Exposing the Charade of Deep Affection (PDF)
Chapter 39

Chapter 39 Sorry for Your Loss

Seeing me crying, Rudolf managed a smile and said in a husky voice, "Girl, don't cry. I'm going to die anyway. I'll be free. I just didn't see it coming so soon. I thought I could set you up for the future, but I can't."

I bit my lip, and my body was trembling with grief. I was too sad to speak. I just held his hand tightly, trying to keep him this way.

"Dad, please don't leave me. I have so many things to tell you. Five years ago, I didn't defy you nor did I..."

Rudolf looked at me gently and smiled, "My silly girl. It's the past. These years, I've been very strict with you. I'm sorry. Look, the Conner Group is yours now. There will be huge chaos right after I die. But I have got you a new CEO, and Eileen will tell you everything. You need to take care of her. Think twice before you do anything, alright?"

I nodded, fighting back my emotions. Looking at Rudolf, I answered, "Dad, don't worry. I'll take good care of her. I promise."

Rudolf nodded and said with a sigh, "I can't see your baby come into this world. Tabatha, if Walter is not the one for you, you just move on. Now that he's made his choice, you're free to make your own, but you will have to face everything alone. I'm sorry that I can't be there for you anymore."

"Dad..." I sobbed, and I fell apart.

Rudolf's breathing was getting weaker, and suddenly the ventilator began to beep. The doctor pulled me away, trying to save him again.

Rudolf was tough and asked to see Eileen with his breath. I stumbled out of the emergency room to call her, but by the time we came to him,

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he was dead.

"Rudolf!" Eileen shouted at the top of her lungs. I froze there and let tears blur my vision. All I could hear was Eileen's cry.

The doctors seemed to be used to death and grieved families. Someone gave me a tissue and said, "Sorry for your loss. Go back and prepare his funeral, so he can rest in peace.

I nodded numbly and watched as the instruments and tubes were removed from his body one by one. Then they put clothes on Rudolf and wheeled him out of the emergency room.

Eileen stumbled behind the body. I wanted to follow, but my feet were like lead. I couldn't move one bit.

I felt a hand holding mine. It was Walter's hand. He pulled me out of the emergency room and took me to the morgue.

Eileen was bending over Rudolf's body, still crying. She was trying to bring him back to life with her cry. Next to her was Ashley on her knees. Ashley was crying too.

Grief left me unable to think and act for a long time. I came to my senses until the undertaker came to me. They told me that they were going to move Rudolf's body to the funeral home. I nodded silently. Rudolf's sudden death left me clueless about what to do.

People just couldn't prepare for everything in their lives.

The moment Rudolf's body reached the funeral home, something went wrong in the Conner Group. Rudolf's phone rang. It was Cory Henson, Rudolf's secretary.

I answered the call. Cory said anxiously, "Mr. Conner, something is

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1. There is a serious financial problem with Bright Media. The major shareholders of its investors are in our company. They're pushing for an explanation."

Holding his phone, I said in a husky voice, "Cory, it's me. My dad... He's gone."

"Gone?" Cory took a minute to get it. Then he said in a shaky voice, "Tabatha, you mean Mr. Conner is dead?"

"Yes, the undertaker just moved his body to the funeral home," I said with a sob.

There was a moment of silence. Cory let out a heavy sigh and said, "Tabatha, sorry for your loss. But we are desperate to appease those shareholders. Things will get much worse, if they can't get an answer. Without your dad, the Conner Group can't withstand a blow like this. Understand?"

I got it and took a deep breath. "Yes, Cory. You stall them, and I'll be there in a minute."

After hanging up, I took another deep breath. Looking at Eileen sitting- in a daze on the ground, I felt worse. We needed more time to accept Rudolf's death.

I walked up to her, crouched down, and took her hand. "Mom, something's up in the company. I'm taking you home. When I'm done in the company, we'll see him at the funeral home, OK?"

Eileen looked ahead blankly for a few seconds. Suddenly, she heard me and then asked in her hoarse voice, "What happened?"

I said honestly, "I don't know. I'll go to the company after I take you home."

Eileen nodded and held my hand. "I'm fine. Just go to the company. I

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can go home myself."

I was worried about her and wanted to say no. But she pushed me and said, "Go. That's the priority. I'm fine."

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