Betrayed By Husband, Stolen By Brother In Law-Chapter 225: A Heart Attack

Patrick Collins stood quietly outside the ICU, his arms crossed and his back resting against the cold white wall. His face showed no signs of worry or fear for the old man who he had brought to the hospital in a rush. Not even a flicker of emotion crossed his features as he waited for the doctor.

There was no sign of worry or urgency in his expression. He could’ve been waiting for a taxi instead of a doctor for all the expression his face showed.

The hallway stretched out in silence, filled only by the low hum of machines and the soft squeak of nurse shoes on the polished floor. A wall clock ticked somewhere overhead. Patrick glanced at it once, then looked away with no sign of impatience or concern. His gaze wandered blankly across the tiled floor and up to a nearby bulletin board, but he didn’t really take anything in.

The only thing that would indicate he was agitated was his clenched hands on his side. After all, if he had not made the revelation so directly and instead prepared his father for it...

When the ICU doors finally opened, he still didn’t move, letting the doctor come to him.

"Mr. Collins?" the doctor asked.

Patrick nodded.

The doctor gave a short sigh before speaking. "Your father’s heart stopped suddenly. It was unexpected. But we were able to revive him in time. He’s stable now."

Patrick nodded again, his face still unreadable. "I see. Thank you for your hard work, doctor."

The doctor studied him for a second, as if trying to gauge his reaction. "Has there been anything unusual lately? Any stress or emotional shock he might have gone through? He’s been in our care for years and there haven’t been any complications. He has maintained a healthy lifestyle and is quite fit for his age. This wasn’t something we saw coming."

Patrick’s jaw tightened slightly and he nodded. Yes. I am aware how hard he works to maintain himself. Recently, he received some personal news earlier today. It... affected him greatly."

"I see," the doctor said slowly. "That might explain it. At his age, even emotional distress can be dangerous. We can’t afford any more incidents like this. If he gets agitated again, the result could be worse next time."

Patrick nodded again. "Understood. I’ll make sure nothing like this happens again."

The doctor’s tone softened. "He’s being moved to a VIP room soon. You can see him once he’s settled. But please, be mindful of what you discuss with him. He needs rest. No surprises."

Patrick gave a faint nod. "I’ll take care to shield him and prevent anything troublesome..."

With that, the doctor turned and went back through the ICU doors. Patrick stayed where he was, his eyes fixed on the floor again as he sighed. He’d known this might happen some day. He just hadn’t thought it would happen so soon. Someone might say that Sir Collins was already eighty but still...

A nurse passed by and told him it would only be a few more minutes before his father was moved. Patrick thanked her quietly and returned to his waiting.

His thoughts wandered back to the conversation earlier that morning. Words that couldn’t be unsaid. He hadn’t meant to drop the news so bluntly, but it had come out that way. Maybe he’d been tired, or careless, or maybe he just didn’t realize how fragile his father really was now.

Now he did.

Ten minutes later, the same nurse came back and nodded toward him. "You can see him now. He’s in Room 403, just down the hall."

Patrick stood up and walked toward the room without a word. His steps were steady, no rush, no hesitation. Outside the door of Room 403, he paused just briefly before pushing it open.

Inside, the room was dim but quiet. Machines beeped softly in the background, and the drawn blinds let in only a trace of late afternoon light. Sir Collins lay in the hospital bed, propped up by pillows, an oxygen line under his nose. His face was pale and sunken, but his eyes—when they slowly opened—still carried the same sharpness that had always been on his face, from as far back as he could remember.

Sir Collins blinked slowly and turned his head slightly toward him. "I want to see the boy," he murmured, his voice rasping but clear.

Patrick didn’t answer right away. His gaze shifted down toward the edge of the bed, avoiding his father’s eyes. Then he let out a short breath, barely audible. "I apologize," he said quietly. "I shouldn’t have told you like that. It was... sudden."

Sir Collins shook his head weakly. "You don’t need to be sorry. I’m just glad you don’t blame me."

Patrick looked up, finally meeting his eyes.

"You raised him. You took care of him. That’s more than most people do, even for their own," Sir Collins continued. "You didn’t have to, but you did."

Sir Collins reached out a frail hand, resting it on the edge of the blanket. "He deserves to know. I deserve to see him."

Patrick leaned back slightly. "He’s young. It would be difficult for him to understand right away."

"He’s my son," Sir Collins said.

Patrick’s eyes darkened a fraction. "Yes. But for now... for his sake and yours, I’ll introduce him to you as your grandson."

Sir Collins’s brows furrowed faintly but he didn’t object.

Patrick continued, his tone calm and deliberate. "He knows me. He trusts me. If we confuse him now, or if some one finds out and spreads rumors that might agitate you again—" he paused, then added, "—we risk more than clarity. We risk your life."

The old man slowly nodded. "So... I’ll be his grandfather... for now. But when the time is right, I will take him under my wing."

Patrick gave a slight nod in return. "Yes. Thank you for your understanding, father. Just until the time is right."

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