Chapter 2524


    He was consumed with regret. If only he had been by her side, perhaps this tragedy could have been


    averted.


    Had he been there, at the very least, he could have caught her-prevented her from lying here all alone,


    so vulnerably sprawled on the cold floor.


    At that moment, his thoughts were a whirlwind. He had talked about life and death with ease when


    discussing it with the kids. They had made a pact, he and she. Whoever was left behind would carry


    on, get the other’s funeral in order, and then swiftly follow the


    other.


    But now that it was all happening, he found that he couldn’t. He simply couldn’t ept her departure.


    “Why aren’t you bossing me around now, huh? Get up and nag me, will you? I just had a couple of


    beers with Sten, and you’re not here to scold me?”


    Dean’s face, lined with age, crumpled with grief, his tears welling but not falling, was heart-wrenching to


    behold.


    Ivy stumbled and fell to the ground next to Balfour. She gazed at Alyssa before her, wanting to help but


    afraid to touch, “Grandma, wake up. What happened? You were just fine a minute ago.”-


    Ivy’s question snapped Balfour out of his reverie. With his eyes red with sorrow, he stood up and


    scanned the room.


    “Did anyone see what happened? How did my grandma fall? Please, if you saw anyth tell me. I won’t


    let your help go unnoticed.”


    He couldn’t fathom how a perfectly healthy person could just fall down the stairs like t Balfour’s promise


    stirred the crowd, but as luck would have it, they had all been busy mingling with other guests and


    hadn’t noticed the incident.


    “Balfour, let’s check the security cameras,” someone suggested amid the mor of


    voices.


    As they discussed, the wail of the ambnce siren cut through the air, and Ivy remained close behind


    Balfour as they followed the emergency responders.


    Dean insisted on apanying her, and neither Balfour nor Ivy could argue with him.


    Têxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Someone had to stay behind to handle the situation, and Ivy couldn’t bear letting Balfour do it alone, so


    she stayed.


    “Sorry, folks. Tonight was meant to be a celebration, and instead, we’re met with this disaster. As I said


    before, anyone with information, pleasee forward. You can discusspensation directly with the


    Howard Group or send an anonymous tip to my email. But I have one condition: no rumors, no


    falsehoods. This evening’s festivities were cut short, and once Grandma is back on her feet, we’ll throw


    another party to make up for it. We’ll invite everyone.”


    Despite the abrupt end to the birthday celebration, no oneined. After all, faced with such a


    sudden family crisis, no one wanted to make a scene.


    Especially not with Balfour, his eyes rimmed with red, struggling to maintainposure as he spoke to


    them. It was a sight that tugged at everyone’s heartstrings.


    Once the guests had left, and only a handful of close family and friends remained, Balfour copsed


    onto the sofa, cradling his head in his hands, lost in the chaos of the night’s


    events.


    Ivy looked on, her heart aching for him, but she knew this was no time for sorrow. She sat beside him,


    took his face in her hands, and forced him to meet her gaze.


    “Balfour, this is not the time for tears. We need to be clear-headed. We need to figure out whether


    tonight was a terrible ident or if someone deliberately meant harm.”