Chapter 355: Gift From Albert

The next morning, Natalie’s sleep was broken by a phone call. It was from Albert’s caretaker.

She immediately sat up in bed as she answered. "Hello?"

"Ms. Natalie, I called to inform you that Mr. Ford is not well," the man said.

"W-What happened?" she asked, her heart sinking. Just yesterday she had talked to him, and now...

"He was hospitalized two days ago after complaining of chest pain. Now, his condition has turned serious," the man’s worried voice came through. "You might want to come visit him."

So he had been hospitalized but didn’t let her know...

"I... I’ll be there right away," Natalie said, jumping out of bed, panic filling her chest as she rushed to get dressed.

Justin, who had just stepped out of the shower, asked, "What happened?"

"I need to head to the hospital. Grandpa isn’t well," she said hurriedly, trying to pull clothes over her night pajamas.

Justin gently stopped her. "Go freshen up first. I’ll take you there."

She didn’t argue and rushed to the bathroom, coming out as quickly as she could.

By then, Justin was also ready. For once, he had skipped his usual suits and instead wore a perfectly fitted white casual T-shirt and brown trousers.

Natalie, too, had thrown on casual clothes—a T-shirt and pants—and hurried after Justin while tying her hair into a ponytail.

Justin personally drove her to the hospital.

When they arrived, even before Justin could properly park the car, Natalie opened the door and rushed out.

"I’m going ahead," she called over her shoulder.

Justin didn’t stop her, understanding how anxious she was to see Albert.

Natalie reached the room where Albert had just been brought back from the ICU. The other Fords were already there, and their displeasure at seeing her was clear.

But their expressions shifted when they saw someone else walking down the hallway—Natalie’s husband.

Now that his identity had been revealed, and after already having firsthand experience of how he could dominate them even when they hadn’t known who he was, the Fords wisely decided not to provoke him.

Natalie approached the doctor who had just stepped out of the room. "What happened? How’s my grandpa?"

The others gathered around as well.

The doctor looked at her silently for a moment before speaking. "I don’t want to keep you in the dark. The situation is serious, and this time, he might not be able to fight it for long. You all already know about his heart condition."

"Transplant? A heart transplant...." Natalie managed to say, her eyes brimming with tears.

The doctor shook his head. "His body—his physical condition—is far too weak to handle another critical surgery. If we try, he may not make it out of the operating room." He paused before adding, his voice softer, "I’ve known Mr. Ford for a long time. The bond I share with him goes beyond just doctor and patient. So, as someone who cares about him, I advise you not to let him suffer anymore. Let him spend the rest of his time in peace with his family. That’s the best decision you can make for him."

Silence fell over all the Fords—except for Clara and Briena. For them, it was almost a relief to know the old man was dying; it meant they wouldn’t have to worry about him supporting Natalie in matters concerning the Ford Group.

"Can I meet him?" Natalie asked, her voice shaky.

"He’s unconscious right now. For now, you can watch him from a distance until he wakes. But only one or two people at a time—and please, don’t disturb his rest."

Everyone nodded in understanding.

Sephina had already entered the room to see her husband, with Jay following close behind. Natalie stood waiting for them to come out.

Justin walked to Natalie’s side, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and pulling her close to comfort her. He could feel her trembling—the fear of losing her grandfather had consumed her.

Clara and Briena looked at him, but Justin didn’t even spare them a glance, as if they didn’t exist. They could only envy Natalie for having a man who stood strong beside her, making her unshakeable against them.

Briena, as usual, kept her eyes fixed on Justin’s face, her gaze openly admiring his looks. Now that she knew his true status, her desire for him was even more evident.

Her mind was filled with regret.

After a while when Natalie also returned after seeing Albert, she sat outside in the waiting room, her eyes moist but she didn’t shed tears. Justin was by her side all the time.

Albert’s caretaker came to them. He handed over the envelop to Natalie as he said. "Before going unconscious, Mr Ford had asked me to give this to you, Ms Natalie."

Natalie, lost in her own world, just looked at that big size brown coloured sealed envelop but didn’t proceed to to accept it.

The man turned to Justin, "I will hand it over to you, Mr Aiden."

Justin accepted it and opened to see what it was.

Albert had transferred all his shares in the Ford group Natalie and there was a letter for her as well. Justin didn’t read the letter and put it back in the envelop along with those share transfer papers.

His wife didn’t need these things as he could provide her with everything. But as it was from Albert, he left it to Natalie to decide. With these shares, no one would stop her from getting her hands on the Ford group.

Justin had known Albert had genuinely cared for Natalie. After spending time with the old man, he could see he was a good man, but was bound by the situations. Other than being Natalie’s grandpa, this was also the reason Justin had always treated him with respect.

The caretaker offered a light nod and left.

Just like Natalie, Sephina was lost in her sorrowful world, while the other three wondered what that envelop was about.