Mika Summers fell silent, her whole body going limp as she collapsed onto the bed.

The man glanced at her, his voice slow and frigid. "If you still want to die, I’ll have someone escort you out. Then, even if you’re hit by a car and killed, it will have nothing to do with me. But if you want to live, then eat. Only a full stomach will give you the strength to leave this place."

Watching the man leave the room and the maids close the door behind him, Mika Summers’s facade of strength completely crumbled. She buried her face in her hands and began to sob uncontrollably.

She cried for a long, long time before finally lifting her head. Her gaze fell on the bowl and chopsticks on the table. Wiping away her tears, she threw back the covers and dragged her heavy body over to the table. She picked up the utensils and began to shove food into her mouth, tears streaming down her face with every bite.

’From now on, I will live. I will live on...’

*****

Three months passed, and during that time, many significant events had shaken Tridell.

For instance: Master Lockwood found his long-lost biological son, Archie Lockwood; the Jennings Family was on the brink of collapse; the Avery family’s daughter took her own life over a tragic love affair, leaving this world forever; the young master of the Joyce Family started a gang war to protect Miss Grayson, leading to a bloody storm; and the young master of the Grayson Family had been in a coma for three months following a car accident...

In short, not a single piece of news to come out of Tridell in the past three months had been reassuring.

In the VIP hospital room, Mae Lynch rinsed out a washcloth and gently wiped Tristan’s face, fresh tears beginning to fall. "Tristan, how much longer are you going to sleep?"

Tiana also began to cry. "Mom, don’t worry. I know he’ll wake up. He’s worried about his wife, so he has to wake up."

"It’s been three months. If he were going to wake up, he would have by now."

Caleb Grayson looked at the two weeping women before him and spoke in a cold, displeased tone. "That’s enough. Stop crying. You do this every day. Even if you’re not sick of it, Tristan must be."

Caleb Grayson’s words only made Mae Lynch cry louder, her voice filled with anger. "To hear you talk, you’d think he wasn’t your son! Caleb Grayson, my son is lying here in a coma, and you’re telling me I can’t even cry?" 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"Fine, fine, have it your way. Cry all you want." Caleb Grayson threw his arms up in frustration and stormed out of the room.

Watching Caleb Grayson leave, Mae Lynch collapsed onto a stool, sobbing so hard she could barely breathe. "Tiana, you see that? Your father... he’s an inhuman monster. I must have been blind to fall for him. Tiana, promise me when you get married, you’ll keep your eyes wide open."

"Mom, what are you talking about? Dad is just worried about him, too."

"Worried about him? Hah! As if."

Tiana said no more, nor did she try to comfort her mother. She wiped her own tears and walked to the bedside. Taking the washcloth from Mae Lynch, she gently took Tristan’s hand and began to clean it carefully. As she wiped, she spoke softly to him. "Big bro, you have to wake up soon, okay? Kiki’s gotten so big lately, and he’s been so good. He doesn’t even cry himself to sleep at night anymore. So you have to wake up. Kiki’s being so brave... he can’t lose his dad right after losing his mom. Right, Big bro...?"

SOB... Hearing Tiana’s words, Mae Lynch burst into loud sobs again. "Tristan... you’ve always been so strong, ever since you were a little boy. How can you let a little setback like this keep you down?"