She's My Sleeping Pill

"My condolences, sir." Elena expressed this when she got inside Stefan's office again and handed some documents to him. "Should I cancel your remaining appointments?"

Stefan didn't comment and continued to stare into space as if he could see through the tiled floor. Understanding the situation, Elena didn't say anything anymore and just left him alone. Surprisingly, with the news spreading fast, those people who got appointments with him didn't disturb him either. They must have understood what Stefan was feeling right now with the loss of his father.

Meanwhile, Cayenne received the information from Luiz which he also heard from David and some other managers. It was quite shocking to many people since no one really showed any hostility towards the Dumrique family for some time now.

"Is this true?" Cayenne asked her brother with trembling hands holding her phone.

"Hn. David told me that this had been verified and my brother-in-law knew about it not long ago. He must be having a hard time taking this news right now."

"I'll give him a call. Thank you for letting me know."

"Will you be fine on your own there?"

"I'm not alone. I have the kids with me and the helpers."

"Alright. Call me if you need something."

As soon as the call ended, Cayenne called Stefan. His phone rang several times before he picked it up. It was something he never did in the past which told Cayenne how down her husband must be feeling right now.

"Hon?" she mumbled as soon as he picked up his phone, but Stefan's response was just a low hum. It broke her heart hearing this lifeless reply coming from him. She wanted to hug him, but they were far apart. "Hon, the kids and I will be waiting for you to come home."

After a long moment of silence, Stefan finally spoke, and his words almost made Cayenne cry for him. "Am I a heartless son?" he asked followed by a deep breath. "I couldn't find it in my heart to cry for him. No matter how much I think about it, I don't feel the same pain that I felt when you left. I panicked when I heard the news and I even wanted to check on my grandpa.

However, I wasn't panicking out of love and care for them. I panicked because if something happens to them and you find out, you would be worried, and I don't want you to worry. Am I heartless for feeling this way?"

"Hubby, you are not heartless – never were and never will be. You have the most amazing heart, kind and warm. For now, just keep yourself calm and come home once the rain stops. We'll talk about this when you get home. We'll do our best to send your father off peacefully. We're in this together."

Around 6:00 PM, the investigation was finally closed, and the result was published immediately since the person involved was one of the wealthy business magnates in the city. His death could affect the economy of the city if not handled properly.

Stefan's first thought when his father's death was confirmed was a homicide. He didn't want to admit it, but that was the only reason he could think of his father's death. Thus, when the result came out, he felt a little relieved. He didn't have to hate anyone for his death. He didn't have to seek revenge for his death. He didn't have to blame anyone for his death.

That day, Magnus left Dumrique's family villa to visit his son's home. That was the information he told the butler but didn't want anyone to come with him.

Instead of taking the usual route to get to Stefan's home, he decided to take another route because he wanted to buy the best-looking sunflowers which were Latticia's favorite, and the fruit cake that she loved to eat during their high school days. He wanted to get her something that would remind her of their days together.

He wasn't hoping to get back together with her, but at least, he wanted her to remember him.

He was on his way to Stefan's home already when the accident happened, not anything influenced by a human's manipulation but nature itself.

Based on the recorded events by his dashboard camera, lightning struck somewhere, and a huge tree fell on the road. To avoid getting smashed by it, he immediately stepped on his brake, yet the slippery road made him swerve his car and it rotated several times before it bumped into the huge fallen tree.

The driver's side of the car was crushed, and the roof was almost flattened. The result of the autopsy showed that Magnus died first due to a sudden nervous breakdown when the lightning struck, and the tree fell. He didn't die because of the crash.

His position inside the car showed that he was lifeless already when the car swerved and rotated several times. Upon learning the truth, Stefan thanked God. It sounded weird for him to thank God for his father's death, but Stefan's reason for thanking Him was the process of his father's death.

He was thankful that Magnus didn't have to feel any pain before he died.

The police officers also retrieved the bouquet of sunflowers and the fruit cake which was smashed already when it fell on the car floor and Magnus stepped on it. Still, they felt it was something important and his family ought to know the truth of his agenda that day.

Stefan felt so lost. He was the only person who knew what were those flowers and cake for. He wasn't sure if what he said to his father was right or wrong. He even thought that he was the one who pushed him to his death.

[If I told him not to bother with mom anymore, would he choose to stay out of her life and continue to live now? He wouldn't have looked for those flowers and cake, and died in this accident, right?]