Chapter 905
At this point, Ruby laid out all her demands.
There was no way she was going to rot in prison; she needed to get out of the country.
Over the years, she had secretly stashed away a significant amount of money abroad. As long as she could leave the country, she had a plan to change her identity and disappear, out of reach of anyone who might find her.
Her later years might not be glamorous, but she would live comfortably and freely.
"You're dreaming!"
Jackson's voice was cold and stern.
He raised his hand and splashed a cup of cold water from the table onto Ruby's face.
"Wake up."
Ruby was stunned. She had such a big bargaining chip, yet Jackson still dared to treat her like this.
She gasped, trembling as she wiped the water from her face, glaring at Jackson.
"Mr. Frane, looks like you really don't want to see your son again! Aren't you afraid that everything you've done to me, I'll do to your son? Such a young child, who knows if he can handle it?"
Ruby's words were filled with threats and malice.
She didn't believe Jackson could remain indifferent. Jackson even kept a lock of hair from a stillborn baby as a memento.
How could he not care about his own son's life and not want to save him immediately?
If he wanted a quick reunion with his son, he had to agree to her terms.
However, Jackson just sneered, took a step back, and said, "Let's see if your bones and life are tougher than my speed in finding the child."
With that, Jackson showed no intention of negotiating further. He glanced at Ruby with disgust and turned to leave.
Ruby froze, her face twisted in despair.
Although Jackson hadn't said anything, Ruby felt a deep sense of humiliation.
She hadn't realized, in her tense state, that she had wet herself.
Jackson's look of disgust made her aware of the unpleasant smell in the air, and she was on the verge of breaking down.
She had always cared about her dignity. If not, she wouldn't have gone to such lengths to prove herself to everyone after being disregarded by the Lawson family, leading her down a wrong path.
She had never been this dirty and pathetic, like a dog without dignity.
Ruby trembled all over, cursing at Jackson's retreating figure.
"Jackson, you'll regret this! You will definitely regret this!"
Jackson paused at the door, but didn't turn around. His cold voice drifted back.
"You have no right to negotiate with me. Think about how to survive."
He couldn't compromise with Ruby now. If he did, Ruby would not only refuse to return Taylor but would hide him even more securely.
On the contrary, if Ruby didn't get what she wanted, she would become desperate, frantic, and careless, exposing her weaknesses.
Jackson's figure disappeared through the door, leaving Ruby's face contorted with rage. She pounded the bed in frustration.
At that moment, a doctor entered the room.
He approached and grabbed Ruby's arm, injecting a needle into her vein.
Ruby, still reeling from the anger and fear Jackson had caused, barely registered the pain.
She quickly pulled a blanket over herself and looked at the doctor.
"Doc, what did you just give me?"
Ruby thought she was being treated because her kidneys couldn't handle the stress, and she had been brought to the medical room for help.
But the doctor looked at her with a slight, mocking smile.
"Isn't it a bit late to be asking now?"
The doctor's smile was filled with sarcasm and malice, making Ruby's eyes widen in fear.
"What did you inject me with? Help! Someone, help! He's trying to kill me!"
Ruby grabbed the doctor, but no one came in from outside.
The doctor, unfazed, yanked his arm free, causing Ruby to fall off the narrow bed.
Her vision darkened as she struggled to lift her head, meeting the doctor's cold gaze.
"Feeling your kidneys failing even more? Ruby, only true repentance and making amends can save you."
With that, the doctor turned and left.
"You can't leave! Don't go, help me!"
Whether it was the effect of the drug or her own panic, Ruby felt nauseous, her incontinence worsening. Her vision blurred, and she struggled to breathe.
She felt like she was about to die, and her survival instinct made her crawl towards the door.
But before she could reach it, she passed out again.
"Mr. Frane, Chief. She's out again."
The doctor quickly reported outside.
Jackson, dressed in a black trench coat, stood under a large ginkgo tree, with the police chief beside him.
The sky was turning a pale blue, with a few lonely stars twinkling, highlighting Jackson's tall figure. Even the usually authoritative chief seemed a bit uneasy next to him.
The doctor approached quickly, and Jackson turned to thank him.
Jackson then looked at the chief. "Please keep a close watch on her."
The chief nodded quickly. "Since she's involved in a case and has hidden your child, we will do our best to find your child as soon as possible. Rest assured, Mr. Frane, we'll keep a tight watch on her. She'll crack and contact the outside soon enough."
Jackson nodded. "Thank you."
He needed to pressure Ruby. Once she couldn't take it anymore, she would reach out to her contacts.
Following the trail, they would find Taylor.
Even if Ruby held out for a while, her contacts would eventually get suspicious and make a move.
After shaking hands with the chief, Jackson left the police station.
He got into the car, leaned back, and closed his eyes.
The driver, not Harry but a young bodyguard, remained silent, not daring to ask questions.
The car was silent until a sudden laugh, both sad and joyful, broke the silence.
The driver, startled, glanced in the rearview mirror.
He saw Jackson, usually so composed, with red eyes and a hint of tears.
The driver felt a chill, fearing for his life.
Had he just seen Jackson cry?
Terrified, he quickly looked away, expecting a reprimand, but none came.
Instead, Jackson's hearty laugh filled the car.
The driver, who had worked for the Frane family for five years, had never seen Jackson laugh like this.
Even a slight smile was rare and indicated a very good mood.
This kind of laughter was unprecedented.
The driver, unaware of Jackson's business at the police station, felt even more uneasy.
Had Jackson lost his mind?
As he worried, the phone rang, interrupting Jackson's laughter.
Jackson's smile faded as he answered the call, unsurprised to see it was Harry.
Harry had taken the child's hair for a DNA test to ensure accuracy.
Jackson instructed Harry to stay close and monitor the comparison process.
Clearly, the results were in.
With the phone to his ear, Jackson heard Harry's excited voice.
"Mr. Frane, the child isn't Taylor. The results show he has no blood relation to you or Mrs. Frane. Taylor must still be alive!"
Even though Ruby had confirmed it, hearing the results brought Jackson a sense of relief and joy.
He tightened his grip on the phone and gave a stern order.
"Return to Miracalia immediately. Search every inch and find Taylor."
"Got it. I'll recheck Ruby's connections and quickly identify who might be hiding Taylor."
"And keep an eye on the Price family."
Jackson added, knowing Ruby and the Price family had been collaborating.
The events of that night were orchestrated by the Price family, so they might be involved in hiding Taylor.
As he thought about it, Jackson's mind flashed to a delicate face—Logan from the Price family.
Taylor and Logan were born on the same day. If Taylor were alive, he would look like Logan.
Jackson's breath caught. His fingers tapped his knee as his thoughts raced.
He recalled Taylor's inexplicable closeness to Lillian, their harmonious interactions, and the Price family's indifference towards Taylor. He couldn't shake the feeling that Taylor resembled Lillian.
Could it be...
"Mr. Frane?"
Harry's voice snapped Jackson back to reality.
Jackson frowned slightly. "Is Logan still at the Peace Mansion?"
Harry had just been asking Jackson if he should inform Lyra that Taylor was alive and then contact the Flores and Green families to mobilize all forces to find Taylor.
But Jackson's sudden question about Logan caught Harry off guard.
"When we left for Seaspring Valley City, Logan was still at the Peace Mansion with the nanny. I'm not sure now."
Harry hadn't been keeping track of Logan, a child, while dealing with the situation in Seaspring Valley City.
Jackson's heart tightened. He instructed Harry not to inform Lyra yet and hung up.
Jackson had Mireille's number, the nanny caring for Logan.
He called her immediately. The phone rang for a while before Mireille answered.
"Mr. Frane, sorry for the delay. Logan was sleeping, and I didn't want to wake him. Do you have any instructions?"
Jackson's suspicions eased slightly upon hearing Mireille's explanation.
"Where are you?"
"Mr. Frane, Logan, and I are at the Price Villa. After the news broke in Seaspring Valley City, Dominic and Star insisted on bringing us here."
"Alright, take good care of Logan. I'll send Harry over later, cooperate with him."
Jackson hung up, feeling he might have overthought. If Logan were truly Taylor, Ruby's associates would have taken him away immediately after Ruby's arrest.
But Logan was still at the Price Villa, suggesting Jackson's suspicions might be unfounded.
Nevertheless, Jackson instructed Harry to visit the Price Villa in Miracalia, meet Mireille, and collect Logan's hair for a DNA test.
After giving Harry his orders, Jackson looked up.
"To the Kelly Manor."
His emotions were still turbulent, and he wanted to see Lillian as soon as possible.
The driver quickly drove towards the Kelly Manor.
Having overheard Jackson's conversation, the driver couldn't contain his excitement.
"Mr. Frane, is Taylor alive?"
Jackson looked at the driver, sharing the good news.
He nodded. "Yes, my son is alive. He'll be back with us soon."
The driver's eyes reddened with joy as he gripped the steering wheel.
"That's wonderful! Mr. Frane, hold on tight. We'll be at the Kelly Manor soon. Mrs. Frane will be overjoyed to hear this!"
The driver had been with Jackson for over half a year, witnessing the Frane family's sorrow over Taylor. Now, it seemed the clouds were finally parting.
The driver sped up, and Jackson's eyebrows lifted as he gazed out the window.
The first rays of morning sunlight pierced through the trees, illuminating Jackson's smiling, deep eyes.
The day had begun.
At the Kelly Manor.
Lillian had returned from the police station, lying in bed, unable to sleep as she thought about Ruby's words.
Oberon had a sudden fever that night, requiring medical attention until late.
Lillian finally fell asleep near dawn, and she dreamed.
She dreamed of her mother, Ophelia. Perhaps Ruby's arrest and the resolution of the case had brought this about.
Maybe Ophelia had been waiting for justice. It was the first time Lillian had dreamed of her mother since returning to the Kelly family.
Ophelia looked exactly like her photos, even more beautiful and elegant.
She sat on the swing in the Kelly Manor's backyard, smiling and waving at Lillian, her voice gentle.
"Lillian, my precious daughter, can you come over and let mommy hold you?"
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