Chapter 914
Ruby woke up six hours later, lying in the ICU with tubes attached to her body.
The anesthesia hadn't worn off completely, so she didn't feel any pain, but her mind was a bit foggy.
Her vision gradually cleared, and she saw a doctor in protective gear standing by her bed, along with Lillian.
The doctor noticed she was awake and asked her a few questions, to which Ruby nodded or shook her head in response.
After finishing, the doctor turned to Ruby and said, "The surgery went really well. Just rest up and follow the treatment plan."
Ruby felt a surge of relief. The doctor then turned to Lillian and said, "Ms. Kelly, if she shows no signs of rejection and her vitals stay stable, she can be moved to a regular room after about a day of observation."
Lillian nodded. "Thank you, doctor."
The doctor smiled and left the room. Lillian stepped closer, bending down and staring intently at Ruby, her voice cold.
"Ruby, I've done everything I could. I gave you a kidney, giving you a new lease on life. A life for a life. If you won't return Taylor to me now, at least video call your people and let me see that my Taylor is safe!"
Lillian removed Ruby's oxygen mask, causing Ruby to gasp and widen her eyes. She struggled to speak.
"No... no way..."
Lillian nodded, a slight smile on her lips. "No way? Fine."
Lillian grabbed the IV line connected to Ruby and began to pull it out. She smiled and said, "The doctor said these IV fluids are crucial for preventing rejection. What do you think will happen if I remove this needle?"
As Lillian slowly pulled the needle, Ruby's lips trembled with fear and anger. She could almost feel the needle being pulled out of her vein.
Having just undergone surgery, Ruby was at her most desperate to survive. She had just found hope and couldn't bear to fall into despair again.
Using all her strength, Ruby lifted her body slightly, glaring at Lillian with a look of intense hatred and defiance. She wanted to speak but could only gasp for breath. She was too weak to resist.
Lillian's smile deepened. "You're scared, aren't you? Just agree with me. I only want to see Taylor and make sure he's okay. It's just a video call. What are you afraid of? You know you have another week before you can be discharged. I'm worried about Taylor and can't wait any longer to see him!"
Lillian continued to pull the IV line as she spoke.
Cold sweat appeared on Ruby's forehead. She gritted her teeth. "Your son is in my hands. You wouldn't dare!"
Lillian yanked the needle out completely and held it in front of Ruby, sneering.
"Why wouldn't I dare? There are cases of severe rejection after a kidney transplant where the patient doesn't survive the ICU. Why couldn't you be one of them, Ruby? If you die, your people won't blame me. They'll think it was just bad luck. Do you think they'll take it out on Taylor for revenge, or use him to extort money from us? I think it's the latter. So, whether you live or die doesn't really affect my chances of saving Taylor. In fact, it might be easier if you die."
As Lillian explained, she let the IV fluid drip onto Ruby's face and neck, the cold drops feeling like knives to Ruby's heart.
Ruby trembled uncontrollably, feeling like her life was slipping away with the IV fluid. She grabbed Lillian's hand, her eyes finally showing a plea.
"I... I agree!"
Her voice was hoarse. Lillian sighed in relief and immediately took out her phone.
"Call them now."
Ruby, barely able to move, struggled to take the phone and dialed a number with trembling hands, giving broken instructions.
"It's me. Eight o'clock tonight, this number. Set up a video call with the kid. Got it?"
The person on the other end said nothing and hung up.
Ruby dropped the phone, glaring at Lillian.
Lillian's chest heaved slightly as she nodded in satisfaction. She patted Ruby's face with the hand holding the needle, as if petting a dog.
"That's better. I cooperate with you, and you cooperate with me. That's how we make a good deal."
Ruby's face turned pale with anger. She watched the IV fluid still dripping from the needle in Lillian's hand.
Lillian stood up. "Don't worry. I'll keep my word. I'll go get the doctor."
She turned and left, and the doctor came in immediately.
Lillian handed her phone to Ambrose, who was waiting outside. Ambrose quickly had someone trace the number Ruby had called.
Lillian removed her sterile gown and sat in a chair in the hospital corridor, waiting.
Hearing footsteps, she looked up and saw Ambrose, her eyes filled with hope.
Ambrose shook his head. "The number she called is unregistered. The call was too short to trace, and it's already been turned off. They've likely discarded it."
Lillian wasn't surprised by the lack of information. She just nodded.
Ambrose, seeing her calm expression but knowing her inner disappointment and anxiety, sat beside her and comforted her.
"They said they'd call at eight tonight. Everything's set up. The police have also narrowed down the location. Tonight, we'll further narrow the search and should make progress."
Gemma didn't know her grandson Jagger had been taken.
Jagger had called Gemma at the scheduled time to assure her he was safe.
The police had been tracking the call, but Gemma was cautious and quickly ended the call after Jagger's assurance.
Even so, the police had confirmed the location was in the southeast of Miracalia.
Though the area was still large, Jackson had already started narrowing the search.
Lillian smiled at Ambrose. "I know. Don't worry, I'm fine. I'm just looking forward to eight o'clock tonight when I can see Taylor on the video call."
Lillian's smile grew. She hoped Jackson could be there during the call so they could comfort Taylor together.
Just as she thought of Jackson, her phone rang.
Lillian took out her phone and saw Jackson's name on the screen, her eyes lighting up. She turned to Ambrose.
Ambrose stood up with a smile and said, "Grandpa's still worried about the situation. I'll go make a call. You should answer it quickly."
He left, and Lillian answered Jackson's call.
She immediately shared the good news with Jackson, "Jackson, Ruby just agreed to let us video call with Taylor at eight tonight."
Jackson's familiar, soothing voice quickly filled Lillian's ear. "You did great."
Lillian's eyes welled up with unexpected tears. She clutched her phone tightly and said, "What should I say to Taylor during the video call? Will he understand me? Will he recognize my voice? I'm so scared he won't recognize me, but also scared he will."
If Taylor didn't recognize her voice, it might mean he had been treated terribly. But if he did recognize her voice, hearing something familiar might make him cry harder and feel even more distressed.
Lillian couldn't stop her mind from racing. Even over the phone, Jackson could sense her anxiety.
Jackson's voice became even gentler. "Lillian, Taylor is our child. He's much stronger and braver than we think."
Lillian murmured, "Yes, Taylor is very strong. He was born prematurely and taken away from us. Dominic and his people wouldn't have taken good care of him, but Taylor still grew up brave, resilient, and healthy. Even when the nanny at the Price Mansion neglected and mistreated him, Taylor knew how to survive and seek help from us. He's truly amazing."
As Lillian spoke, her eyes grew wetter, and she found it hard to continue.
Jackson picked up the conversation. "So, Taylor will definitely be safe until we rescue him."
Jackson's voice turned more serious. "Lillian, I promise, tonight we'll confirm Taylor's exact location. Tomorrow, I'll bring our Taylor back to you, okay?"
Lillian choked up, biting her hand to regain composure before smiling and saying, "Don't fly around with Taylor anymore. I'll come to you! We'll reunite in Miracalia!"
"Alright, Taylor and I will wait for you," Jackson replied firmly.
Night fell.
As eight o'clock approached, Lillian placed her phone on the table, her eyes fixed on it, hands tightly clasped and sweaty.
Besides Ambrose, even Oberon had come to wait for the video call.
Around them, the police had set up equipment to trace the signal and pinpoint the location.
Officer Zephyr had repeatedly emphasized the important points to Lillian.
However, at eight o'clock sharp, the phone remained silent.
As the minute hand moved, Lillian's brow furrowed, and her face turned pale.
"Could they have sensed something and decided not to call? Or is Ruby playing tricks on us?" she wondered aloud.
"Let's wait a bit longer. No rush," Officer Zephyr said calmly.
Lillian picked up her phone, checked the battery and settings, and put it back down.
Seeing her anxiety, Oberon patted her shoulder.
Lillian looked at him, and Oberon smiled. "Stay calm."
But Oberon's palms were also sweaty. They could agree to all of Ruby's demands and send her abroad, but knowing Ruby's character, she might not keep her promise once she was out of the country.
So, they had to find Taylor and rescue him themselves. The longer it took, the less likely they were to find him. Oberon understood Lillian's anxiety.
Minutes passed, then ten, then thirty. Lillian's phone remained silent.
Even Zephyr began pacing the room, wondering if the kidnappers had sensed something and changed their minds.
Twenty-three minutes later, a sharp ringtone suddenly pierced the silence.
Lillian jumped; her first reaction was to look at Zephyr. Zephyr signaled everyone to get ready and motioned for Lillian to answer.
Taking a deep breath, Lillian picked up the phone.
The video call connected, showing a dimly lit corner of a room. The image was too unclear to provide any information.
Lillian couldn't see anyone. She clutched the phone and anxiously called out, "Where's my son? Taylor? Taylor!"
The image shifted, and a figure holding a small child appeared on the screen.
Lillian's blood boiled as she stared at the small figure. Both the person holding Taylor and Taylor wore black masks, revealing only their eyes, making it impossible to identify them.
"This is Taylor. You've seen him. Your son is fine, but if Ruby has any issues, I can't guarantee your son won't be harmed," a distorted, childlike voice said from behind the camera.
The person holding Taylor roughly patted his back twice. Taylor, who seemed to have been asleep or drugged, flinched and began to stir.
Lillian's heart ached. She cried out, "Don't hurt him! Don't hurt my child! I've agreed to all your demands! Did you drug him? Don't do that, he can't handle it. Do you need money? Give me a bank account number, and I'll transfer the money immediately. Fifty million dollars? A hundred million? Two hundred million?"
As Lillian spoke frantically, Taylor seemed to recognize her voice. He turned towards the camera, reaching out and crying louder.
Lillian greedily watched the screen, imagining Taylor's tear-streaked face under the mask. She didn't dare look too long, fearing she would break down.
She remembered Zephyr's instructions to keep the kidnappers engaged rather than wasting time comforting Taylor.
"Or if you don't want money, you can see Ruby. I'll take you to her now. I've agreed to all her conditions. Please, don't hurt my child."
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