Chapter 201 Your Ex-Husband Is Looking for You
Upon hearing this, a faint smile played on Jerry's lips. His brown eyes stared straight at me as he spoke softly but with unwavering clarity. "Yes, you are Bella, my fiancée."
It was both a confirmation and a proclamation.
My thoughts were a tangled web, but I felt a surge of relief. "Jerry Hammer. Thank you for never giving up on me."
Jerry had a propensity for appearing exactly when I needed him. Even when my identity was stolen, he found ways to aid me. Where others had abandoned me, he remained steadfast.
He brought me to a restaurant near the Harris estate, where the waiter ushered us into a secluded room. That was when I realized we weren't dining alone; Kyle was already there.
Seeing we entered, Kyle stood abruptly, his eyes locked onto mine. Despite approaching sixty, the man began to cry. He held a report from a foreign research institute—he had likely scrutinized it already.
"Ms. Harris!" Kyle called out.
The title jarred me—not because it was unfamiliar, but because it resonated as though I'd heard it countless times before.
All the emotions I had contained that morning cascaded, and tears streamed down my face. "Kyle."
Kyle responded with a choked voice, hastily wiping his tears. "Thank heavens you’re safe and grown. It’s wonderful, just wonderful!"
"Kyle, sit down first. She's still hungry." Jerry interjected as he gently guided me to a seat and promptly ordered food.
Once the waiter departed, Kyle composed himself and cut to the chase, handing over two sealed powder packets to Jerry. "We found something, but it wasn’t in Kimberly Harris's room—it was in Mrs. Harris's."
I immediately inquired, "Is this poison?"
"It should be." Kyle nodded grimly. "Luckily, Mr. Hammer urged me to search the house swiftly after your hospital visit. Had I gone to the hospital, this evidence might have been destroyed."
Jerry took the items, asking, "Did you catch the person?"
Kyle nodded. "Yes, she's already at the address you gave me."
"Okay."
Kyle asked again, "Should I continue to keep an eye on her?"
"No need. Return to the Harris estate," Jerry instructed, turning to me. "Eat while you listen."
Then he continued, "Claire is in a coma, and it's not prudent for me to meddle in Harris family affairs right now. Bella can’t return to the Harris household until Claire wakes up."
Kyle voiced his concern. "But I searched the estate and apprehended someone today; surveillance must have caught it."
Jerry reassured him. "Don't worry. I've already had the surveillance erased."
Kyle nodded. "What do you need me to do next?"
"Have a conversation with the imposter still at the Harris estate. Determine if anyone aside from Kimberly Harris and Mrs. Harris is involved," Jerry directed systematically.
I was taken aback. So much had transpired in the brief period since Claire's collapse. Yet Jerry had orchestrated everything before Kimberly and the others could respond.
As I ate, I turned to Kyle and hesitantly asked, "Kyle, am I really Mrs. Harris's biological daughter?"
Having lived with the Valences, I knew how chaotic affluent families could be. The Hammer and Harris families were unlikely exceptions. I wouldn’t deny that when I posed the question, I hoped to hear "no."
Regrettably, reality didn’t align with my wishes.
Kyle sighed. "When you were born, your grandma was outside the delivery room, so there couldn’t be a mistake. Mrs. Harris excessive investment in Ms. Harris over the years likely led to this."
I lowered my gaze, struggling to accept this truth, feeling a chill settle over me.
Skylar had poisoned Claire to prevent my return to the family. Compared to Skylar and Larry, I preferred the parents who had cherished me in my childhood memories. But fate had played a cruel trick.
Jerry suddenly asked, "Are there any records from the hospital's obstetrics department from back then? Were there any acquaintances of the Harris family also giving birth around those days?"
Kyle shook his head. "It's too long ago; we can't find that information."
After dinner, I was still keen on heading back to the hospital. Jerry objected, "There's no need. That's the Harris family's hospital. A professional medical team will take care of Claire. If you go, you won't be able to take care of her and will just waste energy confronting Kimberly Harris."
"But..." I was anxious. I felt like I could only find solace by staying by Claire's side.
Jerry was clearly worried about Claire too, but he still pinched my face and comforted me, "I promise you, Claire will be fine. If she wakes up, I'll tell you immediately."
I asked, "Will they notify you if Claire wakes up?"
Jerry smiled slyly. "No. But I have my ways."
I nodded. "Alright."
"So, go back to the hotel and work in peace," Jerry said and then drove me to the hotel.
I had originally thought that once this matter was settled today, I would return to Jacquar. After all, ElevateJoy needed to get back to business. But now I found myself entangled in these complications. The timing of Claire's recovery was still uncertain. Reflecting on this, I made a decision.
"I want to go back to Jacquar this afternoon." I told Jerry on the road.
Skylar's attitude toward me always felt off. If she were genuinely my mother, no matter how much she disliked me, there would be at least a hint of hesitation. But I saw none of that in Skylar.
Jerry saw through me immediately, asking, "Do you want to ask your aunt about your background?"
"Yes." I nodded.
Jerry agreed, "That's a good idea. Claire never found out who kidnapped you back then. Perhaps you can gather some clues from your aunt."
I sighed, "I hope so."
Jerry continued, "I need to interrogate the person Kyle caught this afternoon and extract information from them as soon as possible. I can't accompany you, so I'll arrange for someone to escort you."
I refused, "No need! Elissa drove here. It's close enough; we can manage ourselves."
Back at the hotel, I opened the door and Elissa rushed over, bombarding me with questions. I told Elissa the truth, and she was momentarily shocked. Then she said, "By the way, why has your phone been off?"
I explained, "No battery. What's the matter?"
Last night, my mind was preoccupied with the paternity test; I didn't care if my phone had any charge left. After going out today, I had even less time to check my phone.
Elissa sighed, "Christopher's been looking for you! He even came to the hotel."
I was puzzled. "Why?"
"He didn't say, but he seemed pretty worried. You should call him."
"Okay." I charged my phone and saw several missed calls from Christopher.
A bad feeling settled in my gut. I called him back immediately. He answered almost at once, his voice cold and commanding. "Is the matter resolved? Are you back at the hotel?"
I replied, "Yes."
"Come downstairs in five minutes. We're going back to Jacquar."
"Christopher Valence, I don't..."
"The doctor has issued a critical condition notice for your aunt."
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