Chapter 732: Chapter 732: Heart Disease
"Gradually, I actually started to get used to Zane’s presence. Iris is very fond of Zane, as if it’s predestined. Zane has filled in the gap of Iris’s regret of not being able to be a mother. He’s been by her side for all these years, while I... I’ve been so lonely over these years. Time quietly slips away in the endless waiting; I’ve long been accustomed to seeking Yara’s shadow in Zane."
"So I’ve been thinking, let it be, just pretend I have two sons. Apart from you and me, no one else should know about Zane’s true parentage."
Butler Thorne has been with the Crawford family for decades, prudent and cautious in his actions. Apart from Jude Crawford, only he knows the truth about Zane Crawford’s parentage.
Zane Crawford is not the son of Zelda Willow at all; Zane’s biological mother is... Isabelle Willow!
Back then, Isabelle Willow’s second child wasn’t a daughter but a son. Zane Crawford is the baby that was taken out via caesarean section.
Jude Crawford entrusted this matter solely to Butler Thorne to handle flawlessly. It’s laughable that over the years, Zelda Willow has poured all her thoughts into Zane Crawford, unaware that her meticulous planning ultimately served as someone else’s bridal gown.
Jude Crawford began leading the Crawford family at eighteen, becoming the new generation of successors. All these years, he’s been in a position of power, strategizing with ease, causing upheavals between his applauses, for over thirty years now. He is a natural-born emperor, a legendary figure to be admired.
Butler Thorne nodded respectfully, "Yes, sir."
Jude Crawford’s deep, narrow eyes fell upon the estate division document, "For my two sons, I’ve left all movable assets to Hayden, and all immovable assets to Zane. The distribution is equal, with legal efficacy. Once I’m gone, there will be lawyers to execute this."
Jude Crawford explained his affairs with a low voice, aware of his own physical state. He has been holding on for so many years; his end is near.
Butler Thorne’s eyes were red. Probably only he knew Jude Crawford suffered from heart disease.
The plot that swept the Crawford family back then harmed too many people—Isabelle Willow left, leaving these Crawford members behind: Madam Crawford, Jude Crawford, Iris Crawford, Hayden Crawford... They haven’t lived well.
Years ago, Jude Crawford started coughing blood. Sometimes Butler Thorne thought the person he disliked the most was... Isabelle Willow. If it weren’t for Isabelle Willow, their esteemed sir wouldn’t have developed heart disease. During those prime years, as Aethelgard’s foremost noble, Jude Crawford first saw Isabelle Willow in the hospital—one glance sealed his fate.
Butler Thorne didn’t know what psychological torment his esteemed sir has endured over the years. Every time he faced his sister Iris, what a pain it was; watching Zane born to Isabelle Willow and Chase Sullivan, how much hurt he felt; staying put day after day in waiting, how lonely he was, experiencing countless lengthy nights and despair.
This heart disease is like a madly growing black flower. Physical ailment may be cured, but for a heart disease, there’s no remedy.
Jude Crawford walked step by step towards his own end like this.
Now that Isabelle Willow has returned, he just asked, "Did you ever love me?" Only receiving Isabelle Willow’s reply, "My answer hasn’t changed—never!"
Butler Thorne looked with reddened eyes at Jude Crawford sitting on the main seat. His expression was hard to discern in the backlight, "Sir, what do you intend to do with madam?"
Butler Thorne knew too well about this man Jude Crawford. Isabelle Willow was his greatest obsession. He couldn’t let go throughout his life. If he died, what did he plan to do with Isabelle Willow?
Speaking of this issue, Jude Crawford looked up and glanced at Butler Thorne. He slowly curled his thin lips into a casual, thoughtless arc and softly uttered four words, "Burial together, how?"
Burial together?
These two words froze Butler Thorne.
"I’ve sought her for so many years, seemingly spending two-thirds of my life on her. She still appears young, just like before, playful and easily blushing. I don’t want to leave her like this to other men—my woman cannot be tainted by anyone."
"She has fled for so many years, and even now that she’s back, I can feel her trying hard to draw lines with me. How could I let her have her way? I want to keep her by my side forever, living and dying together, so she can never escape."
"However, I haven’t decided yet. I need to think... cough, cough..."
Jude Crawford started coughing again.
Butler Thorne quickly said, "Sir, there’s no hurry now. You have plenty of time to think carefully. Please rest for now; you seem very tired."
Jude Crawford rose, "Alright, I’ll go rest for a while."
...
Jude Crawford returned to his bedroom, lay down on the bed, and began to sleep, dreaming a very long dream.
Actually, in those years he spent with Isabelle Willow, there wasn’t only pain; they had joyful moments too.
When Iris lost the child, it delivered a fatal blow to the entire Crawford family. Facing the hysterical Iris, he still protected Isabelle Willow with unwavering strength in his embrace.
On one side was a close relative, on the other was true love. His heart was overwhelmed with demons, gradually developing heart disease. The first time he coughed blood, he was just twenty-seven, in his prime, yet the doctors declared his heart had started to fail.
He and Isabelle Willow had a cold war for a period, but coincidentally, Isabelle Willow became pregnant during that time, expecting their first son, Hayden.
After Hayden was born, he didn’t know what had changed in her. During that period, her temperament altered significantly, no longer cold and resistant towards him, but starting to show tenderness and affection.
At night, when he returned from the company, she would leave a lamp for him. Beneath the dim light, she and her son slept on his big bed.
He stood at the bedside, lowered his head to kiss their son’s face. His tall figure bent low, enveloping the mother and son in his embrace. As he looked at her, she had quietly opened her eyes beneath him, gazing at him with those beautiful almond-shaped eyes, shimmering with watery brilliance, holding a pool of glittering spring light in her eyes. Though she didn’t smile, her eyes sparkled like stars, tender to the core, captivating.
His heart was completely stolen by her, leaning down to kiss her.
She no longer resisted but instead lifted her small hand to wrap around his neck, responding to him bashfully.
Hayden would cry with hunger, even though there was a nursemaid in Jill’s room, she insisted on feeding him herself.
Her small face turned red as she pushed him away, turning to nurse the son under cover.
He refused to leave, dropping his lips beside her ear, "The nursemaid said you have plenty of milk. Hayden can’t finish it all; when excess milk accumulates, it needs to be expressed..."
She anxiously covered his mouth.
He stared intently at her, "I can help you."
In her bewildered gaze, he directly pounced on her, with Hayden on one side, him on the other.