Kevin stole a glance at Charles, who lay motionless on the floor. The pool of blood was significant, and there was no sign of movement. Was he... already gone? The lawyer, who had initially intended to call for help, hesitated for several long seconds. Then, slowly, he lowered his phone. Straightening his posture, he asked in a subdued voice, "Mrs. Madilyn Myers... what would you have me do?" A smug, triumphant smile curved Madilyn's lips as she looked down at the compliant man. ***** Arthur arrived at the Myers estate half an hour after the incident. The house was eerily quiet. Only a housekeeper was in the living room, quietly cleaning the floor. "What are you saying? Grandfather... slipped and fell down the stairs?" Arthur was utterly stunned by the news. Charles had taken a serious fall, sustained critical injuries, and had been rushed to the hospital in an ambulance. His condition was unstable, hanging by a thread. All the family members had already gathered at the hospital. Without pausing to rest, Arthur immediately turned and headed for the hospital. "Grandpa!" When Arthur reached the hospital, the elders of the Myers family were clustered in the hallway outside the operating room. Madilyn sat on a chair, her face buried in her hands, sobbing uncontrollably. "Arthur, you're finally here," Madilyn said upon seeing him. She stood up and threw herself into his arms. Arthur held his mother, feeling her body shake with each sob. He looked over her shoulder at the worried faces of the family elders and several top executives from Myers Group. Everyone wore the same grave expression. His gaze was drawn helplessly to the closed, forbidding doors of the operating suite. A shudder ran through him. Charles was already so frail. A fall from that height, a blow to the head... He didn't dare to dwell on the possible outcome. "Mom, Grandpa will be alright, won't he?" Arthur's voice trembled. Hearing this, Madilyn looked up, her face streaked with tears. "Charles is strong. He'll pull through, he has to. But... he lost so much blood! Arthur, I'm terrified..."She buried her face against his chest again, her cries raw and unrestrained. To anyone watching, it was the picture of a distraught family member, overcome by grief. Arthur gestured to Donald, his assistant, who stepped forward gently. Donald helped guide the weeping Madilyn to a nearby chair and thoughtfully handed her a glass of water. Arthur took a deep, steadying breath, forcing himself to remain calm as he waited for news. After another tense ten minutes, the light above the operating room doors switched off. The doors swung open, and the lead surgeon emerged. "Doctor, how is Charles? What's his condition?" "Doctor?" "How is he?" The family elders immediately surrounded the surgeon, firing questions. Arthur walked forward slowly, and the crowd parted to let him through. "Doctor, how is my grandfather?" Arthur asked, his voice rough. The surgeon slowly removed his mask, his eyes scanning the anxious faces before him. He gave a slight, sorrowful shake of his head. "Mr. Myers' constitution was already weak. The trauma from the fall was too severe. We did everything we could. The surgery is complete, but he has sustained catastrophic brain injury. He is in a deep coma and is being sustained by life support. How long he can hold on... no one can say. It could be a matter of days." A heavy silence descended upon the hallway. No one spoke. Arthur stood frozen, his head bowed. He wanted to ask if there was any other way, any hope, but the words caught in his throat, leaving a taste like rust in his mouth. "I'm very sorry," the doctor said with a respectful nod before walking away. No one tried to stop him. They all understood. Charles' body had reached its limit. Medical science could do no more. "If Charles truly... doesn't recover..." one of the family elders began, then trailed off. He looked around at the others, his gaze finally settling on the two lawyers standing to the side. "Mr. Miller, I heard before I arrived that Charles was in the process of finalizing his will. Has it been completed? What are the specific terms?""Yes, what does the will say?" "Since the will exists, and given the circumstances... perhaps it is time for it to be read." The other elders voiced their agreement, their eyes inevitably drifting toward Arthur. "It's time for Arthur to step up," an elder who favored Arthur said, reaching out to pat his shoulder sympathetically. Hearing this, Madilyn pushed herself up from the chair. Donald moved to assist her, but she brushed his hand away. "How can you speak of reading the will now?" she cried out, her voice breaking with apparent anguish. "Charles will recover! He's a fighter. He'll be alright... He has to be..."