Chapter 382

Half an hour later, Dominic’s phone rang. It was his brother, Gregory.

"Dominic! Get to the hospital now! Mother collapsed! It's bad!"

Dominic’s grip on his phone tightened. Without a word, he strode out of his office, his expression darkening with every step.

Nathan, his assistant, noticed the shift immediately. Something was wrong.

"Mr. Blackwood, should I reschedule your meetings?"

"Let Lucas handle them. Send me the notes," Dominic snapped before stepping into his private elevator.

The doors slid shut, sealing him in silence.

Nathan’s stomach twisted. Dominic never looked like that—not unless something catastrophic had happened.

At St. Elizabeth Medical Center, Eleanor Blackwood had already been rushed into the emergency room. When Dominic arrived, the doors remained firmly closed.

"What happened?" His voice was ice, his gaze locked onto Gregory.

"I wasn’t home. Julian said he heard Mother scream. When he ran out, he saw her tumbling down the stairs."

Dominic’s jaw clenched. "The upper floor? What was she doing up there?"

Eleanor was getting older. She rarely ventured beyond the ground floor these days.

Gregory’s face twisted with anguish. "I don’t know! I wasn’t there! You know how restless she is—always moving around the house."

"And the nurse?" Dominic’s voice sharpened. "Wasn’t she watching her?"

Eleanor had high blood pressure. A fall like that could be fatal.

"I came straight here when Julian called. I didn’t have time to interrogate anyone!" Gregory’s eyes were red-rimmed. He turned to his son. "Julian, tell your uncle what you saw."

Julian’s eyes were swollen, his face pale.

"Uncle Dominic, I was asleep. When I heard Grandma scream, I ran out and saw her on the floor. The nurse was hysterical—just crying. I barely had time to ask anything before calling the ambulance."

His fists were clenched so tightly his knuckles whitened.

Julian wiped at his eyes roughly. "I’ll go back and find out what happened."

As Julian left, Gregory paced outside the emergency room, his anxiety palpable. Dominic stood rigid on the other side, his body tense, his heart cold.

Memories flashed—the last time he’d seen his mother. It was after Zoe had lost the baby. They’d spoken briefly then. He’d promised to find another specialist for Sophia.

Eleanor had been relieved. She’d told him she wouldn’t force him and Zoe together anymore. That was her way—stern, but always yielding to him in the end.

Dominic had never been good with words. He rarely told her how much she meant to him. But that didn’t mean he didn’t love her.

She had been the one person who never failed him. And now—

A wave of dread crashed over him, suffocating, relentless.

The emergency room doors finally opened. The doctor stepped out, his expression grim.

"We lost her half an hour ago. We did everything we could. I’m sorry."

Gregory’s wife broke into sobs, her cries echoing through the sterile hallway.

Dominic walked into the emergency room, his steps heavy.

Eleanor lay there, pale, her eyes still open—wide with something unspoken.

He reached out, trying to close them, but they wouldn’t shut.

Grasping her cold hand, he swallowed hard. His voice was raw.

"Mother... what were you trying to tell me?"

Silence.