From Villain to Virtual Sweetheart: The Fake Heir's Grand Scheme(BL)-Chapter 648: He’s Family to Me

The next morning, Micah was dragged out of sleep by a sharp, piercing ringtone that cut straight through the quiet room. The sound felt louder than usual, like it was ringing inside his skull. His body was heavy, his mind still foggy, but his hand groped across the bedside table until his fingers knocked against his phone. He grabbed it clumsily and brought it to his ear, eyes still closed.

"Hello..." he muttered, voice rough and hoarse with sleep.

"Son, can you come to the hospital?" Jacob’s voice came through the line, low and strained.

Micah’s eyes flew open instantly. All traces of sleep vanished. He pushed himself upright, heart already pounding for a reason he didn’t want to guess.

"Dad? What happened?" His voice tightened without him meaning it to.

There was a brief silence on the other end, the kind that said everything before words even came.

"It’s your grandma."

Micah’s breath caught halfway. His fingers curled tighter around the phone until his knuckles turned white. His throat felt dry, like something was stuck there.

"O-Okay, Dad," he said quickly, voice trembling despite his effort to stay steady. He didn’t dare ask more. He was too afraid of what the answer would be.

Beside him, Clyde stirred. He pushed himself up on one arm, hair messy, eyes still half-lidded but already alert when he saw Micah’s face.

"Something wrong?" Clyde asked quietly, voice low with concern.

Micah forced air into his lungs. "Can you... drop me at the hospital?" he asked, trying to keep his tone level.

Clyde froze mid-movement. His gaze sharpened instantly. "Are you in pain?"

Micah shook his head. "No. It’s my..." His voice broke before he could finish.

Clyde didn’t push. He got out of bed immediately and stepped closer, his hand coming up to cup Micah’s cheek gently, thumb brushing under his eye.

"Okay," Clyde said softly. "I understand. You don’t have to say it. Let’s get ready."

Micah closed his eyes, leaning slightly into the touch. He swallowed hard, trying to push down the rising wave in his chest. He had known this day would come. His grandmother’s condition had never been stable. But knowing didn’t make it hurt less.

He changed clothes mechanically, movements stiff and slow like his body wasn’t fully under his control. When he tried to put on his shoe, he had to stop. It wouldn’t fit over the brace. He gave up and slipped on one of Clyde’s loose slippers instead and adjusted the brace on his ankle again. The tight pressure reminded him he was still injured, still weak, but he ignored it.

By the time he reached the door, his steps already felt unsteady.

Outside, Dean and Emile were waiting in the hallway.

Micah blinked. "Why are you two here?"

Emile stepped forward immediately, eyes scanning him from head to toe. "Why do you need to go to the hospital? Where does it hurt now?"

Micah shook his head. "Not me... It’s my grandma," he said softly.

Emile’s mouth closed. His expression fell. "Oh..."

Dean cleared his throat gently, glancing at Clyde. "You two go first. We’ll bring breakfast later."

Micah nodded, too drained to say more, and leaned slightly against Clyde as they walked. Clyde’s arm came around him naturally, steady and warm.

In the car, Clyde didn’t speak. He simply reached over and took Micah’s hand.

Micah’s fingers were ice cold. Clyde frowned faintly and pulled off his overcoat, spreading it over Micah’s lap and tucking it around his hands.

Micah didn’t refuse. He clutched the coat like it was the only solid thing in the world. A strange chill spread through his chest, deep and heavy.

When they arrived at the hospital, everything felt unreal. The automatic doors slid open with a soft hiss, and the smell of disinfectant hit him. His steps felt slow, like he was walking through water. His breathing turned shallow.

The corridor outside the ward was full.

His family was there, not just his parents, but his two aunts and their families as well.

"Mum... Dad..." Micah called, voice small.

They all turned.

"Micah..." Elina stepped forward, then paused when she noticed Clyde beside him. Her eyes dropped to their joined hands, then to the brace on Micah’s ankle. Her expression filled with worry instantly. "What happened to you, sweetheart?"

"It’s nothing, Mum," Micah said quickly. "How is Grandma?"

Elina glanced at Albert Ramsy before speaking, as if she needed strength just to say the words. When she looked back at Micah, her voice dropped, soft and unsteady.

"Your grandma had an asystole last night," she said quietly. "Her heart stopped. The doctors said her pacemaker failed."

The words felt heavy in the air.

"The cardiac arrest was a huge shock," Elina continued, her hands twisting together in front of her. "Your grandfather couldn’t take it. He completely broke down. The doctors tried to calm him while they worked on her..."

She paused, swallowing hard.

"They suggested surgery," she went on, voice thinner now. "But at her age... a heart transplant or any invasive procedure carries a very high risk. Her body might not survive the operation itself."

Elina’s lips trembled. She looked away for a second before forcing herself to continue.

"So your grandma refused. She said she doesn’t want more treatment. She just wants to see everyone. She told us..." Her voice cracked, and she covered her mouth with her hand. "She said she wants to see her family one last time before..."

She couldn’t finish. The rest of the sentence hung there, unspoken but understood.

Micah slowly turned his head toward his grandfather. Albert Ramsy sat hunched on the bench, elbows resting on his knees, hands hanging loosely between them. His head was lowered, shoulders slumped, as if the weight of the entire world had settled on his back overnight. He looked smaller than Micah had ever seen him.

Micah’s chest tightened. He lowered his own gaze, afraid that if he looked any longer, he would lose control.

"Can I... see her now?" he asked quietly, his voice barely above a whisper.

Elina glanced at the closed hospital room door down the corridor. "Darcy is inside with her," she said gently. "You can go in after he comes out."

Micah nodded. His grandmother’s heart problems were not new. She had lived with heart failure for years. The pacemaker had already been replaced once. They had consulted every specialist they could find. Even Grandpa Lin had shaken his head and said that traditional Chinese medicine couldn’t help anymore.

They had known this moment would come. But knowing didn’t make it easier.

Micah drew in a slow breath that trembled on the way in. His hand tightened unconsciously around Clyde’s, gripping him like an anchor.

Elina finally turned her attention to Clyde. Her tone became polite but distant, the kind used with someone outside the family. "Mr Du Pont, thank you for bringing my son here," she said. "We can take care of things from here."

Clyde immediately felt the shift in atmosphere. All the Ramsy family members nearby were looking at him, some with curiosity, some with suspicion. Willow, especially, was openly glaring. He didn’t need to guess why. She had probably told them about what happened last night. They must think he had been with some girl while also being entangled with Micah.

The misunderstanding sat like a stone in his chest. But this wasn’t the time to explain.

He nodded slightly. "Alright. I’ll..."

"Mum," Micah interrupted suddenly. His voice was tired but firm. "He’s not a stranger. You don’t have to treat him like one. We’ll talk about everything later."

Elina’s expression changed at once. Her worry mixed with frustration and disbelief. "Micah," she said, lowering her voice but unable to hide the emotion in it. "This is a family matter. You’re standing here injured, you look exhausted, and now this is happening. Do you really expect me to stay quiet?"

Micah looked straight into her eyes. They were filled with fear, concern, and a mother’s helplessness.

"Mum..." His voice softened, but his words were steady. "He’s my boyfriend. He’s family to me."

The corridor went completely silent. Even the distant hospital sounds seemed to fade.

Elina didn’t look shocked. It was more like confirmation of something she had already suspected. But hearing it said so directly, at a moment like this, left her momentarily speechless.

Jacob stepped forward, his tone calm but firm. "Son, this isn’t the right time for this conversation. Even if that’s true..." He paused, giving Clyde a brief, assessing look before returning his gaze to Micah. "Right now, everyone is emotional. It would make things uncomfortable."

Micah pressed his lips together. He looked drained, like he had no strength left to argue, but he still didn’t let go of Clyde’s hand.

After what happened last night, Clyde wandering alone in the rain, breaking down, Micah couldn’t bear to push him away as if he had formed some kind of PTSD.

"Grandma knows about him," Micah said quietly. "We’ll just see her and leave. We won’t get in anyone’s way."

Before anyone could stop him, he gently pulled Clyde toward the door.

Clyde opened his mouth, wanting to say something, maybe to smooth things over, but he hesitated. He didn’t want to make the situation worse. He gave the Ramsy family a small nod and followed Micah inside the room.