Chapter 316 The Alley
With the company's customs issue hanging over us like a dark cloud, every second felt like an eternity. Just when I thought I couldn't take the suspense any longer, my phone rang urgently.
I fumbled to answer it, and when I saw Nicholas's name on the screen, my heart skipped a beat.
"Diana, I just found out Edward was rushed to the hospital after having a seizure," Nicholas's voice crackled through the line. My heart clenched, a mix of relief and worry swirling inside me—this could be the break I needed to find Skylar.
I hung up and bolted out of my office without a second thought.
I almost ran into Theo at the doorway, making him nearly drop the stack of files he was holding.
"Diana, what's going on? Why are you in such a rush?" Theo asked, looking both concerned and confused.
"Edward's in the hospital, and I need to get there now. Keep an eye on things here and call me if anything comes up," I said quickly.
I rushed past Theo and headed straight for the elevator.
In the reflection of the elevator doors, I caught a glimpse of the worry in Theo's eyes.
I hurriedly searched for Edward's hospital room.
When I pushed the door open, I found Edward half-reclining on the bed. He looked pale, but his eyes were slowly regaining focus.
He seemed surprised to see me and shifted slightly.
I quickly approached his bedside, my voice urgent. "Edward, where is Skylar?"
Edward's dazed expression froze at the mention of Skylar. His face went even paler, and his eyes widened in fear. "Skylar? I was going to take her to see the fountain, but then..."
"What happened next?" I pressed.
Edward squinted, looking out the window as if trying to remember. "Skylar's balloon fell into the restaurant, and Wilmer went back to get it. So I decided to take Skylar to the park first. But by the time we got there, the fountain show was over."
"Then where did you take her? You lost Skylar!" I had seen this part on the surveillance footage and was desperate to know what happened off-camera.
Tears welled up in my eyes as I grabbed Edward's collar, my voice trembling. "Skylar is so young. If anything happens to her, I won't forgive you!"
Edward's eyes widened in disbelief at my words. "Skylar wanted to go to the park, but Wilmer kept insisting she go home. I was so angry. My daughter just wanted to play freely. So when Wilmer went back for the balloon, I took Skylar away quietly. I just wanted her to have a good time."
Edward's voice softened as he reminisced, speaking haltingly. "We played hide-and-seek in the alley. Every time I pretended not to find her, she couldn't help but giggle. We were so happy. She even jumped up and kissed my cheek."Edward's frail fingers gently brushed against his cheek.
Seeing the happiness radiating from his face, I couldn't hold back my tears any longer and started to sob.
Edward continued, "We walked hand in hand through that quiet alley. The walls on either side were weathered. Diana, do you remember the wall where we carved our names? It's now covered in wildflowers. Skylar said she wanted to pick a bouquet for you."
Of course, I remembered. It was the wall where I had carved our names when I had a crush on Edward years ago. The once-familiar scene had now become a painful memory in the search for Skylar.
"Enough!" I interrupted Edward's recollection. "I just want to know where Skylar is."
"Diana, I'm sorry," Edward said, his smile fading as a shadow crossed his eyes.
"While she was picking flowers, I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my head, followed by dizziness. I knew I was having another seizure. I tried to reach for Skylar, to protect her. I was so worried about her! But my body wouldn't listen to me. I fell, and Skylar was scared and started crying," Edward said and clutched his head, looking pained.
Listening to Edward's account, I could almost see Skylar, helpless and crying beside him after he fell.
"Then I lost consciousness. When I woke up, I found myself in this hospital bed," Edward said, his eyes turning red. I knew he was also worried about Skylar, but the ache of her disappearance weighed heavily on me, and I struggled to forgive him.
Edward's eyes filled with tears, his voice choked with emotion, almost pleading. "Diana, I didn't mean for this to happen. I don't know where Skylar went."
His eyes were full of guilt and regret. Suddenly, he frantically reached to pull out his IV, trying to get out of bed. He kept muttering, "I need to find Skylar. I need to find her."
Seeing this, I felt my heart tighten. I rushed forward and slapped Edward across the face, shouting, "Edward, you need to calm down! In your condition, how can you even think about searching for Skylar? Where would you even start?"
Edward seemed stunned by the slap, his movements halted.
I turned to the window, forcing myself to calm down. I said, "Think carefully. When you had the seizure, was there anyone around, or did you hear any sounds? Skylar is just a child; she couldn't have gone far. We need to find her from these clues."
"Sounds?" Edward tried to remember. "There were hardly any people on that road, and the lights were dim. The only sound I heard was a distant dog barking," he said, his voice filled with despair.
Suddenly, a knock on the door pulled me back to reality.
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