Chapter 488 Under Someone's Orders
"Dr. Claire, you went to pay respects to my mom, so you must have some conscience left. You've been feeling guilty all these years, haven't you? Now, please, tell me everything. Tell my mom. She won't rest in peace otherwise."
Rosalind's face turned pale with fear. She had been haunted by nightmares recently, which led her to return to Imperick to pay respects, hoping for forgiveness and some peace of mind.
Standing before her was a young woman with familiar features, and Rosalind guessed she was one of the twins she had delivered years ago.
"Dr. Claire, you can choose to stay silent, but I'll find out the truth sooner or later. When that time comes, we'll settle the score."
Rosalind took a step back, almost losing her balance.
"I'll talk, I'll talk..."
Rosalind began slowly,
"That year, your mom did give birth to twins. The older sister was sent away, and the younger sister stayed. Before delivering you, I received a sum of money. The person who paid me wanted me to dispose of the newborns, regardless of gender, and tell the mother they died at birth.
But when you came out of your mom's womb, your cries were so loud. I couldn't bring myself to do such a heartless thing, so I kept you and sent away your quiet, sleeping sister."
A cold sweat broke out on her back. Rosalind's words implied that if she hadn't cried loudly at birth, both she and her sister might have been disposed of.
In a society governed by law, such terrifying things happening, especially to oneself, would scare anyone.
"Who instructed you? How much did they pay you?"
Rosalind bit her lip, refusing to speak. She had been threatened back then, and this secret had to be taken to the grave, or she would be killed for it.
For the first time, she realized being a doctor was a highly dangerous profession.
One wrong word could get her killed.
"That person is already in prison. Are you still afraid of him?"
Although Aurelia suspected Norman was the one who instructed her, she wanted to hear a definite answer from Rosalind.
Rosalind hesitated, mumbling incoherently,
"He'll come out, won't he? No, no, I can't say. He'll find someone to kill me. I've done wrong, disgraced my profession. I'll go to hell when I die."
"He won't come out. No one will kill you. So, how much did he pay you?"
Rosalind held up three fingers, making a gesture. Aurelia asked,
"Three million dollars?"
Rosalind shook her head.
"Thirty million dollars?"
Rosalind shook her head again, timidly answering,
"Three hundred thousand dollars."
Nathaniel and Aurelia were stunned.
For a mere three hundred thousand dollars, she had been blinded by greed and almost ended two lives. In her eyes, the lives of two newborns were worth only three hundred thousand dollars.
Nathaniel felt a dull pain in his heart.
She had almost lost her life at birth, a terrifying thought.
"Rosalind, you are unfit to be a doctor."
Nathaniel's voice was cold, imposing. Rosalind hugged her child tightly and took a few steps back.
"Leave. I've said what needed to be said."
Nathaniel scoffed,
"You almost killed someone, separated a mother and daughter for over twenty years, with no conscience, no humanity. Do you think it's over just because you say so?"
Rosalind's voice trembled, "I regret it deeply. I live in regret every day, often sleepless, thinking about those two children I delivered. I've already been punished."
Nathaniel's eyes narrowed. "With your silver tongue, why didn't you become a lawyer?"
He continued, "Forget it. If you were a lawyer, you'd probably take bribes to defend bad people. You are unfit for any job. Your son trusts you with his child, isn't he afraid you'll corrupt the kid?"
Rosalind's face turned ashen, and the child in her arms started crying. She rocked and soothed the child softly, "Please leave. My grandson is tired and needs to sleep. I won't entertain you anymore."
Though she said she wouldn't entertain them, she wished they would disappear from her sight. Her recent mental decline was severe, and even sleeping pills didn't help. The later it got, the more awake she became. This disturbance had completely ruined her health.
Nathaniel frowned, "We don't need your hospitality. We want to take you somewhere. Please come with us."
Rosalind was stunned, "Where are you taking me? I'm taking care of a child. I won't go anywhere!"
After a few seconds, realizing the seriousness, her tone softened, "I beg you, please let me go. I've recognized my mistakes at this age, repenting every day. I'm sorry, truly sorry. If you accept, I can return the three hundred thousand dollars I received twenty-eight years ago. Just don't come looking for me anymore."
Rosalind's tone was filled with fear. These two were not easy to deal with, people she couldn't afford to provoke.
Aurelia said coldly, "Apologize at my mom's grave. She died not knowing her other child was alive and well, just sent away. She thought my sister was dead. Every year on my birthday, she'd celebrate with me during the day and stand by the window at night, murmuring to herself. Can you imagine how much pain she felt? You are a human trafficker!"
Rosalind's lips trembled. As an obstetrician, she had delivered countless babies, welcoming new lives almost daily before retirement. Her office was filled with banners from grateful families, calling her an angel. Hearing 'human trafficker' made her lose control.
"I'm not a trafficker! I'm a doctor, welcoming new lives, connecting humanity's future. It's the most noble profession!"
"No matter how noble, it doesn't change the fact that you're a trafficker. Who did you sell my sister to?"
Rosalind's expression froze, tears streaming down her face. She had indeed sold the child. Back then, most families preferred boys, and girls weren't worth much. She sold the newborn girl to a foreigner, receiving a considerable sum. She later secretly inquired about the foreigner, learning from a neighbor that the foreigner had moved back to their country.
Rosalind felt relieved, hoping the matter would remain a secret forever. She hadn't expected to be found, a truly bizarre occurrence.
Rosalind lowered her head. "I gave her to a single foreign woman who said she liked our country's children. She later took the child back to her country. I never contacted her again."
This made the pieces fit together. Burry had indeed grown up abroad, meeting Marcus while he was there for health reasons.
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