Chapter 5 A Father's Guilt

"You're the one who's about to die, Sierra! My dad is definitely going to outlive you!" Selena said angrily. Sierra replied, "Go ahead, insult me. I'll actually be happy about it. After all, only people who are struggling get angry like this. "By the way, do you know how I got your dad out of the hospital? Hehe! I just told him he has liver cancer. Since there's no cure, I reminded him that continuing treatment would just drag your future down!" "Sierra!" Selena's tone was sharp, and then she added coldly, "If anything happens to my dad, I'll make you regret it." Sierra replied, "Well, I'm already regretting it. How did I ever become friends with someone like you? Anyway, it gave me a chance to win over Dylan's heart. Selena, you should've known from the news that Dylan and I are officially married. "Now, he's moving his business to Zoravia. So do yourself a favor—get out of Zoravia with your sickly dad and mute brother. If you don't, don't blame me for what happens next." "I'm not going anywhere," Selena replied firmly. "Selena, let's meet. I have something that might change your mind," Sierra said. "Tomorrow at 5:00 pm, meet me at Island Cafe on Loop Road. I've got something for you too!" Selena replied coldly before hanging up. She had already moved from Melland to Zoravia. If Sierra kept pushing her like this, Selena wouldn't hold back anymore. Taking a deep breath at the staircase, Selena pulled herself together before heading home. When she opened the door, she saw Gregory, looking worn out, slumped on the couch in the living room watching TV. On the other hand, Lucas was in the kitchen. Hearing the door open, Gregory smiled and glanced over. "Lena, you're back." Seeing him try to sit up, Selena rushed over. "Dad, lie down! Don't move!" It broke her heart to see him like this, and her tears threatened to fall. Gregory smiled. "Silly girl, I'm fine! Now that I'm home, I'm feeling much better." "Dad, let's go to the hospital, okay? I've got money now—my designs are selling better, and we'll have more in the future. Look!" Selena crouched in front of him, her eyes red. As she spoke, she also pulled out her phone and showed him her balance. Looking at the balance of over 200 thousand dollars, Gregory sighed. "Lena, you must have been struggling." Even though he could sense he was seriously ill, he never imagined it would be terminal liver cancer. The moment he found out the truth, he only felt more guilty for Selena and Lucas. Not only did they have to take care of him, but they also had to hide the truth from him. He should have been the one taking responsibility for the family, but instead, he had put it all on his children. Therefore, he only hated himself for being useless and for his body failing him. Gregory's words made Selena lose control of her emotions. With red-rimmed eyes, she shook her head and held his hand tightly. "No, I'm not struggling at all. I only care about whether you and Lucas are doing fine. Dad, just rest easy in the hospital. With today's medical technology, they'll be able to treat your illness." Gregory gently patted Selena's head. "You're already 24. If you meet the right person, you should get married sooner and have kids earlier. This will help avoid putting too much strain on your body." "Yeah, Dad. I have a boyfriend now. He's my colleague, and we've known each other for over two years. We've always been really close, but he confessed to me yesterday. I like him a lot, and I'll bring him to meet you next time. If everything feels right, we'll get married," Selena said, offering a comforting lie. Gregory smiled, genuinely happy for her. "Your colleague? That sounds great. Since you've known each other for so long, you must really understand each other by now." "Don't worry, Dad. I'll take care of everything. Let me take you to the hospital now!" Selena stood up and said. But Gregory held her hand and said, "Lena, I'm not going to the hospital. Don't waste any more money on me. You need to save up for your wedding." Selena's life had been tough, so Gregory couldn't even bring himself to tell her about Lucas' cochlear implant. Tears streamed down Selena's face as she said, "Dad, I'm still young. I can make money, and I'll make more in the future. Let's go to the hospital, okay?" She only had one father, and life could not be lived twice. Therefore, she had to do everything in her power to ensure Gregory lived a little longer. Seeing Selena trembling as she cried, Gregory felt a sharp pang in his heart. He looked toward the kitchen and said, "I really miss our home, so let me stay here a few more days. I've brought back the medicine from the hospital. I'll finish it very soon, and then I'll go to the hospital. He knew how bad his condition was. Despite how painful it would be for him to leave this world, he understood that after finishing the medication, his time would likely be up. Selena held his hand tightly, her eyes pleading. "Dad, they have a CT scan and other tests scheduled for tomorrow. Can we eat first and then go to the hospital?" Although Gregory already knew his diagnosis, Selena couldn't bring herself to mention something like chemotherapy or radiation to him.