Heinz looked at Maxim and couldn't find an excuse to refuse him for a long time.
Maxim probably felt that his words had touched the young man in front of him and he said bitterly, "This was what I had promised Marilyn back when our feelings for one another still ran deep. Back then, she would do anything that I asked and would always ask me whether I would be buried with my first wife after my death."
Heinz frowned.
Maxim continued, "You know the tradition. If one of my wives was to die, both of them can be buried beside me when it's my time to go."
Heinz nodded. "It is indeed a tradition. They are both your wives so I have no objection to this arrangement."
"So, that's what I told her." Maxim seemed to be recalling something, his eyes deeply filled with nostalgia for the beautiful memories of his life.
Heinz looked at him. He couldn't bear it and even felt a little exasperated.
"However, Marilyn always thought that I loved my first wife more. She wanted her ashes to be put with mine in the same urn and said that it would be more intimate."
Heinz frowned. He couldn't understand women's thoughts. It was probably because men and women had a different way of thinking.
Women always loved to compete with small romantic gestures like this and felt that it helped to progress their relationship.
"She's dead. Does it matter where she's buried?" Heinz could not help but ask.
Maxim said, "That's what I had thought but I promised her that. At that time, she was only 21 years old and she was so young and cute. I know that it was difficult for her to be the step-mother of three children but I had no choice. As a father, I have to be responsible for my children."
"There's nothing wrong with that." Heinz nodded. "But you seemed to have doted on your children too much."
"Yes, I spoiled my children and let my wife suffer. I always thought that when she grew older, she would understand my decision. After all, my children had lost their mother. They couldn't lose their father too."
"So when Marilyn suffered, you couldn’t set the record straight. When she was treated unfairly, you didn't try to correct the problem. You just kept allowing her to bear the brunt of this unjust treatment," Heinz said slowly. "In the end when the conflict reached its peak, you couldn’t even do a single thing. You could only force your wife away."
Maxim didn't say anything because he couldn't. He could only look at Heinz with self-blame and regret in his eyes.
Heinz also looked at him and their gazes met.
After a long time, Maxim said, "Promise me. I don't think 1 can survive past tonight."
Heinz's heart tightened. He raised his eyebrows and said, "Master Lowe, you shouldn't rely on me. I can't help you. As I've said, I can't hurt Grace."
"You can tell her what I think," Maxim answered. "This was what Marilyn had thought too. Otherwise, why did she go to Northern City for so many years and never remarried? Maybe she still loved me but the both of us were so stubborn that neither of us were willing to give in."
"Please don't get me in trouble," Heinz insisted. "Grace has always felt sorry for her grandmother. She heavily regrets that she was not able to say her final goodbyes. She always believes that her grandmother's misfortune was caused by you. It's not appropriate for me to tell her this."
"It's my fault," Maxim answered.
Heinz saw that Maxim had admitted his mistakes and looked very weak. He took a deep breath and said, "Well, you'd better talk to Zachary."
Maxim shook his head. "There's no need. Please pass this message on for me. If they're really not willing to accept my request, then forget about it."
Heinz paused and didn't answer for a long time.
The only thing Maxim could do now was to accept his fate after he had given all his effort.
He also knew that the final result was beyond his abilities.
Maxim raised his eyes to look at Heinz and waited for his answer.
Heinz was stunned when he saw Maxim looking at him. "Are you done talking? Can I go now?"
All of a sudden, disappointment filled Maxim's eyes.
Even Heinz had started to feel bad for him.
He smiled, turned around, and walked out of the ward.
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