Chapter 375: Waking up??
The evening sky slowly turned golden as the sun disappeared beyond the horizon.
Pearl Villa was more lively than ever.
The younger generation moved around excitedly, discussing decorations, music and countless little details.
Just then...
The distant sound of helicopter blades echoed across the sky.
Thump...
Thump...
Thump...
They started coming outside.
Everyone instinctively looked upward.
The sound grew louder with every passing second.
Monica narrowed her eyes.
"More clan people, Boss?"
Chase looked completely confused.
"What clan?"
Sophia shaded her eyes while looking at the approaching helicopter.
"It must be an important guest."
Cole’s eyes sparkled.
"A helicopter entrance."
"So cool."
Before anyone could stop them...
Hope and Asher grabbed Silvey by both hands.
"Come on!"
"Let’s go!"
The two children started running toward the front entrance.
Silvey almost stumbled.
"Hey."
"Don’t run."
"It’s dangerous."
The helicopter slowly descended toward the large landing area prepared at the corner.
The powerful wind scattered fallen leaves across the garden.
Miles quietly watched it before shaking his head with a helpless smile.
"This old man..."
"He couldn’t even wait for one more day."
Elena immediately cleared her throat.
"Ahem."
Miles instantly looked at her.
"...Sorry."
Daniel smiled from the side.
"You know the guest?"
Miles simply nodded.
The helicopter finally touched the ground.
Its blades gradually slowed.
A moment later...
The cabin door opened.
A tall elderly man stepped out with surprising agility.
Instead of waiting for assistance...
He simply jumped onto the ground.
Elena instinctively raised her voice.
"Careful."
Daniel looked carefully at the man’s face.
Then recognition appeared.
"He is..."
Monica froze.
Her eyes widened.
Chase shouted excitedly.
"Grandpa!"
Without waiting another second...
He sprinted forward.
The elderly man had barely taken two steps before Chase threw his arms around him.
"Grandpa!"
"I missed you."
The old man’s stern expression instantly softened.
He laughed heartily while patting Chase’s back.
"I missed you too, brat."
Monica remained standing where she was.
She looked at Miles.
Then back at the old man.
Finally...
She slowly walked toward him.
"Grandpa..."
"What are you doing here?"
Edwin Carter looked at her with a smile.
"What?"
"Am I not allowed to visit my own children?"
"My grandson is getting married."
"How could I possibly stay away?"
Monica still looked uncertain.
"But..."
Before she could continue...
A gentle voice interrupted.
"Mona."
Monica turned around.
Elena slowly walked forward.
"Don’t worry."
Monica looked between the two of them.
"But..."
Elena smiled warmly.
"I invited him."
Monica stood speechless.
Daniel looked at Elena.
Then at Edwin.
A smile slowly appeared on his face.
He took a deep breath before speaking.
"Then..."
"We should welcome our guest."
Chase quietly stepped aside.
So did Monica.
A path naturally formed.
Edwin looked at his daughter.
For a long moment...
Neither of them moved.
The proud family head who had terrified countless people throughout his life suddenly looked like an ordinary old father.
His eyes slowly became moist.
"Daughter..."
"My Elena..."
Elena’s own eyes turned red.
She stepped closer.
"Father..."
Edwin slowly raised his trembling hand.
He gently placed it on her head.
The same way he had done when she was a little girl.
"I’m sorry."
His voice carried decades of regret.
Elena immediately held his hand with both of hers.
"I’ve forgiven you."
She smiled through her watery eyes.
"Thank you for coming."
The distance between father and daughter finally disappeared.
Several people quietly smiled while watching the scene.
Hope suddenly broke the emotional silence.
"Grandpa!"
Asher followed immediately.
The two children rushed toward Edwin and wrapped themselves around his legs.
"We missed you!"
Edwin laughed loudly.
"Aren’t you two amazing?"
"You still remembered this old man."
He gently rubbed both of their heads.
"I brought lots of sweets for you."
Hope’s eyes sparkled.
"Really?"
"So many?"
Edwin nodded proudly.
"So many that your parents will complain."
The children cheered happily.
Miles folded his arms.
"Look at you."
"You’ve already started spoiling them."
Edwin looked toward him.
"What?"
"I spoiled every one of my grandchildren."
He deliberately paused before pointing at Miles.
"Except you."
He folded his arms dramatically.
"So..."
"Tell me."
"What do you want, kid?"
"This is a chance you don’t get every day."
Before Miles could answer...
Chase immediately raised his hand.
"Brother!"
"Ask for Grandpa’s watch collection."
"He has some really expensive ones."
Edwin looked at him helplessly.
"You little rascal."
"So this is how you take revenge on your poor Grandpa?"
Chase grinned shamelessly.
"Your fault."
"You never came to visit me."
Everyone laughed.
Even Elena couldn’t stop smiling.
Miles quietly looked toward his mother.
The happiness on her face answered everything.
He slowly smiled.
"It looks like..."
"I’ve already received what I wanted."
He looked directly at Edwin.
"Grandpa."
The single word made Edwin’s eyes tremble.
A warm smile spread across his face.
"So..."
"Did everyone."
Daniel clapped his hands once.
"Since we have so many guests..."
"You all know what time it is."
Chase immediately looked over.
"What time, Uncle?"
Daniel pointed toward the huge lawn behind the villa.
"Tonight..."
"We’re having a barbecue."
"And a campfire."
The younger group immediately became excited.
Cole pumped his fist.
"Yes."
"Leave the preparations to us."
Isabelle nodded enthusiastically.
"We’ll handle everything."
Elena suddenly remembered something.
"Miles."
"Invite Chloe and her friends."
Miles nodded immediately.
"Of course, Mom."
"I’ll call them right away."
Edwin looked around the lively villa.
Children running everywhere.
Family members chatting happily.
Laughter filling every corner.
A peaceful home.
Something he had long believed he no longer deserved.
A gentle smile appeared on his weathered face.
"I’m excited..."
"To meet my granddaughter in law."
Daniel stepped beside him.
"Come with me, Father."
"I’ll show you your room."
Edwin nodded.
"Thank you."
As Daniel led him toward the villa...
Edwin looked back one last time.
His eyes rested on Elena.
Then on Miles.
A quiet sense of peace settled inside his heart.
.....
Darkness.
An endless darkness.
There was no beginning.
There was no end.
Only scattered voices drifting through an empty world.
...
"Where am I...?"
"...Who are those people talking...?"
Silence.
A faint light flickered somewhere far away.
Then another voice echoed.
"That is..."
"Me...?"
Everything was blurry.
Faces appeared for only a heartbeat before disappearing again.
Laughter.
Crying.
Footsteps.
Fragments of memories floated like broken pieces of glass.
...
A familiar voice...
Filled with determination.
"Promise me..."
"You will find him..."
"And help him become stronger."
Another voice answered without hesitation.
"I promise you, Brother in Law."
"I will find Miles."
"And help him become strong enough..."
"So that no one can ever take away his happiness again."
The words slowly faded.
Darkness returned.
...
Another voice.
Older.
Filled with endless regret.
"I lost everything..."
"My wife..."
"My son..."
"My grandson..."
"All the innocent people..."
"Whom I cared about..."
Silence.
"Why..."
"Why did they have to pay the price..."
"For something..."
"That I did..."
A painful cough echoed somewhere.
Then another whisper.
"I married..."
"The love of my life..."
"Against the wishes of my people..."
"It brought disaster..."
"I lost my wife..."
"My innocent son..."
"Lost his mother..."
"Did she deserve it...?"
The voice became weaker.
"My stubbornness..."
"My desire for revenge..."
"It fueled the fire..."
"That destroyed my family..."
Long silence followed.
Then...
"It’s all my fault..."
"It’s all my fault..."
"Edward..."
"My son..."
"Your father..."
"Was supposed to protect you..."
"Protect the family..."
"But instead..."
"I brought danger..."
"To you..."
"To your innocent wife..."
"To your innocent son..."
The darkness trembled.
Another memory surfaced.
"Miles..."
"My grandson..."
"Your grandfather..."
"Is at fault..."
"I don’t know..."
"What kind of life..."
"What kind of path..."
"I created for you..."
"By taking away your childhood..."
"Taking away..."
"Your freedom..."
"I don’t know..."
"How cruel..."
"The outcome will become..."
A faint heartbeat echoed somewhere.
Slow.
Weak.
The voice continued breaking apart.
"Why..."
"Why did I do it..."
"I..."
"I just..."
"Wanted to live happily..."
"With my family..."
"To go against the world..."
"To have free will..."
"I wasn’t..."
"Strong enough..."
A long pause.
Only breathing remained.
"So pitiful..."
"The bullet..."
"It’s poisoning me..."
"I think..."
"I’m going..."
"To meet..."
"My wife..."
"And..."
"My son..."
Everything became quiet once more.
The darkness swallowed every remaining voice.
...
Outside...
Pearl Villa was filled with life.
Warm lights illuminated the beautiful lawn.
The smell of roasted meat drifted through the evening breeze.
The barbecue had become a cheerful gathering.
Laughter echoed beneath the night sky.
Near the campfire...
Chase sat on a wooden chair with a guitar resting across his lap.
He gently strummed the strings.
A soft melody spread across the lawn.
Sophia quietly hummed along.
Cole clapped to the rhythm.
Isabelle laughed after Chase purposely missed a chord.
"You did that on purpose."
Chase grinned.
"It makes the performance memorable."
Everyone laughed.
Nearby...
Edwin sat comfortably beside the young couple.
He happily listened to their conversations.
Every now and then he shared an old story from his younger days, making everyone burst into laughter.
Not far away...
Elena and Daniel worked together beside the barbecue.
Silvey stood beside Elena helping with the cooking.
Monica carried dishes with staff members..
Alice insisted on helping despite constantly stealing pieces of grilled meat before they reached the table.
Kate caught her once again.
"Alice."
"That’s the third one."
Alice pretended to be innocent.
"I was quality checking."
Monica sighed.
"You’ve failed quality inspection three times."
Edwin chuckled " She reminds me of young Elena"
Everyone nearby laughed.
The atmosphere couldn’t have been warmer.
...
Inside Pearl Villa...
Far away from the cheerful voices outside...
One room remained completely silent.
Curtains gently moved with the evening breeze.
Medical equipment quietly monitored the patient resting upon the bed.
Gordon Sterling lay motionless.
His face looked peaceful.
Years had passed since anyone had seen him open his eyes.
Beside him...
Nurse Maya quietly sat in the corner reading a novel after finishing his scheduled medication.
Only the steady rhythm of the heart monitor could be heard.
Beep...
Beep...
Beep...
She turned another page.
Then...
The sound suddenly changed.
Beep...
Beep...
Beep... Beep...
Her eyes immediately lifted toward the monitor.
The rhythm had become irregular.
Maya quickly stood.
She looked toward Gordon.
His fingers...
Moved.
Just slightly.
Her breathing stopped.
She stepped closer.
Then...
His eyelids trembled.
Once.
Twice.
Very slowly...
As though struggling against years of darkness.
Nurse Maya’s eyes widened.
"No way..."
She immediately reached for her phone.
Her fingers quickly dialed a number.
...
Outside...
Miles had just finished placing another log onto the campfire.
His phone suddenly vibrated inside his pocket.
He glanced at the screen.
"Nurse Maya..."
His expression immediately changed.
He quietly stepped away from the gathering before answering.
"Maya."
Her voice sounded hurried.
"Boss."
"Mr. Gordon is trying to open his eyes."
"I’ve already called the doctor."
"He’ll be here in a few minutes."
For a brief moment...
Miles completely froze.
Every sound around him disappeared.
He looked toward the villa.
His heartbeat quickened.
"I’m coming."
The call ended.
Before he could leave...
Chloe noticed the sudden change on his face.
She quietly walked toward him.
"Is something wrong?"
Miles looked at her.
Then forced a gentle smile.
"I’ll be back."
"You enjoy yourself."
Chloe searched his eyes for a moment.
She could tell something important had happened.
But she simply nodded.
"Go."
Miles immediately turned.
Without another word...
He rushed toward the villa.
Leaving behind the warmth of the campfire.
And running toward a room where resting someone who had slept for years...
Was finally trying to wake up.