Chapter 214: The Final Goodbye
Alaric’s heart felt unusually heavy as he left the police station after his confrontation with Griffon. The weight of the past few days—of all that had happened—seemed to press down on him, harder than he had expected. He pulled out his phone and, instinctively, checked the news.
The headlines were explosive.
“The FBI uncovers massive tax evasion scheme involving the Nash group.”
The back taxes and fines amounted to a staggering sum. Combined with Griffon’s criminal activities, the family’s property was seized, their assets frozen, and the house was set for a forced auction. The Nash family—once a powerhouse—had been brought to its knees. In a matter of days, they had lost everything.
Alaric let out a long, tired sigh. He had never imagined things would turn out this way.
He quickly dialed Silas’s number.
“Silas, calculate the Nash family’s current debt situation. Keep a close watch on Cormac’s hospital. Minimize any negative impact as much as possible,” Alaric instructed.
Silas’s voice came through, strained. “Mr. Knight, with such a high-profile scandal, how can Mr. Nash’s hospital remain unaffected? The authorities sealed it off earlier this morning. The Nash family’s downfall is drawing attention from everywhere—rival businesses, curious onlookers, and netizens eager to see them fail. They’re all waiting for the final collapse.”
Alaric nodded grimly. “I understand. Just get me the numbers as soon as you can.”
“I’ll handle it,” Silas replied before hanging up.
Moments later, Alaric’s phone rang again. It was Galatea.
He answered immediately. “Hello, Galatea.”
“Alaric, the reporters… they’re everywhere. They’re swarming the hospital, and Cormac is about to be discharged. I can’t handle this on my own,” Galatea’s voice trembled with frustration.
“I’m on my way,” Alaric responded, his voice calm despite the urgency of the situation. He quickly hung up, revving the engine of his car and driving towards the hospital.
As Alaric approached the hospital, it was clear that the entire world was watching the fall of the Nash family. The front entrance was clogged with reporters, their cameras flashing like a barrage of angry lightning.
The entire internet was abuzz with comments, most of them calling for the Nash family’s ruin.
“The Nash family got exactly what they deserved. Orion was a nobody, propped up only by her father’s money. I’m not sorry she’s gone.”
“The Nash family was full of villains. They deserved every bit of it.”
“Let’s hope they don’t manage to transfer any assets in secret. We can’t let them get away with it.”
Alaric didn’t have time to deal with the media frenzy. He called in his subordinates to manage the reporters and rushed to the inpatient department.
Inside the hospital, Galatea was visibly distressed. “Cormac, you really shouldn’t leave now. Your condition hasn’t improved enough.”
“I’m fine,” Cormac snapped coldly, brushing her off as he made a move to leave the room.
Just as he was about to exit, he came face to face with Alaric.
Alaric’s gaze softened as he saw Cormac’s weary face, but the distance between them was palpable. Cormac’s eyes, once warm and full of friendship, were now icy—distant.
“Galatea, would you please give us a moment?” Alaric said gently, his tone almost apologetic.
“Okay,” Galatea replied, her face clouded with concern as she stepped out of the room.
Once the door closed behind her, the air in the room grew thick with tension. It felt as though time had stopped between them. Alaric spoke first, trying to bridge the chasm between them. “Cormac, I know your health isn’t where it should be. Please, let me help. If you need anything, I can take care of it. Just wait a little longer before you discharge yourself.”
Cormac’s voice was cold and cutting. “I’m not fragile. I don’t need you doing things for me, Mr. Knight.”
The words stung Alaric more than he cared to admit. His voice trembled slightly as he replied, “Cormac, we’re friends. Helping each other is what friends do.”
“Friends?” Cormac let out a hollow laugh, the sound devoid of warmth. “Did you ever really consider me a friend, Alaric? Or was that just me deluding myself all these years?”
Alaric’s throat tightened as Cormac’s words hit harder than any punch. He had no response—what could he say to that?
Cormac continued, his voice trembling with emotion. “We grew up together, and I’m a year older than you. I always wanted to be your big brother. I followed you around, trying to be there for you. Even when people told me not to get close to you, I didn’t listen. I thought maybe it was because your parents argued so much, and it made you distant. But I believed in you, Alaric. I believed we were friends. I even thought you might need me.”
He paused, his eyes flickering with the memory of it all. “But I was wrong, wasn’t I? When you went to the military, I called. I checked on you. But every time, you pushed me away. You told me not to call, that you were too busy. So, I stopped calling. When you were in a coma, I worried constantly. I even consulted doctors at conferences, afraid you’d never wake up. And you know what? I still thought I understood you.”
The words hung in the air, heavy and painful. “But in the end, it was always my wishful thinking. We were never truly brothers, Alaric. We never were.”
Alaric’s heart shattered as he heard the raw pain in Cormac’s voice. He tried to speak, but Cormac cut him off with a bitter smile.
“If I was always just a background character in your world, why do you call me a friend now?” Cormac’s voice was steely. “Is it out of pity? Save your words. The Knight family and the Nash family are done. We’re not part of the same world anymore. Let’s leave it at that. From now on, we won’t see each other again.”
The silence that followed was deafening.
Alaric’s chest tightened painfully. “Cormac, please… I never wanted things to turn out this way. I never imagined this would be our end.”
Cormac’s gaze softened for a split second, but it was gone before Alaric could hold onto it. “It doesn’t matter,” Cormac replied with a finality that crushed Alaric’s heart. “You have nothing to apologize for. Griffon is the one who wronged the Knight family. If Orion’s accident had nothing to do with you, then you’ve got nothing to apologize for. This is just fate. Maybe we were never meant to walk the same path.”
Without another word, Cormac turned and walked out of the room, leaving Alaric standing there—feeling as though the ground had just slipped away beneath him.
“I hope this is the last time we meet,” Cormac called over his shoulder, his voice devoid of warmth. “Don’t come looking for me again. My life, my death—none of it concerns you anymore.”
Alaric stood there, staring at the empty doorway, his heart in a vice grip. Cormac’s words echoed in his mind, each one more cutting than the last. For over twenty years, they had been part of each other’s lives, yet now… Cormac was gone.
Without a word, Alaric exhaled slowly, his chest tight with a mixture of guilt, regret, and heartache.