Chapter 469 The Last Breath of a Patriarch
The expressions on the faces of Johnathan’s relatives turned increasingly sour. They had wanted to speak with Wayne, but Johnathan blocked them.
“Johnathan, you’ve gone too far!”
“He’s our father. We have every right to see him. Who are you to stop us?”
Johnathan’s aunt snapped at him, voice shrill.
Johnathan glanced at her lazily. “If I were you, I’d be worrying about how to fill that several–billion–dollar hole you’ve dug for yourself instead of wasting time running your mouth.”
Her face changed dramatically.
She’d kept that matter well hidden–not even her two brothers knew about it. How did Johnathan find out?
Everyone else turned to look at her.
“Several billion? What’s going on, little sister?”
She forced herself to remain calm, scoffing, “Don’t listen to his nonsense.”
Johnathan gave a half–smile.
“True, it’s nothing much. Just a biotech project that blew up.”
“You funneled billions into it–all through company funds.”
“Don’t blame me for being harsh. I’ll give you one month.”
He had looked into this long ago. Back then, he hadn’t cared enough to intervene in Wynn family business. He let it slide.
But now that he’d taken the reins, he was going to handle it properly.
His aunt’s face was grim. The others didn’t look any better.
She had used company money. That meant less dividend for everyone else this year.
And who wanted their income reduced?
The group that had once been united immediately turned on one another. Her brothers grabbed her, demanding answers.
Johnathan watched it all coldly. It was just a farce to him.
At that moment, Sierra suddenly came out of the room, visibly flustered.
“Professor Yaager–come quickly. Grandpa.”
Johnathan instantly understood and rushed back inside.
III
O
173
Chapter 469 The Last Breath of a Patriarcha
The others snapped out of it and followed.
Wayne’s breaths were now faint and shallow, the end clearly near. When Johnathan entered the room, Wayne somehow found the strength to reach for him.
Johnathan rushed forward and took his hand.
Wayne’s eyes filled with a mix of relief and guilt–and then he drew his last breath.
“Dad! Dad!”
The room exploded into chaos. Real or not, everyone burst into tears.
Even Sierra felt a pang in her heart.
At first, she hadn’t liked Wayne at all. She’d thought he was cold and power–hungry.
But after Johnathan’s accident, she’d seen the cracks in the old man’s armor.
He had loved Johnathan. But the burdens he carried were too heavy. He couldn’t show affection the way a grandfather should. He had too much to protect.
Now, seeing that once sharp and commanding figure lie motionless, she felt a deep sadness.
She looked instinctively toward Johnathan. His eyes were bloodshot, his lips tightly pressed.
After a moment, he slowly reached out and closed Wayne’s eyes. Then he shut his own for a second and said softly.
“Grandpa’s gone. Let’s start preparing the funeral.”
Wayne’s passing wasn’t a small matter. Even top government officials called to express condolences.
Johnathan, representing the Wynn family, informed them of Wayne’s death and issued a formal obituary. The news spread fast–every major outlet reported on it.
The funeral was scheduled for seven days later. Wayne would be buried in the Wynn family cemetery, beside his wife, per his final request.
In the days that followed, Johnathan barely had time to breathe. Even Sierra was swept up in the preparations.
She tried to ease his burden where she could. The weight on his shoulders was enormous.
Wayne had just handed the family over before passing. Many opportunists tried to take advantage of the power vacuum, but Johnathan crushed them all.
Each day, people came to call, offer condolences, or ask questions. And every one of them had to be dealt with personally by Johnathan.
What Sierra could do was intercept the most obnoxious ones, shielding him from the worst of it.
Johnathan looked exhausted–but determined.
O
2/3
14:51 PM, 11 JOI G
Chapter 469 The Last Breath of a Patriarch
+5 Fred Colne
Wayne had entrusted the Wynn family to him, and now, he had to carry that name forward–without weakness, without hesitation.
There was no room for sentiment anymore.
