When Her "Death" Couldn't Break Him

Chapter 1768 I Will Not Tell Anyone

"Ah, I forgot to mention," George said slowly, his voice tinged with sorrow. "Today is the anniversary of Zach's parents' passing."

Vivian's eyes widened in disbelief. Everything suddenly made sense the way Zachary had locked himself in his room, his exhaustion, his silence.

"No wonder he was like this last year too," she murmured, recalling how she had barely paid attention to him at the time. She didn't care much about him back then to ask.

George let out a weary sigh. "Back then, Zach was just a child. Witnessing his parents' deaths left scars that never truly healed."

A brief silence settled between them before George spoke again. "Vivian, if it's possible... could you help him?"

Vivian blinked. "Help him? How? This isn't something I can fix."

"I believe he has feelings for you," George said, watching her closely. "You don't have to say anything profound. Just be there for him. He can't just stay in his room all day. Despite how carefree and outspoken he seems, Zach has always been fragile deep down. More than anything, he needs companionship."

After listening to everything George had to say, Vivian couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for Zachary.

She had lost her mother to illness, but even in her absence, her father had always been there for her, showering her with love and care. She had never truly known the kind of loneliness Zachary must have felt growing up.

"All right, I'll give it a try," Vivian agreed.

Hearing this, George finally let out a breath of relief.

He made his way to Jonathan's room, giving the door a gentle knock. "Jon."

"Great-grandpa, please come in," came the boy's response.noveldrama

George eagerly stepped inside. His gaze fell on Jonathan, and his eyes brimmed with tender affection. "Jon, guess what I brought for you today?"

George placed his hands behind his back, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Jonathan, already familiar with George's habits, didn't even need to guess. "Where did you buy food from this time?"

"Ah, it's not food this time," George said playfully.

Jonathan tilted his head. "Is it chess?"

George shook his head. "Of course not. Can't you think of something more suitable for your age?"

Jonathan frowned in thought but still couldn't figure it out.

George finally revealed what he had been hiding—a checkers piece.

"Let's play checkers," he announced proudly.

Jonathan stared at him, momentarily speechless.

"You spend all your time glued to the computer It's not good for your eyes. Why not take a break and play with me? Checkers was my favorite game when I was your age," said George.

Jonathan sighed helplessly, but he couldn't bring himself to refuse this overgrown child of an old man, so he agreed.

The two of them settled on the outdoor lawn, each armed with their own set of checkers, vying for dominance over the board.

At first, everything was going smoothly. However, all of a sudden, George's face turned pale. A sharp pain gripped his chest, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead.

"Great-grandpa!" Jonathan's heart pounded in panic as he rushed to George's side. "What's wrong?"

He raised his wrist to call an ambulance using his smartwatch.

But before he could make the call, George grasped his arm, stopping him. "Don't call an ambulance. It's just a minor heart palpitation, nothing serious."

This time, George wasn't pretending.

Instead of seeking medical help, he slowly eased himself onto a nearby bench to rest. It took a long while before he finally recovered.

Jonathan watched him closely, his young face etched with worry. "Great-grandpa, how did your check-up go today?" Jonathan asked earnestly.

Even though George wasn't related to Jonathan by blood, he had always treated Jonathan with more love and care than his actual great-grandfather ever had. Seeing the deep concern in Jonathan's eyes, George smiled.

"Don't worry," he reassured him. "The doctor said it's just old age catching

up with me. When you get older?

all

sorts of ailments start creeping in. It's nothing serious."

But Jonathan wasn't convinced. His fingers clenched slightly, his eyes tinged with

red. "Just tell me the truth. I promise I won't tell anyone."