Chapter 621

“No, Jonathan, I still can’t accept it.” Sanford looked Jonathan in the eye and pushed the fund transfer agreement back.

“Don’t worry. As for your mother poisoning mine back then, I’ll respect my mother’s wishes. If she chooses to remember, either.”

Jonathan raised an eyebrow and shot back at Sanford, “You think I’m giving you money to silence your…”

“Isn’t that right?” Sanford’s lips quirked up in a faint smirk. “But I get it. You just don’t want to owe us anything.”

Jonathan stared at Sanford in silence.

“Honestly, I think your mom is truly blessed,” Sanford said with genuine emotion. “She has a devoted husband and a dutiful son like you.”

“You’re also a dutiful and responsible son,” Jonathan said sincerely.

Sanford’s eyes welled up again.

The next second, Jonathan said with a half-joking smile, “Good thing I didn’t have you locked up back then. Otherwise, that would’ve been on me.”

Jonathan poured a cup of coffee and handed it to Sanford. “It’s my fault. If I’d been more vigilant and noticed Werner’s suspicious behavior earlier, maybe we could’ve uncovered the truth you were looking for sooner."

“Or I should’ve pressured my mom to tell me what really happened back then, and then you wouldn’t have had to agonize over this for so long.”

Sanford remained silent. The next moment, he suddenly shot to his feet. “No, I’m the one who should be apologizing!” Without warning, he bowed deeply before Jonathan.

“All this misfortune started with my mother. It’s my fault for not uncovering the truth sooner, for wrongly assuming Yorick was my father, and for believing he was the kind of man who’d abandon his wife and child.

“This time, I wholeheartedly apologize to you. I’m so sorry. I was wrong. You’ve completely won me over,” he added.

“Enough,” Jonathan commanded in a low voice, stepping forward to make Sanford straighten up.

But Sanford refused to straighten.

Seeing Sanford’s posture–his torso bent at a perfect 90-degree angle in deep contrition–Jonathan was caught between laughter and exasperation. “Then should I bow to you too? It’s true that my mom really did have homicidal intentions.”

Sanford pursed his lips, then finally stood upright. There was no way he could let Jonathan lower his head before him. “If my mom hadn’t tried to come between your parents, your mom wouldn’t have harbored murderous intent.”

“Enough.” Jonathan raised a hand and gave Sanford’s shoulder a firm pat.

Jonathan said earnestly, “Let’s keep things separate. Take this 3 million as compensation for all the suffering you’ve endured. Even if you’re not my biological brother, you’re completely innocent in this whole mess.”

Sanford gave Jonathan a faint smile. “You’re innocent too, Jonathan.”

Jonathan narrowed his eyes. His mind raced.

Sanford added, “Jonathan, I really appreciate your kindness, but I truly can’t accept this money. Please don’t make this harder for me, okay?”

Jonathan’s gaze grew inscrutable. He and Sanford were now good buddies. He sat back down in his chair. “Don’t worry. 10 million dollars is nothing to me, just a few cars’ worth.”

“Yeah, you’re loaded, and you’re the man, but your money didn’t just fall from the sky. I know you built all this from scratch without any backing. That couldn’t have been easy.”

Jonathan took a sip of his coffee, his thin lips curving into a subtle smile. “Actually, I’m just doing what my father should have done.”

Sanford froze for a moment, his gaze locking onto Jonathan.

“If my father were still alive,” Jonathan said, “he would never have approved of my mother accepting payment from yours. So please, don’t let it weigh on you. This money rightfully belongs to you.”

Sanford’s eyes reddened again. Ultimately, Sanford and Jonathan reached an agreement. Sanford accepted the money.

It felt as though the 3 million had finally found its way back to the Thomas family after all these years. And with this payment, Yorick no longer owed Liora anything.

Sanford signed his name on the revised 3-million-dollar gift agreement. He reached out his hand to Jonathan, his voice sincere and a little choked. “Thank you.”

Jonathan reached out and clasped Sanford’s hand in a firm shake. At that moment, all past grievances between them melted away.

Sanford gazed at Jonathan, whose calm, steady eyes and composed demeanor stood out. Suddenly, the image of a small figure bearing a striking resemblance to Jonathan flashed through his mind. “Jonathan, actually–“

But before he could finish, his phone rang. “Hello? This is Sanford. What?” Sanford’s face instantly drained of color, and without another word, he bolted out the door.

At the hospital, Sanford arrived together with Jonathan in Jonathan’s car. He sprinted toward the ICU ward.

Irene stepped out of Liora’s hospital room and immediately spotted Sanford, with Jonathan following close behind.

She hastily explained, “Liora asked to meet me again today. I didn’t know what she wanted to say. Before she even had the chance, she suddenly coughed up blood. I rushed her to the hospital immediately.”

Afraid that Sanford wouldn’t believe her and even more terrified that Jonathan wouldn’t, Irene pleaded, “I’m telling the truth. Her coughing up blood had nothing to do with me. If it were me, I wouldn’t rush her to the hospital.”

Jonathan raised a hand. Irene immediately fell silent.

Beside the hospital bed, Sanford clutched Liora’s hand tightly. “Mom!” he cried out, his voice trembling with desperation.

He’d known since returning to Nareigh that his mother, Liora, didn’t have much time left. He never thought this day would come so soon.

Liora gently stroked Sanford’s face. “My dear boy, don’t cry. You see how much I’ve suffered all these years. With my failing heart, every time the pain flares up, I have to take medication. Perhaps God is granting me release now.”

With that, her gaze drifted past Sanford and settled on Irene.

“Irene, I want to tell you that Yorick never did anything to wrong you. I know I did a lot of things that caused misunderstandings between you two. That was all my fault. Yorick… he truly loved you, with all his heart.”

Irene’s eyes instantly welled up, her eyelids trembling as she spun around and clenched her fists. “I need to use the restroom.”

After Irene left, Sanford collapsed to his knees by the bed, clutching Liora’s ice-cold hand as he sobbed uncontrollably.

Liora gently stroked Sanford’s hair, her gaze then shifting to Jonathan. “Jonathan, I’m sorry for all the misunderstandings and pain. Neither you nor Sanford is at fault. Please, don’t hold Sanford’s past immature actions against him, okay?”

Jonathan was silent for a beat. And then he nodded.

“Thank you, Jonathan.” Liora finally turned her gaze back to Sanford.