My CEO Ex: Let Me Go.-Chapter 139

"I’m on my way!" My heart skipped a beat, and I responded immediately.

"Don’t tell Vivienne just yet."

"I understand."

Before I left, I went back to the master bedroom. "Vivienne, there’s some urgent work at the office that I need to handle. I’m heading there now."

"Okay, Gabriella is here to keep me company."

When I arrived at the hospital, the emergency room door was still closed tight.

Evelyn and the nanny, Amelia, were sitting in the waiting area.

"Nana!" I rushed over to Evelyn, my voice laced with worry. "What happened? How did Grandpa...?"

Evelyn sighed, her face tense, but she remained silent.

Amelia, however, turned to me and said, "Miss Isabella came by this morning. I’m not sure what she said to Chairman Hawthorne, but... after that, he found out about the situation with the company, and then..."

I pursed my lips, a flash of anger in my eyes. I took a deep breath and walked over to the stairs, dialing a number. "Isabella was at Ashford Manor this morning. Find her. Now."

"Yes, sir."

Once I hung up, I returned to the waiting area, knelt in front of Evelyn, took her hand, and looked up at her, my eyes brimming with tears. "Nana, you must blame me."

If I hadn’t brought Isabella back to the country, Vivienne wouldn’t have wanted a divorce.

If I had sent Isabella away earlier, none of this would have happened.

This was all my fault.

"Good boy, get up," Evelyn said, reaching out to help me stand. "Nana would never blame you. I just... I never expected... Sebastian, he..."

"Nana!" Sebastian rushed in from the elevator, his face filled with anxiety. "How is Grandpa?!"

Evelyn shook her head. "They’re doing everything they can to save him inside..."

"Grandpa was fine earlier. How did this happen so suddenly?"

Amelia repeated the details to Sebastian.

When Sebastian heard that Isabella had spoken to Grandpa alone, his face shifted slightly. He turned his head and then slapped his own face twice. "It’s all my fault! All of it is my fault!"

Auntie, cousin Alden Hawthorne, and Lydia arrived shortly after.

An hour later, the emergency room door finally opened. Dr. Harrison Whitaker walked out, removing his mask. He surveyed us for a moment, then shook his head and sighed. "You can go in to see Chairman Hawthorne... for the last time."

His words hit me like a punch to the gut, leaving me dizzy, with a ringing in my ears.

Evelyn, upon hearing this, fainted.

"Nana!"

"Nana!"

Sebastian and I quickly rushed to support Evelyn.

Evelyn gasped for air, her eyes red, and pushed herself upright. "Help me inside."

We assisted Evelyn into the emergency room.

On the operating table, Grandpa lay still, his eyes shut tight, his face pale and lifeless.

"Grandpa—"

"Dad—"

Sebastian, Lydia, Emilia, and Alden leaned over the table, unable to hold back their tears.

I stood a few steps away, staring at Grandpa’s lifeless form from a distance.

In the shadows, my gaze was dark and restrained, full of quiet fury.

I knelt, bowing three times to Grandpa.

"Everyone, please leave for a moment. Let me be alone with your grandfather," Evelyn’s voice, once so strong, now sounded frail and aged.

"Mom, you need to take care of yourself," Emilia said, her voice breaking with sobs.

"I know."

Alden stepped in front of me and helped me to my feet. "Brother, please, go outside for now."

"I’m fine."

I stood up silently and walked out of the operating room without saying a word.

Outside the door, Alden immediately called Tristan, who was away on a business trip.

Lydia comforted Sebastian for a moment before he began giving instructions. He told his assistant to contact the funeral home, reach out to other family members and Grandpa’s friends, and start preparing for the funeral.

After hanging up, he turned to me, walking over and gently patting my shoulder. "Alexander."

I snapped back to reality, meeting Sebastian’s concerned gaze. My voice was hoarse as I said, "Don’t worry, I’m okay."

I just needed a moment to gather myself.

To me, my grandfather was like Maxwell Sinclair was to Vivienne.

I don’t know who my mother is, and I don’t even remember what my father looked like. From the earliest time I can recall, I was always by my grandfather’s side. It was my grandparents who raised me. Despite the generational gap, they were more like parents to me than grandparents.

"Should we tell Vivienne?"

"Let’s hold off for now. She’s still recovering, and I’m worried she might not be able to handle this news." My eyes lingered on the hospital doors.

Though I knew, deep down, this was something that couldn’t stay hidden for long.

"You might be right."

"Brother, the reporters are here," Alden said, pointing to a group not far away.

"Tell the hospital security to stop them. I’ll have the company’s bodyguards here right away," Sebastian instructed.

The Chairman of Vanguard GE had been rushed to the hospital, and there was also a change happening at the CEO level. This was big news for the media.

These days, in their chase for clicks, some journalists would do anything—there had even been a case where a swarm of reporters waited outside a female celebrity’s hospital room, hoping to capture the exact moment a doctor declared her death, ready to break the news.

Unfortunately, there were too many reporters, and the security guards weren’t brave enough to stop them, leading to chaos.

Some of them rushed toward the emergency room, cameras thrusting in front of me.

"Mr. Alexander, can you tell us—"

Bang!

The reporter froze, staring at the broken camera on the floor, then at me as I stood up. The words that had been on the tip of his tongue quickly evaporated.

I clapped my hands with an emotionless expression and pulled a business card from my suit pocket, tossing it lightly onto the ground. "How much? Contact my secretary."

Sebastian hurried over, patting my shoulder to calm me, before addressing the reporters. "We apologize, but our grandfather has just passed away. Our family is deeply grieving, and we’re not available for interviews at this time. Please reach out to us once everything settles."

But some reporters weren’t willing to let it go. From a distance, they snapped a few photos of the emergency room doors before quickly publishing their stories.

Not long after Alexander left, I began to feel uneasy. The pages of my book lay untouched.

I gently touched my abdomen, set the book aside, and lay back on the bed.

Since I became pregnant, I’ve rarely used electronic devices. My phone stays on the nightstand, untouched unless a notification comes in. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

But now, I had just received an email from an unfamiliar sender.

I picked up my phone and opened the attachment—it was a screenshot of a news article.

Breaking News:

At 10 AM on November 1st, Vanguard GE’s Chairman, Declan Hawthorne, passed away at Saint James Hospital.

The photo showed Alexander, despondently sitting in a chair by the emergency room door, the background blurred.

The article went on to detail Grandpa’s career and achievements.

Perhaps, in the past, this news wouldn’t have attracted much attention. But recently, with all the gossip and interviews, more people had come to know Alexander, and as a result, this news caught the attention of many more.

While some voices of discord remained, the majority of online commenters expressed their respect for the deceased, remembering the businessman who had cared for ordinary people. Many posted candle emojis with messages like, "Rest in peace."

Others commented, "Just a reminder, this elderly gentleman was Alexander’s grandfather. May he rest in peace."

When I saw the news, it felt like my heart had stopped beating altogether.