Chapter 18 Despair


    The next day.


    It was four o''clock in the afternoon.


    The sky was overcast outside, and the air was ufortably humid.


    "Lacey, I finally got through your phone. Where have you gone?" Alina sounded urgent.


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    "I was in a taxi, and was taken awayst night. My phone was snatched when I tried to call you.


    Anyway, I''m on my way to the hospital. How is my mother?"


    "She''s gone!" Alina yelled.


    "What?" Lacey''s eyes widened in shock.


    "Since you didn''t returnst night, I apanied her all night. I went out to get porridge in the morning,


    and when I returned, she was gone! Lacey, hurry up and get here! I''ve already contacted the police!"


    Alina was so anxious that she was on the verge of tears.


    Lacey''s phone slid out of her hand when she heard the news.


    "Sir, can you drive a little faster?" Returning to her senses, she fell into tension.


    "Got it." The driver nodded his head.


    Lacey arrived at the hospital shortly after. Meanwhile, Alina was in tears as she walked back and forth.


    "Alina!" She shouted.


    "Lacey!" Alina came running up to her, grabbed her hand, and sobbed. "Why couldn''t I get in touch with


    you all night? Aunt Maria is missing! I looked throughout the hospital but couldn''t find her! Where do


    you think she could have gone?"


    Lacey was flustered. "Calm down, and let me think about it."


    "Lillianna is such an evil person. Just look at the text message she sent Aunt Maria." Alina''s hand was


    trembling as she held the cell phone.


    Puzzled, Lacey took the phone and nced at the screen.


    What text?


    When had Lillianna texted Maria?


    Why didn''t she know about this?


    "Why treat gastric cancer if it has already progressed to an advanced stage? You certainly have a fear


    of death!"


    "Do you know the source of your medical bills? It was obtained by sacrificing the body of your most


    obedient daughter."


    "Let me tell you something. I will never acknowledge you as my mother! I don''t want anyone to know


    that I have such a useless mother!"


    "I, Lillianna Carter, have only one mother, and that is Madeleine Brooks. Do you understand what I


    mean?"


    Lacey''s hands trembled as she read the texts sent just a few hours ago.


    Damn it, Lillianna had sent these messages while she was away.


    Still, she didn''t have time to deal with Lillianna now. She needed to figure out where Maria was!


    "By the way, there is a park near the hospital. My mother enjoys going there. Let''s go!" Lacey ran off in


    a sh.


    Alina wept as she ran. "Why did your father take you away? Do you know that Aunt Maria saw your


    newsst night and she cried?"


    Lacey, who was running, stopped. She looked at Alina and asked in astonishment, "What do you


    mean? You mean my mother saw the news?"


    "It''s not like you''re unaware of Facebook''s omnipotence. Your image has flooded the


    Inte. Thousands of people came looking for you, and Aunt Maria was exposed. Other people came


    to the hospital to use Aunt Maria of not properly educating you, but I was able to drive them away."


    Alina exined as she wiped her tears.


    A bad feeling came over Lacey at this point.


    She dashed towards the garden.


    "Mom—" Lacey began shouting in the garden.


    "Aunt Maria—"Alina went to look around as well.


    "Mom! It''s me, Lacey! Where are you—" She grew anxious.


    "Lacey, look, why are there so many people over there?" Alina pulled Lacey and pointed to a crowd in


    front.


    They exchanged nces before sprinting over.


    "Make way! make way!"


    The two squeezed their way in. When they finally made it to the front, both were immediately stunned.


    "s, the victim was a young one. Shemitted suicide by jumping into the river. What a pity."


    "Yeah, it''s said that her family hasn''t been able to get in touch until now."


    "Mom." Lacey softly called out.


    Alina covered her mouth as tears rolled down her cheeks.


    The person lying on the ground was no other than Maria, whom they had searched for a long time.


    "Mom." Lacey gradually squatted down.


    Maria was soaking wet. Her face was pale as shey motionless on the grass.


    "Mom, what''s the matter?" Lacey gentlyid Maria on herp and wiped the hair from her face. "Mom,


    what''s wrong? Say something."


    "Mom, I''m back."


    "Mom, wake up. I''m back. We''ll go back to Klosa if you don''t want to have surgery, okay?" Her lips


    quivered as she spoke. "Mom, let''s go back immediately. Let''s go back now."


    "Lacey." Alina crouched beside her. She reached out her hand and touched Maria''s skin, realizing that


    her body had stiffened.


    "Mom, it''s me, Lacey. Let''s go home. Why don''t you wake up? Let''s go home. We''ll leave South City, all


    right?" Tears shed from Lacey''s eyes.


    "Lacey." Alina bit her lower lip and sobbed as well.


    "Mom, say something. Open your eyes and look at me, Mom." Lacey burst into tears as she embraced


    Maria.


    There were chattering sounds all around.


    Just then, the rain, which had been held off for the entire day, began to fall.


    "It''s raining." The crowd began to flee in all directions.


    The police car arrived at that very moment.


    "Mom!" Lacey cried out in pain as she held Maria''s face. "Mom, please!"