A Contract Marriage With My Boss

Christina almost fainted. Fortunately, this time there were nurses close by to steady her and prevent her from falling. She cried out loud and hurried towards her husband. Emma also cried, "Dad... Dad... "As she runs toward his bedside.

Charles and Sarah followed them quietly. All four were standing around Mr. Thomas's bed, looking at him and crying. He was wearing an oxygen mask and an IV drip on his right hand, his eyes closed, and his face was pale as if he was already gone.

Together, they managed to wake him up with some effort. He opened his eyes slightly and glanced at them, slowly moving his eyes from one to another. From his expression, it seemed that his eyes were blurred and that he couldn't see them clearly.

Sarah couldn't contain herself and started to cry out loud, hardly able to keep standing still. Charles had to hold her to prevent her from falling. She remembered when her father had died back when she was only 13, and she and her sister had been standing at his bedside, just like they were now, and watched as her father passed away.

No matter how hard she had shouted, her father hadn't responded and left them alone. Sarah didn't know how to express her feelings at this moment. Overcome from sadness, she was unwilling to see the second man who had loved her as a father die. Death was so cruel, and no matter how much money a person has, no one can escape its claws.

She had no choice but to watch her second father die too.

Christina and Emma were also sad. Despite their flaws, they both treated Mr. Thomas sincerely. Seeing how he was slowly nearing his last breath, they were very sad and wept. Christina cried until she couldn' stand but crouched on the floor and kept calling her husband's name, holding his hand in hers.

Mr. Thomas slowly raised his hand and pointed toward Sarah, looking longingly at her as if he still had a lot to say to her.

Sarah was surprised and hesitated for a moment. She looked at Charles for reassurance, but then she saw Christina and Emma also looking at her, and Christina said in a cold and dry tone. "Come here quickly, he's calling you!"

Sarah was sure Mr. Thomas was pointing at her, so she went closer and took his hand. Crying, she said. "Dad... dad... I'm here. Do you want to say something?"

Mr. Thomas responded through the oxygen mask, his speech was slurred and weak. Sarah could barely hear him and bent down closer to him. He still seemed to want to say something, but all Sarah could understand was. "I... don't blame you... your baby... it's not your fault...! With Charles... be... happy."

Sarah burst into tears. When her father died, he also told her, "Take care of your sister... be happy," Just like Mr. Thomas was telling her now. She felt as if the string in her heart was cut, and she couldn't speak. She hardly managed to say in an unsteady voice, "Dad... dad... I promise... I'll stay with Charles... I will try my best..."

Mr. Thomas nodded slightly, then looked at Charles. Charles walked over to him, and his dad also told him something no one else was able to understand except his last sentence, "I... I'm so sorry!" Charles was crying silently, and his eyes were red, but when he heard his final words, he collapsed and burst into tears. Sobbing, he said, "Dad, I don't blame you... I don't blame you anymore. You have compensated me for everything already!"

Charles was very sad. His father had been feeling guilty all this time, even while facing his death, he was still in remorse for not having treated him better. Charles felt sorry for him, he didn't know how many things his father had done over the years to compensate for his shortcoming. Charles had forgiven him, but his dad still felt guilty, apologizing even with his last breath. Charles was so moved by his father's love and couldn't stop crying.

Finally, Mr. Thomas looked toward Christina and Emma and signaled for both of them to come closer to him. Mr. Thomas gestures for Charles and Sarah to step out and give them a few minutes to speak privately.

Sarah and Charles stepped out and silently closed the door, leaving them for their final moment alone.

Standing outside, they wiped their tears. Sarah still was unable to calm down since the scene of her father passing away kept repeating in her mind over and over, making her feel as if she was losing him today all over again. The pain of losing her second father figure was too much for her to bear.

Charles held her and let her cry on his shoulder, comforting her. "It will be okay, Sarah. I will never leave you alone again!"

Sarah leaned against him and cried her heart out.

They stood outside, waiting for them to finish their talk for a long time. Finally, they heard Emma crying out loud, "Dad... dad."

They knew immediately that something was going on with Mr. Thomas and rushed back into the room, where they saw him struggle as he took his last breath, oxygen mask removed. His eyes gradually turned white as his breath sounds diminished.

Emma was standing on the bedside, crying, and Christina was reacting strangely, hiding away and crying with her mouth covered, as if she felt too guilty to look at her husband. Even though she was crying desperately, she didn't dare to look in his direction despite knowing that he was in pain.

Sarah and Charles hurried to him, calling out to him, and Charles also called the doctor. After a final examination, the doctor shook his head as he officially pronounced his death. "What?" Charles shouted in despair.

Sarah felt numb. Loud crying and screaming were soon heard from the room as they were faced with the harsh reality of death.

Dead! Her second father, who had been so kind to her, had died in front of her. And the reason why he died was that he had been unable to bear the sad news of his grandchild, which had provoked another heart attack in him. Sarah didn't know how to express what she was feeling. She felt pain and discomfort.

She felt as if all sense of color had vanished, leaving the world in black and white!