A Father’s Last Wish
The silence between father and daughter grew heavier.
Suddenly—
"Cough!"
Dario bent forward violently.
A deep, painful cough escaped his chest.
"Cough... cough... cough!"
His body shook with each breath, the force of the coughing seeming strong enough to tear his lungs apart.
"Dad!"
Felberta’s face immediately paled.
Without thinking, she rushed toward him.
Her hand stretched out to support his shoulder...
Only to freeze in midair.
Her fingers trembled.
The invisible wall inside her heart stopped her once again.
She bit her lip hard before slowly withdrawing her hand.
The helplessness in her crimson eyes deepened.
Coughing hard for several times, Dario finally leaned back against the bed.
The corner of his lip had the last trace of crimson.
Picking up the paper towel calmly, he wipe off the blood on his lip.
When he took it down again...
The paper towel had become a deep red color.
"Daddy, are you alright? Shall I call the doctor?"
The moment the color of the tissue was stained crimson by the blood on the corner of her father’s mouth, Felberta Ashbourne’s face had lost color instantly. Her heart skipped a beat. Wasting no time she turned her eyes to the door with her mind to call for the family doctor at once.
"No need for the doctor, don’t call".
Dario Ashbourne raised his hand gently to stop his daughter. His voice was as steady as ever, though there was still the ache inside his chest. Folding the tissue stained with blood carefully, he then placed it by his side. Looking at his daughter with a smile he said, "it’s not unexpected".
Felberta Ashbourne stood frozen on the spot and the shock in her crimson eyes seemed to refuse to subside.
Nearly losing her father and regain him, and now the idea of him falling ill again made her chest tighten up.
"Daddy..."
Dario Ashbourne sighed lightly.
"Dear Julian had explained to me fully during my treatment; my body was poisoned for too long and the poison has been slowly destroying my body bit by bit." He then paused for a moment and taking a deep breath spoke once more, "Then Steffan increased the injuries. It’s true that Dear Julian had saved me from the poison and my life but the existing injuries in my body could not be fully cured."
With a wry smile he then finished, "I can barely have a few more healthy years for myself.
His voice slowly faded out of the quiet room like that of the steady sound of rain tapping on the window outside. Within the quiet room, there was only the silent. Felberta lowered her head. Her fingers clenched into a fist tightly until her knuckles became pale without knowing it.
She desired to deny what she had just heard, she wanted to tell herself her father is just exaggerating.
But she knew better.
Dear Julian had never lied during his treatment.
If he had warned Dario beforehand...
Then those words were almost certainly true.
Dario looked at his daughter with gentle eyes.
There was no fear in his expression.
Only concern.
"Do you understand now?"
"That is why I asked Dear Julian to help you."
He spoke slowly, choosing every word with care.
"It was never because I wanted to interfere with your life."
"I’ve always respected your decisions."
"If you truly wished to remain alone forever..."
"I would still support you."
He smiled faintly.
"You’re my daughter."
"I would never force you into a life you didn’t choose."
Felberta slowly raised her eyes.
"Then why..."
"Why insist so much?"
Dario’s gaze drifted toward the rain outside the window.
"Because your condition isn’t a choice."
"It is an illness."
"There is a difference."
"You can dislike men."
"You can decide never to marry."
"You can even choose to spend your entire life alone."
"Those are all choices."
"But hating every man because your illness forces you to..."
"That isn’t freedom."
His voice became softer.
"That is a prison."
Felberta’s eyelashes trembled.
She remained silent.
Dario continued.
"When I’m still alive..."
"We can still sit together like this."
"We can still talk."
"I can still accompany you."
He smiled warmly.
"If you’re upset..."
"You can come complain to me."
"If you’re tired..."
"You can come home."
"I’ll always leave a light on for you."
His smile gradually faded.
"But when I’m gone..."
The room suddenly felt much colder.
"Who will you talk to then?"
"Who will listen when you’re unhappy?"
"Who will accompany you when loneliness finds you?"
"I don’t want you to face the rest of your life with nothing but walls around your heart."
His voice carried neither command nor pressure.
Only the heartfelt wish of a father.
"I asked Dear Julian to cure you because I want you to have a choice."
"I don’t care whether you eventually marry or remain single."
"I don’t care whether you fall in love or not."
"I only want those decisions to belong to you."
"Not to your illness."
Felberta bit her lower lip.
Her vision gradually blurred.
She had spent years convincing herself that avoiding everyone was simply her personality.
Now...
For the first time...
Someone had separated the illness from the real her.
Dario smiled gently when he saw her wavering.
"Do you know why I trust Dear Julian so much?"
Felberta looked at him.
Dario chuckled softly.
"He could have demanded anything after saving my life."
"Wealth."
"Power."
"The Ashbourne family’s support."
"Instead, he only asked me to recover properly."
"He never once tried to use my gratitude to pressure me."
"He may joke a lot."
"He may seem shameless."
He couldn’t help laughing as he remembered Julian’s carefree personality.
"But beneath all of that..."
"He’s a genuinely kind young man."
"He wanted to treat you because he believed no one should suffer from such an illness."
"There was no greed in his eyes."
"Only sincerity."
Felberta unconsciously remembered Julian’s words beneath the pavilion.
His shameless smile.
His ridiculous logic.
His outrageous confidence.
She almost smiled despite herself.
Almost.
Dario noticed the tiny change in her expression.
A trace of relief appeared in his eyes.
"Think about it carefully."
"I won’t force you."
"Neither will Dear Julian."
"But promise me one thing."
Felberta looked at him quietly.
"If you decide to refuse..."
"Make that decision after thinking with your own heart."
"Not because your illness tells you to."
The room fell silent once more.
The rain outside gradually became lighter.
After what felt like an eternity, Felberta finally spoke.
"...I’ll think about it when I get back."