Chapter 732: The Unregulated Clinic

At the same time, the Hayes family was racing down the road.

Rosalind was beside herself with worry, especially after learning that Benjamin had been taken to a clinic. She was so anxious that she wished she could fly there instantly.

Alex, aware of her unease, drove as fast as he could, the car speeding through the streets.

Despite their rush, it seemed like forever before the Hayes family finally arrived at their destination.

Once there, they immediately began asking around for Benjamin.

But to their dismay, no one seemed to have any information about him.

Refusing to give up, they split up and searched the area again, this time also asking about Thea.

Still, they came up empty. The doctors and nurses at the clinic insisted that there were no patients named Thea or Benjamin.

When the three regrouped, they shook their heads at one another in frustration.

Andrew frowned. "Could Trista have lied to us?"

The address had come from Trista. Was it possible that she'd given them false information, leading them on a wild goose chase?

Hearing Andrew's suspicion, both Rosalind and Alex's faces darkened.

If Trista had lied, that meant they'd been deceived by her yet again-or worse, that Thea had deliberately misled them.

After a few seconds of tense silence, Alex spoke. "I don't think so."

The other two turned to him, waiting for him to explain.

"Trista wouldn't dare lie to those people," Alex said, referring to the debt collectors.

The address had been extracted from Trista under intense pressure. If she had lied, she wouldn't just be deceiving them-she'd also be angering the very people who had terrified her into talking.

Rosalind felt slightly reassured but was still riddled with doubt. "If Benjamin really is here, why can't we find any trace of him?"

Andrew agreed. Something about the situation didn't sit right with him.

Alex was about to suggest questioning the staff again when Rosalind suddenly voiced her fear. "What if Thea has hidden him-or worse, harmed him?"

Her unease had been growing throughout their journey, and now, with Benjamin nowhere to be found, her anxiety was spiraling.

After all, Thea had already expressed interest in Benjamin's kidney. Hiding him-or even harming him-wasn't beyond her.

Andrew's expression darkened as he recalled how the doctors and nurses had dismissed their inquiries without even checking records. The whole clinic felt suspicious, as though it weren't entirely legitimate.

While he was still mulling over the situation, Alex came up with a new idea.

"If we can't get answers by asking, let's search the clinic room by room," he proposed. "The place isn't that big. If we comb through it carefully, we'll find him."

With no better options, Rosalind and Andrew agreed.

They quickly divided the clinic into sections and began their search.

Time passed, and when the three regrouped, they were exhausted-and still empty-handed.

Rosalind was breathing heavily, her frustration spilling over. "Could Trista really have…?"

Her words trailed off. She didn't finish the thought, but her anger was evident. Not finding Benjamin here left her both relieved and terrified.

Alex, equally drained, didn't even want to speak.

He was already considering contacting Mr. Cofer and his men. If Trista had indeed lied to them, she'd face consequences. And more importantly, Mr. Cofer's people had promised to help track down Benjamin's true location.

As Alex reached for his phone, Andrew suddenly stood up.

"There's one place we haven't checked yet," he said.

Both Rosalind and Alex turned to him, eyes sharp with realization.

"The operating room," Andrew said gravely.

His expression was heavy with dread. He didn't want Benjamin to be in there-but it was the only place left to look.

Rosalind was the first to react. Bolting from her seat, she rushed toward the nearest operating room.

The mere thought of Benjamin being in there sent waves of panic through her. She couldn't bear the idea and was desperate to check every room.

But the operating rooms weren't easy to access.

When Rosalind arrived at the nearest one, she was immediately stopped-by the family members of another patient waiting outside.

"Let me in! I need to see!" Rosalind cried, struggling against the people blocking her way.

Her desperation only fueled their anger.

"What's wrong with you?" one of them snapped.

"Who let this crazy woman in here?" another shouted.

The group forcefully pushed Rosalind back, causing her to stumble and fall hard onto the floor.

Alex and Andrew arrived just in time to pull her to her feet.

Even then, Rosalind continued to struggle, her eyes fixed on the operating room door, as though she was certain Benjamin was inside.

"Mom, calm down!" Alex snapped, his voice edged with frustration.

Andrew tried to calm her as well. "Mom, it's unlikely Benjamin is in there."

But Rosalind seemed deaf to their words, her panic driving her to push past them.

Alex and Andrew exchanged a glance before grabbing her and dragging her back down the hallway.

It took all their strength to pull her to a quiet corner where no one else was around.

Even then, Rosalind remained frantic.

"Mom, you shouldn't have acted so recklessly," Alex said coldly.

"Reckless?!" Rosalind shot back, her expression fierce. "We've searched every room except the operating rooms. Don't you think he's in there?!"

Her voice was sharp, and her gaze burned with accusation. "Do you two not care about Benjamin's life?"

Alex frowned deeply. "Mom, that's not fair."

"That's exactly fair!" Rosalind retorted. "If Benjamin's in an operating room, he's in grave danger! You might not care, but I'm his mother-I care!"

Andrew, sensing Alex's growing anger, gently pulled Rosalind aside. "Mom, of course we care about Benjamin. We all want to find him as soon as possible. But if we're going to check the operating rooms, we should focus on the ones without families outside."

His reasoning was clear. If Thea was forcing Benjamin to donate his kidney against his will, it would be illegal. There was no way she'd let anyone guard the doors so openly.

"Benjamin shouldn't be in that operating room," Andrew added, his tone calm but firm.

Rosalind felt slightly reassured by his words.

But as she recalled the moment she'd rushed toward the operating room, a chill ran down her spine. Her voice trembled as she said, "But I feel like he's in there."