Chapter 871

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 871

“Of course,” Vivian and Finnick agreed in unison.

Just like that, all of them had dinner before returning home.

When they were leaving, Vivian and Finnick were reluctant to leave Larry and he felt the same way too.

However, they had no choice but to do so as it was more dangerous for him to stay with them.

Furthermore, it would be harder on him as there was no one to look after him.

Nevertheless, it wasn’t their fault at all. Evelyn was the source of all their troubles.

“Don’t worry, we will come and take you home soon enough.” Vivian tousled Larry’s hair as she tried her best to hold back her tears.

Once the tears flowed, all their plans would be for naught.

“Alright Larry, you have to be brave because you’re a boy. Take good care of Grandpa. Mommy and I are leaving now.” Finnick stepped in just when Vivian couldn’t endure it any longer.

Although Larry was upset, he knew that a boy had to be strong, just as Finnick had said.

“Alright. I’ll be good and wait for both of you.” Compared to Vivian losing her composure, Larry was a lot calmer.

He was aware that it must have been agonizing for Vivian to leave him. Hence, he had to put up a brave front so as to not make things any worse for her.

However, the reality was the exact opposite of what Larry thought. It was precisely because he was mature for his age that made Vivian feel sorry for him.

“Goodbye, Daddy, Mommy.” Larry closed the door right after he bid them farewell. Leaving Vivian and Finnick standing outside.

Vivian squatted down at the door and took a while to recover her composure. After that, she held Finnick’s hand and headed home together.

When they arrived home after a long day, they were greeted by an empty house. After laying down on the bed for a while, both of them quickly fell asleep.

In her dreams, Vivian saw Larry smiling happily at her and calling her Mommy.

After that, his expression changed drastically, and started bawling. He began accusing Vivian of resenting him and not loving him.

Finally, Vivian was jolted awake by the nightmare.

When she woke up, she realized that Finnick was no longer beside her.

Checking her phone, she saw that it was only seven-thirty in the morning. She quickly washed up and headed downstairs. There, she saw Finnick busying in the kitchen.

It seems he had woken up early simply because he wanted to make breakfast for me.

Holding that thought, Vivian walked to Finnick’s side and watched him cook.

Half a year ago, he almost burned down the house while cooking. But now, it seemed that his skills had improved a lot.

He must have been practicing in secret all this while.

Thinking to herself, Vivian took a seat by the dining table and waited for Finnick to serve.

“Good morning, Honey.” Holding a plate of fried eggs, Finnick gave Vivian a gentle look.

“Good morning, Hubby,” Vivian replied with a smile.

“Today, I hope we can pull ourselves together as the company’s fate will be decided here.”

Since Finnick’s return yesterday, he had gotten his employees to come back to work.

When he saw that everyone was present, he gave all of them words of encouragement.

As he had thought of a plan last night, his mood was exceptionally good in the morning.

However, it was a dangerous plan and was an all-or-nothing gamble. Nevertheless, he wouldn’t know if he never tried.

With that thought in mind, he led Vivian into the office.

The employees wondered if the lady behind Finnick Mrs. Norton was. However, they soon focused on their work after Finnick pressured them to do so.

As time flew by, it was already evening and time to check whether his plan worked.

However, before he turned on his computer, Finnick received a parcel of documents.

Opening it up to read, he realized it was a takeover agreement by the Neville Group.

Feeling upset, he realized a problem after going through it a few times.

Most of Finnor Group’s shareholders had sold their shares to the Neville Group.

If the president of Neville Group managed to increase his stake further, Finnick would no longer be in charge of Finnor Group. Instead, the president of Neville Group, Chase Neville, being the largest shareholder, would also end up being the Chairperson for Finnor Group.

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 872

Staring at the news, Finnick felt a blow to his heart.

He tried to calm down by telling himself that he still had a backup plan. If this plan works, then there is no need to be worried about Neville Group.

With a mixed feeling of excitement and anxiousness, Finnick turned on his other computer. But a few seconds after he glanced at the screen, he suddenly dropped the documents in his hand.

Vivian, who was sitting on the sofa, was stunned by Finnick’s reaction. Right away, she knew that his plan did not work out.

“It’s okay. We will come up with another solution,” Vivian comforted Finnick and tried to calm herself down at the same time.

“What the h*ll would you know? Do you know how much work I have poured out for this?” Unable to control his rage, Finnick yelled at Vivian, but he regretted it the very next second.

That was because he had never yelled at Vivian before.

Thus, Vivian froze in shock for a few moment, and so did Finnick.

Vivian’s heart twitched in pain as she could not believe that the man she loved would treat her in such a manner.

“Vivian, I am really sorry… I was just too upset about it…” Finnick held Vivian’s hand gently, hoping that she would forgive him.

Finnick had almost lost everything, and he could not bear to lose Vivian too. Right at that moment, he realized how precious Vivian was to him, making him feel even more guilty about his earlier attitude.

“It’s fine…” Vivian understood that Finnick was just too emotional. Hence, she did not blame him at all, as she would have lost control too at times like these. She only hoped that she could be there for him through these periods of trial.

“Vivian, Neville Group is going to acquire Finnor Group. What should I do?” It took tremendous courage for Finnick to admit it.

Realizing that he could not do anything to stop this, he felt as though a thousand needles were stabbing through his heart.

Finnick had dedicated his entire life to Finnor Group. In fact, he had never imagined a life without it.

Without this career, it would be hard for him to sustain his family, let alone giving Vivian the life that she wanted.

“Finnick, it’s fine. Don’t worry.” Patting gently on Finnick’s shoulder, Vivian continued to comfort him. “If Neville Group is to acquire Finnor Group, surely we’ll get paid in return as well. We can start another company with that money. I am sure with your talent, you can build a better one in no time.”

The response that she had anticipated from Finnick never came. What she heard was, unexpectedly, Finnick’s light and steady breathing.

She looked down at the man, only to discover that he had fallen asleep.

Over the past two days, he had been hustling nonstop in order to save his company.

Seeing that he was finally able to get some sleep after such an exhausting workload, Vivian was relieved.

Afraid to wake him up, Vivian tried to be as quiet as she could. And carefully, she reached for Finnick’s phone and made a call.

“Hello, Mr. Norton wanted me to let all of you know that you can clock out for today.”

Vivian did not forget about all the employees who were still working at that late hour.

She thought that everyone had their own families to go back to. And since it had long past their working hours, they should be allowed to leave the office.

“Alright. Thank you.” The assistant on the phone responded professionally.

Initially, the assistant intended to ask about the outcome, but she hesitated as she was unsure who was on the phone.

Eventually, she figured it was better to ask Finnick in person when he arrived at the office the next morning.

All the employees were pleased after receiving that particular notification. Soon after that, they started to chit-chat in excitement.

But after they realized Finnick was still in the office, they instinctively controlled their excitement and kept their volume down.

Due to the recent crisis, the atmosphere at the company had gradually become tensed. Some employees hardly even opened their mouths at all during office hours as they kept their heads down.

They were trying their best not to offend Finnick, especially in this critical period, in case he got mad and had them fired.

It was most likely that the company would not be able to survive. But if it did, those groups of people would definitely be blacklisted. Because all they ever cared about were their own benefits when the company needed them the most.

Seeing that almost all the employees had left the building, Vivian switched into a more comfortable position on her chair. She tried to relax, but her mind was still full of worries.

Before she realized it, she was already dozing off to sleep. Just like Finnick, she had been bearing too many burdens recently.

And just like that, both of them slept soundly in the office until the next morning.

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 873

Sleeping for the whole night in such an uncomfortable posture, Finnick woke up feeling aches and cramps all over his body the next morning.

Since Vivian was still asleep, Finnick carefully lifted up his head, trying hard not to wake her up.

He could not believe that his head had been leaning on Vivian’s arm the entire night.

Thus, he wanted to massage her arm, in hopes that she would feel less pain after she woke up.

But the instant his hand touched Vivian’s arm, she opened her eyes.

“Morning…” Vivian looked at him, clearly still in a daze.

For quite a while, she was confused as to where she was. And then she recalled that they did not leave the office the previous night.

All of a sudden, her head was throbbing in pain. She wanted to massage her temples, only to realize that she could barely move her arm.

Her arm, which Finnick rested on for so many hours, had become completely numb. Not only that, she even felt great pain whenever she tried to move it.

Seeing that Vivian was groaning in pain, Finnick’s heart was filled with guilt.

If I wasn’t so tired last night, we wouldn’t have to stay the night at the office. And I wouldn’t have slept on her arm. Ugh… This was all my fault.

“It’s fine,” Vivian said while trying to move her arm. To her relief, her arm resumed to normal after a short while.

“Come on. Let’s wash up and have breakfast. You have a deal to discuss today.” Vivian started to cheer Finnick up, hoping that they would have a fresh start.

Recalling what happened the day before, she sincerely hoped that Finnick would not be discouraged by this setback in his life.

“Okay. Let’s go.” Finnick knew what she was trying to do. Holding her hand gently, they headed towards the washroom.

There was no one in the office yet as it was still early.

At that very hour, the large office seemed deserted and rather lonely.

Vivian was grateful that she was still able to feel Finnick’s warmth beside her. She told herself that she would not be afraid of any future storms coming their way, as long as they were together.

There were all kinds of single-use toiletries in the office’s washroom, specially prepared for those who worked overtime.

Finnick did not expect he would ever have to use one of those, as he assumed he would never need to work overtime.

But it turned out that he was wrong.

Looking at the white foam around each other’s mouths while brushing their teeth, both of them could not help but burst into laughter.

Seeing Finnick was in a better mood than she had expected, Vivian began to relax a little.

She knew that she could never fully understand Finnick’s feelings concerning this crisis.

All she could do was to comfort him, even though it might be useless. But she wanted Finnick to know that she would be by his side, even if it was the end of the world.

After they finished washing up, they stepped out of the office building. By then, the sun was already shining, and the weather seemed really fine and pleasant.

Just when they are thinking about what to eat, a few employees who came to work early greeted them at the entrance.

Finnick only nodded slightly without greeting them back. On the other hand, Vivian merely smiled politely at them as they did not know her real identity.

Those employees did not ask anything. As they thought, sometimes keeping the distance was the best respect one could give.

In the end, Vivian suggested getting breakfast from a street vendor nearby.

“From today onwards, we’re no longer rich, so we should try to cut any unnecessary expenses,” Vivian explained to Finnick.

Upon hearing this, Finnick smiled back forcefully, trying hard to suppress the sorrow within him.

“Okay.” He figured it was not a big deal. He had been through the worst in his life, and there was nothing he could not overcome.

The only fear in his heart was to see the woman he loved suffering with him.

With Vivian chowing down food bought from the street vendor, he realized that becoming poor was no longer a mere imagination.

Based on the current situation, he was unsure when they could go back to their previously luxurious life. At that moment, he felt like the most useless man in the world, failing to provide the best for his loved one.

After a while, Finnick and Vivian finished their food, and Finnick wanted to bring Vivian back to the office.

However, Vivian decided not to follow him as she knew Finnick needed to meet up with Chase later.

If she stayed with Finnick, she might end up becoming a distraction, if not a burden.

After Vivian expressed her concern truthfully to Finnick, he agreed for her to go home without him.

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 874

Initially, Vivian wanted to stop by Norton Residence to visit Larry, but she gave up this thought a second later. It would cause trouble for Larry if anyone saw her there.

Despite missing her child desperately, Vivian could only control her urge and went back to her own place.

Meanwhile, Finnick threw himself right into work after he reached the office. He paused for a while and glanced at his watch. It was already the time for their appointment.

He then flipped through the document that Chase sent him to check on the meeting time and venue.

At the same time, Chase was certain that Finnick would definitely show up, as this might be his only chance to overturn the situation.

Chase had always taken a liking for Finnor Group’s resources and would be happy to own it.

Hence, it would be a mutual relationship that benefited both parties.

Back when Finnick first learned about Chase’s plans, he could not accept them. But after he cleared his thoughts and pondered for a long time, he realized this was his only way out.

Even though he would lose Finnor Group, all things required certain sacrifice to grow and move forward.

Looking at his watch, he realized he would be late soon. Thus, he swiftly packed his stuff and departed to the appointed venue.

Right when he was about to start his car, a call came in.

“Hello, who is it?”

“This is the police department. Am I speaking to Mr. Norton?”

“Yes.” Finnick was stunned and puzzled by this unexpected call.

The police department? Did someone set me up again? Will I be back in prison?

Obviously, Finnick’s suspicion had no solid basis. It was merely out of his fear of being thrown into prison once again.

“I am calling about the report you made about Evelyn. We have discovered a new clue that shows Evelyn appeared around Shadowhill.”

After Finnick was d from prison, he started suing Evelyn for slandering him and conducting illegal acts.

Ever since then, the police had investigated her and found Finnick’s accusation to be true. Hence, they started to observe Evelyn.

However, Evelyn turned out to be extremely cautious, and they failed to identify any criminal act from her ever since.

Their patience finally paid off when Evelyn was spotted around Shadowhill.

“I see. Thanks for the update. Please continue to keep an eye on her.”

Finnick was extremely concerned about this matter at that time, so he requested the police to inform him if they discovered anything.

But he soon forgot about her case after that. Nonetheless, he was grateful to the police for keeping their promise.

“You are welcomed.”

After hanging the phone, Finnick went deep into thoughts.

Why would Evelyn go to Shadowhill? Shadowhill is a criminal area where lots of illegal transactions are performed underground. What’s her purpose going there? I have to find out.

Hundreds of questions appeared in his mind, but he could not figure out any reasonable explanation for them.

But right at this moment, he should be prioritizing his own company’s crisis instead.

He believed that sooner or later, justice would be served.

Just as his mind was occupied with all those worries, Finnick found himself arriving at a five-star hotel.

The moment Finnick walked into the lobby, he ran into Chase, who had just arrived too.

Finnick approached Chase and greeted him, “Good morning, Mr. Neville.”

“Good morning, Mr. Norton.”

Chase nodded and shook hands with Finnick.

They had some small talk for a short while, and then Chase suggested going in the room to discuss the deal.

Finnick agreed without hesitation.

The second they entered the room, a gorgeous lady was there to take Finnick’s coat for him.

But just before she could lay her hand on Finnick’s coat, Finnick cut her with a ferocious stare.

Shocked by Finnick’s cold reaction, the lady could only look at Chase helplessly.

“I see that Mr. Norton is, without doubt, a man of integrity.” Chase looked somewhat amazed by Finnick’s behavior.

“I am a married guy. So I prefer keeping my distance with other females.”

A firm response from Finnick made Chase become even more interested in this man he met for the first time.

Even though this was their first meeting, Finnick felt as if they had been close friends for a long time. I suppose that’s what they meant by great minds thinking alike.

On the contrary, Chase was the one who was more impressed by the other party. He had heard that Finnick really loved and pampered his wife. And the rumor turned out to be true, if not more.

“Hahaha. Well said.” Upon praising Finnick, Chase gestured at the lady, instructing her to leave.

With that, only the two of them were left in the room. Even so, neither of them was willing to mention the deal first.

The atmosphere in that room gradually became intense as a brief spark of rivalry could be sensed at that very moment.

 

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 875

“You have quite a reputation as a successful young man. I’m impressed.” Chase poured himself a glass of wine and saluted towards Finnick.

Finnick respectfully poured himself a glass too and gazed back at Chase.

They toasted and both emptied their glasses in one go.

“Mr. Neville, let’s talk business then.”

Finnick was a little impatient as his mind was thinking about Vivian being alone at home. He was looking to close that important deal in the fastest way so that he could head back.

If it was up to him, he would definitely cut off all the unnecessary nonsense and go straight into it right away.

Unfortunately, he knew there would always be some formalities in the world of business. That was why he would always try to avoid any social event if he could.

Another thing he hated about social events was that there would always be women.

As he did not want Vivian to overthink, normally, he would not attend them.

“Okay, since you’ve put it that way, let us stop beating around the bush.”

Chase had learned that Finnick was not the type who fancied social events.

Meanwhile, Vivian was diligently preparing a soup that she recently learned back home. She could not wait to have it together with Finnick once he reached home.

The meeting turned out to be brief but efficient, as both parties were already certain of what they wanted.

They agreed to sign a contract at a press conference three days later.

However, seeing all those years of hard work ended up in another person’s hands, Finnick could not help but feel disappointed.

But since the matter had escalated as such, he was left with no other option.

“Hey, why aren’t you back yet?” An obviously impatient Vivian called to check up on him.

“We’re just done. I am about to head home now.” Initially, Finnick intended to go for a short walk on the street before going home to calm himself down.

He was hoping not to bring his negative emotions home in case he lost his temper again at Vivian. But since she called, it seemed like he had to head straight home.

Vivian responded happily, “Alright, I will wait for you.”

Upon hanging up, Finnick furrowed his brows in sorrow. But soon after that, he chose to put it all aside and drove home directly.

Meanwhile, at Norton Residence, Larry was having teatime with Samuel in their garden. It was peaceful and enjoyable.

The only flaw in that perfect life was that his parents were not by his side.

Samuel was fully aware of it, but he was relieved as his grandson seemed to be an extraordinarily considerate kid. But at the same time, this made him wanted to comfort the latter even more.

“Larry, let me tell you a story.” Samuel looked at Larry gently.

“Okay.” Larry nodded and looked back at Samuel with a curious gaze.

From what Larry knew, Samuel was not so much of a storyteller. On the contrary, he had always thought of Samuel as a serious person.

That was why he always felt uncomfortable around Samuel and was unable to express himself ly.

Samuel was fully aware of this too, but he just let it be. He figured that Larry would eventually come to know about his true self, and their relationship would gradually improve by then.

“A long time ago, when I went on a vacation, I saw two kids talking. They seemed to be arguing about something, so I approached them trying to find out why. Yet they just ignored me and continued their argument, so I stayed and listened to them. It turned out that they were discussing whether they should take care of their parents when they were old. The one, who opposed the idea, had said some really awful things. However, they did not hold back their thoughts just because I was there. After all, it was supposed to be their homework.”

Upon finishing the story, Samuel shifted his gaze towards Larry, only to notice him thinking hard, trying to figure out the meaning of the story.

After a few minutes, Larry seemed to understand something. Great Grandpa is teaching me a lesson about responsibility. It is the teacher’s responsibility to assign homework for us. And when we work hard to finish it, we are fulfilling our responsibility as a student. And when we are focusing on our responsibility, we won’t stop just because of anyone.

The story was exactly like Finnick and Vivian, who were focusing on their role right now.

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 876

Even though Larry was still too young to understand it all, he seemed to be able to grasp hold of the main point of the story.

Larry looked at Samuel gratefully, with his eyes filled with admiration.

Samuel was happy he was able to teach Larry some life lessons through a short story.

Initially, Larry was unhappy that his parents were not around. But after hearing the story, he gradually came to understand his parents’ situation – they were just fulfilling their responsibilities.

“Thank you so much, Great Grandpa.”

Samuel was overjoyed seeing that Larry was starting to open up with him. He could sense more sincerity in his great-grandchild’s voice compared to before.

He smiled in satisfaction looking at the latter.

This was what Samuel had been longing for – a true relationship. He was more than thrilled to be able to achieve it.

Even though he could not help much in Finnick’s business, educating and taking care of their kid was still something within his capability.

It was the least he could do for them.

In the meantime, Finnick had finally reached home after some time.

Vivian had just come out of the kitchen. Seeing Finnick back, she immediately brought out the soup she had prepared and served it on the dining table.

“Go and wash your hands, please.” Vivian had a feeling Finnick’s hands were dirty. After all, he just came back from a business meeting. So she figured it was best to practice proper hygiene before every meal.

The aroma coming from the dining area caught Finnick’s attention, so he quickly washed his hands and sat down.

“Did you learn this recently?”

From what he knew, Vivian would not have known how to make this soup.

“Yes. You’ve been too busy lately. I figure that you need something to boost your energy, so I made this soup especially for you.” Vivian’s heart ached as she looked at Finnick’s exhausted face.

Dark circles had begun to show under Finnick’s eyes. Besides all the recent bustles, he had been burning the midnight oil for many nights.

“Thanks, Honey.” Finnick reached out his hand to hold Vivian’s and gave her a gentle kiss.

Smelling at the subtle fragrance coming from the soup, Finnick felt as if his exhaustion and stress had disappeared from his body.

“Alright, let’s try it out.” Flushing bright red, Vivian pulled her hand back.

Finnick could sense that Vivian was eager to know his opinion on the soup.

Without delay, he took a spoonful and tried it.

Indeed, it was delicious. The slight sweetness from the stock filled his mouth and warmed his stomach. It had been such a long time since he last enjoyed a meal prepared by Vivian. He did not realize that he had been too occupied with his work.

“Does it taste good?” Vivian stared at Finnick’s expression while anticipating his feedback.

After a while, Finnick was furrowing his brows, and with a full mouth, he started searching around, looking for something.

Vivian was quick to realize that he might be looking for the dustbin. She nervously took it and put it in front of him.

“What’s the matter?” She thought he was going to spit out the soup, but he did not.

Before she could hear an answer from him, she suddenly felt something warm caressing her lips.

It was a long and deep kiss until even Vivian could taste the soup inside Finnick’s mouth. The soup tastes alright. She thought to herself.

After a long while, Finnick’s lips were finally willing to let go of hers.

“Does it taste good?” Finnick curled his lips into an affectionate smile as he looked at Vivian.

Vivian was still dazed by that sudden kiss, then realized that Finnick was fooling around with her.

She stared at Finnick without much of an expression. “It tasted good but wasn’t so delicious after having it from your mouth.”

Hearing this, Finnick grabbed Vivian and begin kissing her again.

Three days later, at the press conference held by Finnor Group and Neville Group, Finnick showed up at the scene with an elegant white suit. On the other hand, Chase arrived slightly after Finnick in a black suit.

“Mr. Norton, you are early.” Chase greeted Finnick enthusiastically, who was drinking a cup of coffee.

Finnick stood up to shake Chase’s hand, and the next moment they began exchanging some customary pleasantries.

Briefly after that, they could hear the announcement saying that the press conference was about to start.

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 877

The two leaders, Finnick and Chase, walked up the stage. Looking at the big group of journalists, Finnick started to realize that there would be no turning back for this deal.

Even though there was still a slight hesitation stirring in his heart, he knew it was too late for him to change his mind in front of all these journalists.

Chase was indeed a smart businessman. Since Finnick had left the press conference to his hands, of course, he was going to hold it in such publicity.

“Thank you, everyone, for attending our press conference today. First of all, I would like to welcome our two representatives, Mr. Norton and Mr. Neville.” As the host was doing the introduction, Finnick seemed distracted by other things in his mind.

On the contrary, Chase was thrilled to see all the excited journalists on the seats.

Nevertheless, everyone had a high expectation for Finnor Group since they had such an outstanding young man as their president. Certainly, there would be some disappointment to see Finnor Group falling into others’ hands.

But, after all, the journalists were merely outsiders to this matter. Compared to their disappointment, they were more excited to be able to see Finnick up close.

However, Finnick was seen standing on the stage with a long face with not much to say. In his mind, he was hoping to wrap this up as soon as possible.

After a long speech from the host, the press conference finally came to its climax, which was the contract-signing session.

Without any hesitation, Finnick took the contract before him and put down his signature on it.

At that very moment, he felt as if he had lost everything and hit rock bottom.

But realizing he was still at a public event, he tried hard not to reveal his emotions. Thus, he could only bury the misery in his heart.

“Mr. Norton.”

Chase also signed on his copy of the contract and then exchanged it with Finnick. All the photographers were busy capturing this historic moment.

The most important session of the press conference was completed quickly.

Both parties ended the signing with a handshake, in the meantime, the photographers were still taking endless photos of them.

“Congratulations, Mr. Norton.” Chase beamed with delight while shaking hands with Finnick.

At a closer look, Chase was, in fact, a handsome man too. But because of his age, his charisma was somehow more mellow compared to Finnick’s.

“I should be the one to congratulate.” Finnick tightened his handshake before letting go of it.

Right after that, they entered the question session with the journalists.

“Mr. Norton, after this event, would you be starting another company?”

“Mr. Norton, are you satisfied with the deal this time?”

Finnick just smiled at all those questions coming from the journalists, with no intention whatsoever to provide answers. All these were considered his secret. If he was to reveal it to the public at that moment, he knew it would be difficult for him to survive in the business world.

Seeing that Finnick was not answering any questions, the journalists were somewhat pissed. But they did not dare to be harsh on him since the press conference was organized by Chase.

Besides, even if the mighty were to fall, they would still hold more authority than the ordinary.

Although Finnick was no longer a president of a company, his power and influence still existed in some way.

There would be no one who dared to underestimate him.

As the journalists failed to gain anything from Finnick, they turned all their attention towards Chase.

On the contrary, they were pleased with Chase, as he answered every single question perfectly without doubts.

Just then, Finnick could feel his phone vibrating in his pocket a couple of times.

He would usually choose not to answer private calls during work unless it was from his wife. But the call seemed to be quite urgent as his phone had been vibrating non-stop.

And since he was not interested in the press conference anymore, he decided to pick up the call.

From the other end was the voice of a man.

“Hello, is this Finnick Norton?”

After Finnick gave his confirmation, the voice continued, “Your grandpa was shot this afternoon. Please come over as soon as you can.”

Finnick froze right away on the spot. He did not expect there would be any news worse than this press conference.

Grandpa was shot! Is he dead? Is he murdered by someone?

Finnick’s mind became blank as he paled in fright.

He felt his whole world collapsing that instant, and he could not possibly stay at this press conference any more. Thus, he looked at Chase and signaled that he needed to leave.

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 878

Finnick walked out into the streets and stared at the people coming and going. He was at a loss.

Grandpa just died. He was shot to death!

The man who had raised him and pampered him all his life had just passed away.

As he thought about it, he could not help the tears that fell from his eyes.

Finnick did not know what he had to do then or what would happen to himself.

He felt lost.

After squatting on a flight of stairs for a while, he ran back to his car. Right, Grandpa. I should visit him now. He always complains that I don’t visit him, so he must be trying to trick me into going home. Many elderly lie to their children like this, so Grandpa must be doing the same thing.

As Finnick continued to contemplate the situation, he accelerated in a hurry to get back.

However, the roads were currently congested. As quickly as possible, Finnick reversed his car before speeding forward again.

When the drivers around him saw what he was doing, they realized what he intended to do. Fearful that he would damage their precious cars, the drivers moved to give way to him.

Soon, a path had been d up. Ignoring the traffic lights, Finnick continued to speed forward.

All he cared about at that moment was going home to visit Samuel. He knew Samuel would be waiting for him. Yes, he will be.

As he thought of that, Finnick continued to accelerate, reaching speeds he had never dared to drive at before. However, he continued and was not bothered with the traffic, as he was anxious to see his grandfather.

All along the way, he honked his car horn at the other drivers around him. They all moved out of the way in fear for their cars.

Many traffic police officers soon chased Finnick’s car as he had run many red lights and was also speeding excessively.

However, as they were traffic police officers, they had to control their own speed.

Naturally, they fell far behind Finnick’s car.

Due to his excessive speeding, the three-hour journey was eventually completed in only one and a half.

The traffic police officers had persevered in their pursuit for one and a half hours as well.

At his house, upon seeing the numerous policemen entering and exiting his house, Finnick felt uneasy. However, he continued to walk forward.

“Outsiders are prohibited.” Since it was a crime scene, the place had been cordoned off. Hence, only family members were allowed to enter.

“I’m his family,” replied Finnick coldly. A policeman then came over and said something, and they soon let Finnick into the house.

Since that policeman had met Finnick previously, he could confirm Finnick’s identity and his familial relationship with Samuel.

As Finnick walked in step after step, his heartbeat increased, hinting at the anxiety he currently felt.

He was trying to comfort himself, telling himself that nothing had happened to Samuel and that this was all a lie.

Yet, the deeper he walked into the house, the less he believed his own words. Finnick knew that he was making everything up by himself.

When he saw the bloodstains on the ground, he was extremely shocked. He frowned, then suddenly thought of Larry.

Finnick did not dare to continue breaking down then, as he did not know whether Larry was even dead or alive.

At least Finnick could try to comfort himself over what happened to Samuel. However, if something were to happen to Larry, he would not know how to deal with it. He quickened his pace, continuing to move forward.

Finnick was in a daze. All he knew was that he had to continue walking forward.

The moment he walked into the small garden and saw Samuel’s lifeless body, he could no longer control his emotions.

Samuel was lying in front of him, covered in blood. No matter what he said, Finnick could not lie to himself anymore. He could no longer convince himself that Samuel was fine.

He stepped forward and kneeled in front of Samuel. The policemen then left the scene, knowing that Finnick needed some time alone.

Faced with the death of a loved one, Finnick cried till he lost his voice.

He hated himself. If he had not brought Larry over, those people would never have known Samuel’s address, and Samuel would not have died as a result.

His grandfather had always asked him to go home for a visit, but Finnick always found ways to pacify him or evade it altogether. Not once did he come over to actually spend time with his grandfather.

 

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 879

Finnick had always disliked coming home since he felt that this house held bad memories from his childhood.

Thinking back to how eagerly Samuel had looked forward to his return home, Finnick wanted to slap himself.

So he did.

He was in distress and in pain. He looked at his grandfather, who had passed away with a faint smile on his lips.

As he gently wiped the blood off Samuel’s face with a tissue, Samuel’s face slowly became clean.

Finnick gently stroked the wrinkles on his grandfather’s face. They were a sign of Samuel’s age.

When he recalled the past when Samuel had brought him out to play, tears started to fall uncontrollably.

Although he wanted to die alongside Samuel, Finnick knew that he could not.

Samuel had wanted to see him bring honor to his family. He had hoped that Finnick would have a good life ahead of him.

Thus, Finnick did not know how to face Samuel in the afterlife if he had taken his life right then.

“Finnick.”

Just as he was drowning in sadness, Finnick heard Vivian’s voice.

He lowered his head and wiped away his tears, then looked at Vivian. He did not want to let her see him like this. However, the tear tracks were clear on his face.

“Don’t be sad. Grandpa will surely go to heaven.” Vivian did not know what else to say to comfort Finnick.

They had gone through a lot recently, so Vivian no longer knew how to comfort him.

“Daddy, don’t cry. It’s all my fault. I didn’t protect Great-grandpa well.”

Looking at how sorrowful and downhearted Finnick was, Larry could not help but blame himself.

Samuel had asked him to go fetch something from the room at the time of the crime. However, even after searching for a long time, Larry could not find it. When he finally got to the garden, Samuel was already on the ground.

Larry knew then that Samuel had saved him. Those men were very strong, each wielding a gun, so Samuel’s guards had all been killed by then.

It was the first time Larry had seen such a scene. He froze in shock.

Although Larry was born into a big family, it was the first time he saw corpses littering everywhere on the floor.

Luckily, Vivian had arrived earlier and got Larry to return to the room. Otherwise, the scene would have scarred him forever.

Seeing that Larry was safe and sound, Finnick was relieved.

Just like what Larry had said, Finnick wanted to stop feeling sad too. However, he simply could not calm his feelings down.

Perhaps too many bad things had been happening one after the other, leaving no space for Finnick to catch his breath. In the end, all his suppressed negative emotions could only burst out at that moment.

Finnick cleared his throat, allowing his hoarse voice to recover a little before he turned to Vivian and said, “Vivian, I want to be alone for a while.”

Vivian understood what he was going through, so she simply nodded and brought Larry away.

When they left, Finnick lowered his head to look at Samuel’s lifeless body. He no longer had any tears left, for he had already cried them all out.

He stared at Samuel’s body blankly, then started to clean it little by little. Finnick tried his best to control the trembling in his hands. He also tried his best to control his urge to leave the world alongside Samuel.

Only Finnick himself knew exactly how much he was suffering.

He was once arrogant and did not cry when everyone witnessed him going to jail. He was once confident in his business skills and did not cry when he had to hand over his company to someone else in front of many reporters.

It was not that Finnick did not cry. It was simply that Finnick knew that as a man, he could not cry. He had to be a role model for Larry and had to have the ability to give Vivian a home.

Yet, now that Samuel was gone, Finnick’s last line of defense collapsed.

He was tired. Everything that had happened recently had left him exhausted. Although Finnick did not say it out loud, it did not mean he was not tired.

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 880

Looking at his grandfather, Finnick wanted to tell him all about his struggles. However, Samuel had already passed on.

Finnick would not be able to see him ever again.

A final teardrop fell from Finnick’s eyes and slipped down his face. It was the last tear that he would shed. Finnick vowed that he would never cry again.

He then walked out, leaving the policemen to do their job. When the policemen were done, Finnick and Vivian cleaned up Samuel’s body and changed him into a fresh set of clothes.

He planned to bury Samuel the day after tomorrow.

In the period leading up to Samuel’s funeral, there were many instances where Finnick was so tired that his vision became blurry. However, he persisted since he knew that his grandfather had not had his burial yet, he did not let himself collapse so easily.

The elderly always say that one had to return to their roots. They would be safe only when they were buried in the soil.

Thus, Finnick intended to go against the norm and not cremate Samuel’s body. Instead, he would buy a coffin that fit the burial rituals.

Vivian agreed with his decision. All that mattered to her then was that Finnick could overcome all this soon.

Samuel had already left for a better place, going to heaven. Finnick was the only one who would remain in this world, sad and in pain.

As Vivian looked at Finnick’s gaunt face, she was heartbroken but held her tears back.

At the funeral two days later, Finnick personally dressed Samuel before laying him to rest in his coffin. Many people came to mourn for him, all dressed in black.

When the funeral came to an end, they buried Samuel in a place with beautiful scenery.

Although his place of burial was far from downtown, Samuel would like the place. It was very quiet and would be suitable for him to rest in peace.

Finnick looked at the photo on Samuel’s tomb with a solemn expression on his face. He was different from the Finnick of the past. He now also carried an air of matureness, capable and experienced.

However, this made Vivian heartbroken.

Only after experiencing hardships would a person’s personality transformed in such a manner. It was easy to imagine how much Finnick was affected by Samuel’s death.

Vivian stepped forward and took Finnick’s hand in hers, hoping to give him some warmth.

Sensing her intentions, Finnick squeezed her hand before letting go.

He moved forward, uncaring of how others were looking at him, and kneeled in front of his grandfather’s grave. Staring at the photo of Samuel, Finnick suppressed his pain as best as he could, though his eyes never left Samuel’s face.

Vivian simply watched Finnick without obstructing him. Larry also stood to the side, accompanying Finnick.

As the sky slowly darkened, only their family of three remained before Samuel’s grave. However, Finnick still had no intention to leave.

Vivian moved to grab his hand in hopes that he would finally agree to go. After all, they were on a hill. The sky was already dark and there was nowhere nearby for them to stay the night.

Once it became completely dark, wild animals might appear. Then, it would no longer be something that they could handle.

Finnick avoided Vivian’s hand, then turned to her expressionlessly. He said, “You can go first. I want to stay here a little longer and spend more time with Grandpa. I’ll be back tomorrow morning at the latest.”

Looking at how much pain Finnick was in, Vivian understood that there was nothing wrong with him wanting to stay a little longer. After all, he had just lost Samuel.

Vivian lit a fire to prevent wild animals from approaching, before she held Larry’s hand and left.

Back at home, Vivian got in bed with Larry. She knew that her son would be upset if he had to sleep alone after experiencing the event of that day.

As soon as Larry got under the covers, he threw himself into Vivian’s arms and cried.

He had wanted to cry the entire time but remembered Finnick telling him that men should not cry.

Thus, Larry had been suppressing the pain in his heart the whole time.

Since Finnick was not there and he was able to feel Vivian’s warmth, Larry released all of his resentment then.

Only Larry understood exactly how shocking it was to have witnessed someone dying in front of him. It was not something that even Vivian could empathize with.