Chapter 17
Whatever the other person said, Dahlia's laughter floated out softly. "That's good... Tomorrow? I happen to be free... Yes, it's settled then. See you tomorrow."
The call ended.
Dahlia's voice carried undisguised satisfaction. "Uma, it's done. Tomorrow, Reginald's taking me to dinner."
"That's the way." Uma's voice was full of approval. "You're beautiful and well-mannered. How could the Lancaster family heir not like you? Meet a few more times and feelings will naturally develop."
Lucinda stood in the shadows, listening to these final words before turning and silently heading upstairs.
The Lancaster family.
An engagement.
She recalled that day in the institute corridor—the way that man had handed her his business card.
His tall frame, deep features, the aura of someone long accustomed to authority.
So he was engaged to Dahlia.
Lucinda pursed her lips. She didn't think much more of it and entered her room.
That evening, only three people sat in the dining room.
Dahlia wasn't there.
Valencia placed a piece of salmon in Lucinda's bowl, tone casual. "Dahlia said she has plans tonight and won't be back for dinner. Cindy, tell me what you want to eat. Don't be shy."
Lucinda acknowledged and ate slowly.
Halfway through the meal, she set down her utensils and looked up at Wesley. "Dad, there's something I want to ask you."
Wesley set down his utensils, gaze gentle as he looked at her. "Go ahead."
"Back then, how did I get lost?"
The dining room fell silent.
Valencia's utensils froze mid-air. Her eyes instantly reddened.
Wesley's expression darkened. He remained silent for a long while before speaking. "You'd just turned one that year."
His voice was low. "Our whole family went on vacation. We were waiting at the airport terminal. Your mother went to the restroom, I answered a phone call, and then..."
He paused, Adam's apple bobbing. "Just those few minutes. By the time we came to our senses, you were gone."
Valencia turned her head away, tears silently sliding down.
"Later we pulled the surveillance footage. A fire had suddenly broken out in the terminal—not a major disaster, but there was heavy smoke and the crowd panicked. Someone took advantage of the chaos to take you. The cameras only caught a blurry figure. Couldn't see anything clearly."
"We filed a police report, posted missing person notices, searched for you everywhere..."
Valencia's voice choked until it was barely audible. "One year. An entire year. We found nothing. Your father lost thirty pounds. I nearly cried myself blind..."
She gripped her utensils tightly, knuckles white. "Later we found Dahlia at our doorstep and brought her in."
Valencia wiped her tears. "But we never gave up looking for you. Every year your father sent people out searching, posted countless missing person notices, pulled countless connections... Twenty years. We never stopped, not for a single day."
Wesley put his arm around his wife's shoulders and looked at Lucinda, eyes also reddening. "Cindy, it's our fault. We didn't watch over you properly. These twenty years, you suffered."
Lucinda looked at them. Her expression didn't change much, but her fingers gripping the utensils tightened slightly. "I understand."
Her voice was flat. "Let's eat."
Valencia froze, about to say something, but Wesley gently pressed her hand.
He shook his head at his wife, signaling her not to continue.
The three continued eating. The atmosphere was somewhat heavy.
Lucinda kept her head down, utensils pushing food around her bowl, barely eating.
Terminal fire. Panicked crowd. Baby taken.
She connected these events in her mind. Something felt off.
A fire that wasn't major, happening precisely during those few minutes when both her parents were away, and someone specifically took advantage of the chaos to take her.
Too coincidental.
Coincidental enough to seem planned.
After dinner, Lucinda returned to her room and closed the door.
She stood by the window, pulled out her phone, and dialed a number.
The call connected after two rings.
"Lucinda?" Tamsin's voice came through. "What's wrong?"
"Help me investigate something. Twenty-one years ago, the fire in Starlight City International Airport's terminal. Find out how it started and who took me."
Silence fell on the other end.
Tamsin's tone instantly turned serious. "Understood. I'll look into it right away."
Lucinda hung up and stood by the window, gaze settling on the distant night.
The next day, at the nursing home VIP ward area.
Diana linked arms with Dahlia, smiling brightly as she pushed open the hospital room door.
"Uncle Hayden, Reginald, look who's here!"
Inside, Barney sat beside the bed peeling an apple for Hayden. Reginald stood by the window, phone in hand, apparently handling business matters.
Hearing the sound, he looked up, gaze sweeping over coolly.
Dahlia stood at the doorway wearing a white dress, long hair flowing over her shoulders, makeup perfectly refined.
She kept her head slightly lowered, lips holding a shy smile, like a white lotus just emerging from water.
"Reginald." Her voice was soft and gentle.
Diana pulled her inside, tone warm. "Reginald, this is Dahlia, the Douglas family's second daughter. You've met a few times before, remember?"
She paused, deliberately lowering her voice. "Dahlia is your fiancée—my future sister-in-law!"
Dahlia's face flushed slightly. She lowered her head and took a step forward, voice even softer. "Reginald, I heard Mr. Hayden Lancaster isn't feeling well, so I came specially to visit..."
Before she finished, a low voice came from the window.
"Diana." Reginald's voice wasn't loud, but the air in the room instantly froze.
He put away his phone, turned around, gaze settling on his cousin's face. "What nonsense are you spouting?"
One sentence, delivered lightly, yet it landed like a slap across the face.
Diana's smile froze. "Reginald, I..."
"Fiancée?" Reginald's voice turned cold. "Who told you that?"
Diana's mouth opened. She instinctively looked at Dahlia.
Dahlia's face went from flushed to deathly pale.
She stood rooted to the spot, fingers twisting her skirt hem, the shyness on her face not yet faded before embarrassment covered it completely.
Reginald's gaze swept across her face without pausing.
"Those words—I don't want to hear them a second time."
His tone was flat, but no one in the room dared make a sound.
Barney's hand paused while peeling the apple. He glanced at Hayden.
Hayden lay on the bed with eyes closed, whether truly asleep or pretending not to hear, no one knew.
Diana's lips trembled. She wanted to explain, but couldn't utter a word.
She shot Dahlia a secret glare.
Dahlia stood frozen, all color drained from her face.
She looked at the man by the window. He stood backlit, his tall frame somewhat imposing, his features deep and handsome, his entire being radiating an unapproachable coldness.
He really was handsome.
She bit her lip. The unwillingness in her heart overrode the embarrassment.
The engagement still belonged to her. As long as she held tight, there would be opportunities.
With the Lancaster family backing her, what did Lucinda have to compete with her?
With this thought, she straightened her spine a bit more.