Chapter 373: They Are Dead

The next day, at break of dawn, the hospital basked in the morning sun's tranquility. A woman carrying a thermos flask slowly walked through the hospital entrance, her light, brisk steps suggesting a good mood. After entering the lobby, she proceeded with practiced ease to the inpatient department and found her husband's ward. She pushed open the door, unaware of her husband's condition.

As she placed the insulated lunch box on the table and opened it, she spoke, “Look how well I take care of you every day, Sean. You need to get better soon. Our family depends entirely on you.” Holding a bowl of warm oatmeal, she turned to look at the man in bed.

Suddenly, the sound of shattering glass echoed through the room. “Oh my goodness! Who could be so heartless?” she yelled, rushing to her husband's side. It was a shock; she watched the oxygen mask slip off, realizing he was cold and still. The patient monitor showed no signs of life.

After a brief moment of shock, tears streamed down her cheeks. She cried out in agony, “Oh, Sean! How… How could you leave us like this? What am I supposed to do now? What about our kids and parents?” Her wails grew louder, her anguish intensifying with each passing second.

“Even if life is tough, you shouldn’t just give up and leave your family behind. If you truly had to go, couldn’t you have taken me along? How could you leave without saying a word? Oh, my dear Sean… Why is my life so unfortunate? Do you know how much I’ve been through since marrying you? All I’ve wanted was a quiet and peaceful life, yet the heavens refuse to grant me that wish. I can’t believe you’re gone from me so ruthlessly…”

Overwhelmed by sorrow, the tearful woman collapsed onto the cold ground. Her eyes were swollen, her spirits plummeted, teetering on the edge of despair. Before long, the doctor and nurses arrived and moved the man’s body to the morgue.

Two hours later, at Lockhart Villa, Madelyn slept in, enjoying the weekend. Suddenly, a phone call jolted her from her slumber. Rudely awakened by the ringing, she reluctantly opened her eyes, fumbled for the phone, and put it to her ear.

As soon as the call connected, she heard a panicked voice: “Something terrible has happened. Ms. Thornton! We’re in big trouble!” Recognizing Cyrus’s voice, Madelyn snapped awake. “What happened?”

“We just received word from the hospital. The employee who was accidentally injured passed away unexpectedly last night,” a frantic Cyrus replied impatiently. “The media has gotten wind of it, and it’s a mess online. Our company’s reputation is suffering, Ms. Thornton.”

Shocked, Madelyn jumped out of bed and hurried to her wardrobe. “Don’t worry. I’ll be at the office now!” After ending the call, she hastily changed and headed straight for Thornton Corporation.

Meanwhile, countless media outlets had gathered at the company building, completely blocking the entrance. Almost all the security guards were mobilized, but still struggled to control the situation. Needless to say, Madelyn felt a sinking feeling seeing the media frenzy. The matter had indeed escalated.

Left with no choice, she stepped out of the car, braced herself, and forced her way through the crowd. Upon seeing her, the media went into a frenzy. The relentless clicking of camera shutters filled the air as reporters surged forward, desperately trying to enter the building.

After a considerable struggle to shake off the media, Madelyn breathed a sigh of relief and headed upstairs. Cyrus, waiting at the foot of the stairs, quickly approached her. “Mr. Thornton and the shareholders are in a meeting in the conference room, Ms. Thornton.”

“Got it,” Madelyn replied calmly, heading immediately to the conference room. The moment she opened the door, all eyes turned to her. Some looked at her with disdain; others glared. Thornton Corporation’s shareholders had significant reservations about Madelyn after the incident. She knew this, so she paid them little attention.

“Dad, I’ve already heard about the situation. What exactly is going on?” she asked, striding to her father’s side.

With a grim expression and heavy tone, Derek explained, “Last night, the oxygen mask keeping the patient alive mysteriously fell off, leading to his death. This incident has negatively impacted our company.” His voice betrayed his turmoil.

Madelyn furrowed her brows. “Wait a minute… how could the oxygen mask have fallen off for no reason? The oxygen masks in the hospital are always meticulously secured. How could it have just slipped off? Could someone have tampered with it?”

Before Madelyn could contemplate further, Cyrus rushed into the room, stumbling as he entered. “Bad news, Mr. Thornton! The patient’s family has arrived. They’re causing quite a scene downstairs. The media is interviewing them, and they’re spouting nonsense. If those statements spread, the negative impact on our company will be significant. You should go down and take a look,” Cyrus reminded respectfully, his voice tinged with anxiety.

Everyone in the conference room looked helplessly at Derek. “Mr. Thornton, what are we going to do? What started as a minor accident has now escalated…”

“That’s right. Mr. Thornton. If we don’t explain to the public, they might not dare to use our company’s products again.”

“Indeed! We can’t let that woman downstairs spout nonsense!”

The shareholders fixed their gazes on Derek, hoping he would speak. As the leader of Thornton Corporation, Derek knew he couldn't shirk his responsibilities. Therefore, he stood up and said, “Maddie, come with me.”

Madelyn followed, and the two hurried to the company’s entrance. At the same time, an elderly couple cried openly at the entrance. A young woman, accompanied by two children, knelt on the ground, wailing in sorrow. Even as she wept, she cursed incessantly. “Damn you, Thornton Corporation! Return my husband to me!”

“You unscrupulous merchants! Give us back our son’s life!”