Chapter 255 End His Life


    This was what Michael feared. He knew that Jacob cared about Sara but was unable to express his


    love to her. And because of his inability tomunicate, Jacob might hurt Sara more.


    Michael knew that some wounds never healed. The more Michael thought about it, the more concerned


    he became that Jacob''s bad temper would drive Sara away. He sighed at the thought. But that was


    more stress than his body could take. Michael burst into a coughing fit.


    Michael''s head slumped back on his pillow as his cough subsided. He took a shallow breath only to


    wince as pain coursed through him. He knew that he had no energy to address such an emotionally


    exhausting issue with Jacob. After all, he was already fighting for breath, and any that he took could


    easily be hisst. Even if he tried to dy the inevitable, it would mean more suffering. Suffering in


    exchange for his life? Michael didn''t know how much more he could take.


    When he nced around, Michael saw the concern reflecting in everyone''s gaze. Sorrow filled his


    heart. There was nothing he could do to ease his pain. However, he couldn''t bear to see the people


    around him suffering too. He had to do something to stop this. Perhaps it was time to end his life. He


    used all his strength to ring the bell by the bed.


    The second the bell sounded, Jacob''s head shot up. His mouth opened in a silent scream as


    desperation coursed through him. His father had made his decision. Now, the bell would summon the


    doctor, and that meant he would never see his father again. A deep sense of powerlessness swept


    over Jacob.


    Sara, who had been standing by the door, was unaware of what had happened. To her, the bell


    sounded like any other in the hospital. However, to Jacob, it sounded like a death knell. Sara frowned


    when she saw Jacob''s face suddenly turn deathly pale.


    An ominous premonition rose in her heart, and she controlled herself from rushing in. The doctor said


    that Michael needed to stay in a quiet environment, which is why only one person was allowed to go in


    to see him.


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    That was why Sara could only stand at the door and wait anxiously. Meanwhile, James struggled to


    appear calm. However, he couldn''t hide theplex expression in his eyes. He knew that his brother


    had made a choice that ordinary people could not make.


    And although he knew what it meant, James had no intention of changing his brother''s mind. Had it


    been him lying in the ICU, he would have made the same choice as Michael. But, he still couldn''t


    ept that his brother had made a choice.


    Ever since Michael had fallen ill, he had aged over ten years. He had grown so weak and incapacitated


    that it was hard for James to look at Michael without pity. He could understand his brother''s situation,


    even if he didn''t want to ept it. Michael had decided to call the doctor to save his family from more


    emotional trauma. Could there be a nobler sacrifice?


    James closed his eyes as despair saturated every cell in his body. It had been many years since


    Michael had first been diagnosed with cancer. From that fateful day until now, James had steeled


    himself for this situation. The time when Michael would draw hisst breath. James thought he was


    ready. And yet, a profound sense of loss and sorrow still filled him.


    Upon thinking that Jacob had no choice but to ept the decision, tears welled in James''s eyes. The


    only other time James had shown such deep emotions was when he received the news of the death of


    the woman he loved. This was the second time in James''s life when tears spilled down his cheeks.


    The overwhelming emotions took James by surprise. He didn''t expect himself to cry as he had been


    prepared for this eventuality for a long time. Or so he thought. Perhaps, when the average person was


    afraid of death, the great people had already decided to sacrifice themselves.


    This was the difference between ordinary people and great people. Even though Michael might not


    deserve to be called a great man, his brother was a hero in James''s heart. If James could be regarded


    as a hero in the past, then Michael must have gone further than him.


    The thought made James sadder. He felt pity for his brother. It was not his brother who made a choice,


    but fate. If the cancer hadn''t rpsed, his brother might still be standing before him full of life, like he


    once was.


    However, people can''t change reality. Maybe one''s destiny was set at the beginning of their life.


    James knew his brother had been the reason for his recovery. But now Michael was leaving, and he


    could do nothing to help. There are always so many things beyond people''s ability to change.


    James closed his eyes with difficulty. He didn''t want to take his eyes off Michael, and yet, he couldn''t


    see the scene in front of him again. A few secondster, he returned to his chair.


    Sara looked at James in surprise. "What''s wrong, uncle? Why have you returned?"


    "I just need to rest. Don''t worry." There was no emotion in James''s voice. This was the first time that


    Sara was seeing him like this. It sounded as if he no longer cared about the world. This attitude was a


    little strange to her.


    Sara didn''t overthink it. After all, what she cared more about now was Michael lying in the ward. She


    was also worried about Jacob.


    Enduring the death of one''s parents was one of the most miserable things in a person''s life. Jacob had


    already experienced this pain once in his childhood. She didn''t want to see him experience it again.


    She wished she could protect Jacob from all this. But, she could do nothing but stand outside the ward


    and observe what was happening inside.


    Soon, the doctor arrived. The air in the room became solemn. It was almost as if someone had sucked


    all the air out of the room. No one seemed to move, not even to breathe. Sara peered inside and


    seemed to feel as though the surrounding space had be distorted. However, when she rubbed her


    eyes, everything returned to normal.


    Jacob turned to look at the doctor. His eyes were red from holding back his tears. His voice shook as


    he asked, "Is there no other way?"


    The doctor''s gaze met Jacob''s. He shook his head and replied, "We can only ease his pain. But there


    is no possibility of recovery."


    Jacob felt a sharp pain in his chest. It was almost as if hundreds of needles had pierced his heart. He


    hadn''t believed it earlier. But now that he heard it with his own ears, the words were like thunder.


    Perhaps, this is what life is like. Life forces people to face all the painful things they don''t want to


    ept.


    No matter how much a person wishes otherwise, destiny, fate, and reality would alwayse to pass.


    Jacob gazed at Michael. He still couldn''t believe that his father''s life would end like this.


    "Dad, have you made up your mind? Is this what you want?" Although Jacob tried to steady his voice,


    he failed.


    His father replied with fierce, raspy coughs. Now that he was at the end of his life, Michael realized that


    the most important thing in a person''s life was life itself. Being healthy was more crucial than anything


    else.


    No matter how much money one earned, no matter how much power a person had, everything they


    achieved was pointless without a healthy body. But Michael had no regrets in his life.


    At least he had his son by his side now, even though this was theirst farewell. Even though Michael


    wanted to reach out and touch Jacob, he couldn''t muster the energy to move. Something inside him


    wanted to tell his son that everything would be all right, and yet Michael couldn''t find the words.


    He seemed to be thinking about something, and finally, he nodded. Each time he tried to swallow, he


    felt that his throat was on fire. The pain coursing through him made Michael feel as if he were going to


    die. He understood that he had no choice.


    He was not afraid of death. After all, he was already at death''s door. By making this decision, Michael


    was taking the initiative to end his life. If nothing else, he would die with whatever little dignity was


    possible in such a situation.


    However, it didn''t mean that his family would suffer any less. They would still feel sorrow and grieve for


    him. Michael clung to the hope that their suffering would be short-lived.


    Jacob restrained his emotions as his father''s decision continued to turn his world upside down. He


    knew that no matter what he said or did, Michael wouldn''t change his mind. Jacob hesitantly reached


    out and took the consent form. Tears blurred his vision as he tried to read what was written on the form.


    Finally, after several long moments of hopelessly trying to read the document through the veil of tears,


    Jacob signed it.


    "What is Jacob signing? Uncle, why does the family have to sign that document? What does it say?"


    Sara frowned as she questioned. When she received no response, she turned to look at James. He


    narrowed his eyes even though he had been nkly staring into the distance. Sara didn''t understand.


    How could she? No one would tell her what was happening. How could she help and protect Jacob if


    no one would tell her anything?


    When James heard her question, his body trembled. He tried to calm down, but he could still feel his


    breath getting heavier. When he heard Michael ring the bell, he had guessed what wasing. And


    now, he knew that he had been right.


    Michael had made his decision. It was, indeed, a sad day for everyone. But did he really have a


    choice? James tried his best to stay calm, but his efforts were in vain.


    Everyone would leave one day. And that day hade for his brother. He chose to end his life on his


    own.