Chapter 320 Protecting Skylar
A cop with a megaphone hurried over to Joshua, looking all serious. "Joshua, should we start the announcements now?"
Joshua turned to me. "Diana, you wanna talk to her, or should we?"
I waved him off. "Let the cops handle it."
Joshua nodded.
The officer then raised the megaphone and called into the mall, "Anne, you're surrounded. Don't resist. Hand over Skylar!"
The voice boomed through the empty mall.
Anne flinched, her eyes shifting from their usual gentleness to panic and hostility. She instinctively shielded Skylar behind her, scanning the area like a cornered animal. Her hands shook a bit, but she held Skylar tight.
Standing with the police, I stared at Anne and Skylar. Seeing Anne holding Skylar protectively made my blood boil. I'd been searching for Skylar everywhere, losing sleep night after night. Anne had taken my Skylar.
Anne spotted me too. She let out a cold laugh and shouted, "I'm protecting Skylar. She's safest with me! She's just a kid; don't scare her! I'm her aunt. If you have any issues, come at me!"
As she spoke, she started backing away, looking for a way out with Skylar.
I glared at Anne, my anger bubbling over. I couldn't help but shout, "Is your so-called protection keeping her away from me? Do you know how much I've suffered these days? Give Skylar back to me!" My voice must've sounded desperate because the crowd around us started murmuring.
Hearing this, Skylar seemed to sense something was wrong. Her little face was full of fear as she clung to Anne's clothes, whispering, "Aunt Anne, I'm scared. I want Mommy."
Hearing Skylar's words shattered my heart, and tears welled up in my eyes.
Anne looked at the frightened Skylar in her arms, a flicker of hesitation in her eyes, but she quickly steeled herself and shouted back at me, "You don't know how to protect her. Skylar is unlucky to be with you!"
Her words cut through me like a knife.
Skylar, terrified, cried and burrowed into Anne's arms. Anne had to crouch down to comfort her softly, all while keeping an eye on the cops surrounding them.
I could see that Anne was starting to get nervous.
Watching her gently comfort Skylar stirred a mix of emotions in me. Despite Anne taking Skylar away, she hadn't harmed her. Skylar looked as healthy and adorable as ever.
From their interaction, I could tell that Anne cared for Skylar, and Skylar relied on her during this time. This realization softened my hatred somewhat, leaving me deeply conflicted.
I hated Anne for what she did, but I couldn't ignore her care for Skylar. This tangled mess of feelings left me bewildered.
Why was Anne so good to Skylar?"Anne, don't resist. Let Skylar go. Surrendering is your only option," the cop with the megaphone kept pushing.
Anne had backed into a corner by then. Standing in front of Skylar, she shouted, "I haven't done anything wrong! Why should I surrender? I refuse!"
"You took someone else's child without permission. That's illegal. We need to ensure Skylar's safety," the officer explained, trying to calm her down.
Skylar cried uncontrollably behind Anne, clutching her clothes and wailing, "Aunt Anne, I'm scared."
Hearing Skylar's cries, my heart broke, and tears threatened to spill from my eyes.
Anne, now visibly anxious, turned back to Skylar, crouching down to speak to her. I couldn't hear their conversation from where I stood.
Sensing Skylar's distress, I couldn't help but take a few steps forward, longing to reach her, hold her, and assure her that she was safe now.
But Joshua grabbed my wrist, snapping me back to reality. I looked at him, confused.
"Diana, don't be impulsive," Joshua cautioned. "Anne's emotions are unstable. We don't know if she's armed. Don't provoke her."
Hearing Joshua's reasoning, I froze in my tracks and replied mechanically, "Please, save Skylar."
The police were on edge due to Anne's emotions, but they still maintained their encirclement.
The officer with the megaphone continued in a steady tone, "Anne, give up. Cooperate with us. It's the best for both you and Skylar."
"No, I don't trust you! You'll just throw me back in jail. My good days have just begun. I can't go back!" Anne shouted, her voice filled with desperation.
As the standoff continued, a commotion of hurried footsteps approached from the distance. I turned to see Edward, supported by a caregiver, rushing over.
Seeing him brought a mix of relief and inevitability. Skylar was Edward's daughter, and it was because of him that she was taken. Of course, he would be frantic.
Edward, upon seeing Anne and Skylar surrounded by police, broke free from the caregiver's grip, trying to rush forward.
Seeing this, I quickly intercepted him, lowering my voice, "The police have a plan. Don't act rashly and ruin it."
Edward, his hands trembling, gripped my wrist, his voice choked with emotion. "How can I not be anxious? Skylar is my daughter. It's my fault. If I had taken better care of her, Anne wouldn't have had the chance to take her."
Edward's face was etched with pain.
I sighed, "Edward, now's not the time for self-blame. I know you're worried about Skylar, but acting impulsively won't help. We need to stay calm and trust the police. They'll bring Skylar back safely."
Though I tried to reassure Edward, my heart was tight with tension, unable to relax for even a moment.
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