now."Alexander tore through the wax seal with his thumb. He drew out several thick sheets of paper filled with Helena's handwriting, along with documents bearing official registration numbers."What is in it?" Selena asked,