Chapter 312 No One Has Ever Raised a Child
"What? Is Lillian being kidnapped?" Susanna freaked out when she heard Lillian was missing. "Aviana, I'm heading back right now."
"No need. Lillian's in Radiant Valley," Aviana replied.
"That's nuts. I didn't take her to Radiant Valley." Susanna was totally confused.
Aviana explained, "Charles said Lillian wanted to surprise you, so she went to Radiant Valley early. By the time I found out, she was already there."
Susanna was livid. She couldn't believe Lillian had snuck off to Radiant Valley. What if something happened to her in that crazy place?
She tried to keep her cool. "Aviana, let me talk to Charles. Is this how he looks after Lillian?"
"I've already chewed him out. The main thing now is to find Lillian. I've sent all the flight info to your phone. Let's find her first," Aviana reassured her.
Susanna gritted her teeth. "Fine, we'll deal with those two brats after we find Lillian!"
After hanging up, she rubbed her temples and looked at Taylor. "Lillian's in Radiant Valley. She'll probably head to the Radiant Valley Hotel. Send someone to find her. We need to locate her."
"Okay, I'll hit up Connor right away."
"Wait, don't contact him yet. I have beef with his sister. If she finds out Lillian's missing at the Radiant Valley Hotel, she'll definitely stir up trouble. If she gets her hands on Lillian, she won't give her back easily." Susanna thought for a moment. "Spread the word about a missing kid, but keep my name out of it."
"Got it." Taylor immediately went to make arrangements.
Shaken by the news of Lillian's disappearance, Susanna wasted no time. She dialed Lillian's number, knowing she always had her smartwatch on. But the call went unanswered, making Susanna even more anxious. The thought of anything bad happening to Lillian made her heart race with guilt.
In a dilemma at the sight of Susanna's call, Lillian wrestled with guilt, too scared to pick up. Freshly warned by Charles about Aviana knowing her whereabouts at Radiant Valley, Lillian realized Susanna must know too.
Feeling guilty, Lillian decided to answer the call, but her watch had run out of battery! She'd have to wait for Aaron to get back to contact Susanna.
During the wait, drowsiness crept over Lillian. Not having taken a nap that day, she gave in, indulging in another slice of cake before dozing off on the cozy couch.
When Aaron got back to the hotel suite, he found Lillian peacefully asleep on the couch, still clutching an untouched slice of cake. Amused yet amazed by her ability to doze off like that.
Not long after, Sam pushed the door open and walked in. "Vivian's sleeping in my room. I'll crash with you tonight."
Aaron raised a finger to his lips, signaling Sam to keep it down. Only then did Sam notice Lillian on the couch. He thought of the woman who looked exactly like Susanna and wondered if there was a connection.
Aaron looked at him. "Go grab a towel and clean her hands."
"Why me? Why not you?" Sam asked.
"She's your kid."
"Aaron, she's not my kid."
"Not your kid, and she came all the way to find you? Remember that woman who ditched you in Novaria?" Aaron pushed. "Think she might be connected to that mess?"
Sam's face darkened at the mention of Novaria, a place he wished he could forget. But as he watched Lillian snoozing on the couch, he gave in. Quietly, he headed to the bathroom, came back with a damp towel, and gently cleaned her hands.
He put down the towel and asked, "Aaron, where's she gonna sleep tonight?"
Aaron looked at the deeply sleeping Lillian, her features so much like Susanna's, which bugged him. Finally, he said softly, "She said she'd sleep on the couch."
"Alright, I'll grab her a blanket," Sam replied.
"I'm gonna take a shower." Aaron glanced at the lipstick mark on his shirt, thinking about what had happened earlier, his expression complicated.
That woman looked just like Susanna, except for the mole at the corner of her eye. But her personality was totally different!
Aaron and Sam turned towards the bedroom, but before they could enter, they heard a thud from the couch. Clearly, something had fallen to the floor.
Aaron's eyes narrowed. He immediately went back to the couch and saw Lillian sleeping soundly on the carpet.
Sam chuckled, "She didn't even wake up?"
Aaron couldn't help but bend down to pick Lillian up. As he cradled her close, she instinctively nestled against his chest and whispered, "Daddy."
Finding comfort in his embrace, Lillian quickly found a cozy spot in his arms again, drifting off into a peaceful slumber.
Aaron frowned at the sleeping Lillian. "I never said I'd hold you while you sleep."
Lillian started snoring, her small hand clutching Aaron's shirt. Without disturbing her grip, Aaron lifted her and took her to the bedroom.
He placed her on the bed, covered her with a blanket, making sure she was cozy before leaving the room quietly.
Sam watched the scene unfold, knowing why Aaron had softened. Leaning against the door, he asked, "Does your face still hurt?"
Earlier in the lobby, Aaron had taken two slaps without a word.
Aaron's thin lips pressed tight as he said, "If you don't speak up, no one's gonna treat you like a mute."
Retreating to the bathroom, he swapped his shirt, eyeing the phone number scrawled on it with hesitation. After a moment of internal debate, curiosity got the better of him, and Aaron couldn't resist dialing the number.
Soon, a sweet female voice answered, "Hello, this is Tranquil Care Hospital. We have the best team ready to serve you. Your call is being connected..."
Hearing this, Aaron hung up immediately. He gripped his phone tightly, feeling tricked.
That familiar feeling of being played had returned. Aaron looked at the man in the mirror, his eyes bloodshot.
He had to find out who that woman was!
The next morning, Tyler's phone rang with an irritated tone from Aaron. "Bring a set of clean clothes for a kid."
On the other end of the line, Aaron's expression darkened as he inspected the wet patch on the bed, a sight that wouldn't normally be there.
Aaron, usually a neat freak, was a bit exasperated as he sternly asked, "You wet the bed?"
