Van suddenly clutched his chest. His fingers dug into the fabric of his cloth.
A sharp and searing pain radiated from his chest.
The pain came so unexpectedly that he was caught off-guard.
Van became weak and his legs gave away. His body crumpled to the ground with his hand still clutching his chest.
"Van!" Gasps filled the room as they watched the scene unfold.
They were shocked. Everyone except Hugo rushed forward to catch Van before he hit the floor.
In panic, they call for the butler.
Hugo, who was basking in his vindication, was now frozen in place.
Hugo feels a bit guilty, but after thinking about Van's treatment toward him, he quickly forgets about it.
The butler arrived shortly after. He was flanked by two attendants.
Kneeling by Van's side, he placed two fingers on the unconscious man's neck to check the pulse.
"He's alive," the butler announced just a moment later. "He's just fainted, likely due to the shock."
