Balfour grunted. âYou think I wouldnât worry about Ellinor?â
Byran recognized the anxiety in his brotherâs demeanor. After all, Ellinor was the person Balfour cherished the most in this world.
âAh, Iâm worried about her too, but I have this feeling that Ellinor and Theo will end up happily together.
They just have to!â
Balfour glanced at his brother and quietly agreed. âAlright, you should get some sleep too.â
Byran noticed that his brother looked exhausted and decided not to disturb him any further. Nodding, he turned to leave.
Just as he was about to step out, their butler burst through the door, looking completely panic-stricken âBalfour, Byran, something terrible has happened! The old master⦠he⦠heâ¦â
The butlerâs face was as pale as a sheet. He was stuttering and couldnât finish his sentence.
Balfour and Byranâs eyebrows knitted together in concern.
Byran asked, âWhat happened?! Didnât we just find Dad?â
The butler, old and trembling, struggled to say, âThe old master⦠he slit his wrists. Thereâs so much blood.â
Byranâs eyes widened in shock. âWhat?!â
Balfourâs expression hardened, and he quickly moved to the butlerâs side. âHave you informed our grandmother and grandfather?â
The butler croaked. âNot yet. I worried that they wouldnât be able to handle the news. So I thought I would inform you first.â
Balfour nodded as he briskly moved towards the door. As he walked, he gave out a serious order.
âMake sure no one tells Grandmother and Grandfather. They must not know about this!â
The butler hurriedly agreed. âYes, sir!â
âDid you call an ambulance?â
âYes, sir! I called it right away. The family doctor is already here. Heâs trying to stop the bleeding.â
Balfour didnât say anything more. His brow furrowed deeply as he headed to his fatherâs room.
Byran, equally worried, followed closely behind.
How could this happen? His father seemed perfectly fine just a short while ago. Now he had attempted suicide?
Why did his dad do this? What was so unbearable?
Balfour pushed open the door to their fatherâs room and was immediately hit by the smell of blood. The sheets were soaked in it. It was a gruesome and shocking sight.
The family doctor was urgently trying to bandage McNeilâs wounds.
Balfour moved to his fatherâs side, finding him ashen-faced, half-conscious, and visibly weak.
Byran rushed over with tears welling up in his eyes as he fell beside his father. âDad! Why would you do this? You were fine! Why would you do such a stupid thing? Donât you care about your sons anymore?â
McNeil had no strength left to speak, but he heard his younger sonâs voice. He slowly turned to look at Byran. There was a hint of regret in his eyes, but they were mostly empty. He was truly resigned to death.
Balfour towered over him, his face grim. âWhat right do you have to die?â
McNeil looked at his eldest son with a mix of surprise and self-derision in his eyes. He didnât want to explain, nor did he have the strength to.
All he wanted was a quick release, so he could be reunited with the woman he had longed for every single day.
âYou should live and experience the suffering of wishing you were dead. You should endure every painful, lonely night. Thatâs the only way you could begin to make up for the hardships my mother and sister have endured over the years!â
Balfour was harsh and unsympathetic towards his father, even on his deathbed, McNeilâs face paled even further once he heard this. He tried to speak, but the blood loss had left him too weak to make a sound.