Chapter 70
Eventually, Edward found Lily curled up into a ball in some bushes.
He parted the branches and crouched in front of her.
Lily was hugging her knees, her head buried deep against her legs.
Hearing a sound, her ears twitched, but she didn't look up.
"Had enough of hide-and-seek?"
Lily's head moved slightly, her muffled voice coming from beneath her knees, "I want Mommy."
"Adeline isn't here."
"Then call Mommy." Lily looked up, her eyes rimmed red from crying. "I can't be without Mommy. I need her with me. Daddy, please call Mommy, okay?"
A tiny, delicate hand clutched at Edward's shirt.
Her recent illness had made her thinner, making her eyes look even larger. She looked pitiful, her dress stained with dirt.
"Let's go home first."
"Will I see Mommy when we get home?"
Edward didn't want to lie to a child, so he remained silent. Lily was a smart kid and immediately understood. Her little mouth turned downward, and she let her hand drop in disappointment.
"Why can't I see Mommy?"
She didn't understand.
She'd thought they would be reunited as a family of three.
But why couldn't Adeline and Edward exist together?
"I won't go back without Mommy. I'll wait here for Mommy to find me. Mommy always told me that if I ever got lost and couldn't find her, I should stay put and wait for her to come. Mommy won't abandon me." Lily murmured.
Edward felt his resolve weakening. "It's getting dark. It'll be cold out here, and there are mosquitoes. You're not well. You can't stay outside—you'll catch a cold."
"I'm waiting for Mommy to come."
Lily was incredibly stubborn, refusing to go back with him no matter what he said. The more Edward talked, the more she seemed worried he might forcibly carry her back. She stood up and moved away.
Looking like she wanted nothing to do with him.
Edward was at his wit's end. It felt more challenging than any billion-dollar business proposal. As he was carefully considering his words, Lily, shuffling around without watching where she was going, tripped and fell with a thud in the darkness.
Edward was startled and rushed over to help her up.
Lily's forehead was red from the impact.
Edward's expression darkened, and he picked her up without further discussion.
"No more nonsense outside. Come back with me. We can talk inside."
Lily's forehead stung, and seeing Edward's stern face—a bit scary—she didn't dare argue. She just cried silently.
By the time they got inside, she had soaked Edward's shoulder with tears.
Like a broken record, Lily kept repeating in Edward's ear between sobs, "I want Mommy... I just want Mommy. I don't want Daddy anymore. I want Mommy to take me home..."
Each sob was heartbreaking.
Edward had no choice. He carried her upstairs and treated the wound on her forehead. "If you keep crying, I won't help you find Mommy."
Lily's sniffling stopped abruptly.
"You'll help me find Mommy?"
"No more crying." Having found Lily after six years apart, Edward couldn't bear to be harsh. "Now be a good girl, get into bed and rest properly, and I'll call Adeline."
Lily immediately climbed into bed and pulled up the covers.
Her big eyes blinked as she watched him.
Edward called Adeline in front of her, but there was no answer.
"Can't get through."
Lily's eyes instantly dimmed.
Edward remained silent, grabbed his suit jacket, and left.
Getting into his car, he instructed the driver.
"Find Adeline."
That little girl was getting better and better at pulling his strings.
Adeline had drunk quite a bit, but alcohol is strange—the more you want to get drunk, the more sober you stay. She put the already passed-out Olivia to bed and went to clean up the terrace.
Suddenly, she heard someone knocking.
She opened the door. "What are you doing here?"
Edward caught a whiff of alcohol on her and frowned. "Now that you don't have to take care of a child, you're free to drink yourself into oblivion?"
Adeline paused, then answered his question with one of her own. "Do you need something?"
"Lily is asking for you."
"Did Lily cry?" Hearing this, Adeline became anxious. "She's never been away from me before. She must be having a hard time adjusting. Did you scold her?"
"I didn't."
Edward wouldn't dare.
Adeline sobered up instantly. "Okay, say no more. I'll go see Lily now. If she doesn't see me, she probably won't sleep at all tonight."
Worried, she closed the door and left immediately.
She didn't even take her phone.
The car ride was silent.
When they reached Serenity Haven Estates, Adeline hurried inside to find Lily waiting in the living room.
The little girl had been looking anxiously in all directions and finally spotted Adeline.
"Mommy!" She cried out joyfully and threw herself into Adeline's arms.
Adeline hugged Lily tightly, feeling as if she'd lost and found her again. "Lily... what happened to your forehead? How did you get hurt?"
She cradled Lily's face, looking at the bandage on her forehead, her heart aching.
"Silly Lily, why aren't you more careful?"
Now that she had her mom, Lily didn't care about anything else. "Mommy, stay with me. Don't leave again."
Adeline naturally couldn't bear to refuse, but she also couldn't promise.
Because this was Edward's home.
"Sweetheart, you need to take good care of yourself. You can't let yourself get hurt, okay?"
Lily squirmed and nuzzled in her arms.
Edward watched their intimate interaction from the side, saying nothing. He waited until Adeline took Lily upstairs to her room to rest.
He stood at the doorway for a moment, then turned and left.
After lulling Lily to sleep, Adeline realized she smelled of alcohol. It was a wonder Lily hadn't complained.
She wanted to wash her face and discovered the door wasn't closed.
She stepped into the hallway and saw Edward standing on the balcony. His silhouette looked somewhat lonely.
"It's late. Why aren't you sleeping?"
Edward didn't turn around. "When do you plan to transfer Lily's custody to me?"
Adeline's heart sank. Though she had anticipated this, it still hurt when the moment arrived.
"Whenever you have time to sign."
"Come with me."
Edward led her to his study.
On the desk lay a custody transfer agreement. It clearly stated that from now on, Lily's custody would belong to Edward, and Adeline wouldn't need to pay child support.
It also stated that if Adeline wanted to see the child, she would need Edward's consent.
Which meant if Edward didn't agree, she couldn't see Lily.
Adeline had an objection, "I'd like to add a clause—I can visit Lily once a week."
This way, even if they had conflicts later, or if Edward got a new girlfriend,
She couldn't be prevented from seeing Lily.
But Edward said, "Too frequent."
"Then every ten days."
"Every two weeks."
Adeline firmly refused. "That's too long."
Edward challenged her, "Do you want the child to see you often, build a relationship with you, and then find it hard to part with you?"
Adeline was taken aback. After a moment of silence, she changed her position.
"Every ten days."
"Acceptable."
Edward called someone to amend the agreement on the spot.
Adeline signed it without hesitation.
After signing, Edward glanced at her. "You're quite decisive."
He seemed displeased again.
Adeline didn't know what had upset him and didn't care to ask, "Even if I weren't decisive, I wouldn't have a choice, would I?"
He wouldn't have agreed otherwise.
With his power, he had a thousand ways to make her sign.
There was a visitor.
The housekeeper went to open the door.
Randy entered with Alicia, pushing her shoulder.
"Apologize."
Alicia looked up and saw Adeline. Her expression changed, and she grabbed Randy. "I told you Adeline would use the child to stay here! Edward, don't let her manipulate you!"