Chapter 181 What Does 1208 Really Mean
Was it happiness? Or luck?
The birth mother she'd searched for so desperately had been by her side all along.
Quinley wept with joy.
Even before she'd known Mrs. Ginger was her biological mother, she'd already thought of her that way in her heart.
"Are you sure? You verified everything?"
Zachary was always thorough. He would never make an announcement without being one hundred percent certain
"I know it's hard to process right now, but it's true. She really is your mother."
A gift from heaven. Fate had brought them together through what seemed like chance.
"That's wonderful. That's so wonderful!"
Tears streamed down Quinley's face. Zachary wiped them away gently. "Be happy. Come on, I'll go in with you."
Quinley nodded hard.
---
The gate to Elise's courtyard stood open. Quinley and Zachary walked in hand in hand.
In the living room, Elise was leaning back in a rocking chair, an old TV show playing in the background. She gazed around absentmindedly while a big orange cat napped on her lap.
The lighting was dim, but everything felt incredibly warm. It felt like home.
Quinley stood in the doorway, just watching.
Elise suddenly noticed them and jumped up to open the door.
"Cindy, what are you doing here? Why didn't you knock?"
When she saw Quinley's red-rimmed eyes and tear-stained face, she became concerned
"What happened? Did he do something to you?"
She pulled Quinley protectively to her side.
Quinley's tears spilled over.
Since she was ten years old, she'd known Marlee wasn't her real mother. For a ten-year-old, that knowledge had been earth-shattering. She'd worked so hard to be good, to pretend she didn't know. But deep in her young heart, a seed of longing had taken root.
"Did you have twin daughters twenty-five years ago?"
Quinley's lips trembled as she asked.
Elise froze. Then she shook her head.
"No. I have one daughter and one son."
"Really? You really didn't?"
Quinley asked again.
Elise shook her head numbly. "No. I really didn't."
Quinley broke down completely.
All the pain she'd buried came rushing back. She'd finally found her birth mother, and now that mother was refusing to acknowledge her.
"You did."
Zachary spoke up.
"Twenty-five years ago, you went to Rosewood City with your boyfriend. You gave birth to twin daughters there. Later, you abandoned them and came back here. You even changed your name. You used to be called Elise."
Cold, hard facts.
"No. I didn't. What are you talking about? I've never left Lakeside City in my life. I don't know anything about Rosewood City. It's late. I'm tired. I need to sleep. You should go."
Elise immediately put distance between herself and Quinley. Her expression was tight with panic. Her steps were hurried as she headed for the bedroom.
She left them standing there and went straight to her room, locking the door behind her.
"Mrs. Ginger, your daughter is standing right in front of you. She's been searching for you for so long. You really won't acknowledge her?"
Zachary said the truth. He thought once the truth was out, Elise would stop running.
But the bedroom door stayed shut.
Inside, Elise was shocked, horrified. She covered her mouth, crying silently. She kept shaking her head, trying desperately to contain her pain.
But pain doesn't obey. It spread through her like wildfire.
"Mom, please open the door. I'm your daughter."
Quinley knocked, crying. But Elise wouldn't budge.
"Please just open the door. Can we talk?"
Still nothing.
"Don't push her. This is too sudden. Give her time to process."
Zachary pulled Quinley back.
She collapsed against his shoulder, sobbing uncontrollably.
"Come on. Let's go back. We'll come again tomorrow."
Quinley desperately wanted Elise to acknowledge her, but she was rational enough to know pushing wouldn't work.
"Get some rest. I'll come see you tomorrow morning."
Quinley followed Zachary out.
---
But when they returned the next morning, Elise was gone.
The gate was open, the door unlocked. Everything inside looked exactly the same.
Except she wasn't there.
Quinley searched all of Elise's usual places. No trace of her anywhere.
"Don't panic. Now that we know she's your mother, I'll have people find her."
Zachary immediately put his team on it.
Quinley sat anxiously on Elise's couch, waiting. But by nightfall, there was still no sign of her.
Later, when Quinley returned to the courtyard, she found a letter from Elise in the mailbox by the gate.
[Cindy, by the time you read this, I'll have already left Lakeside City. I'm sorry for leaving without saying goodbye. I really don't want to relive what happened twenty-five years ago. When I lost you both, it wasn't because I wanted to abandon you—I had no choice. I hope you can forgive me. Live a good life. Don't look for me.]
But what was that impossible choice? She wouldn't say anything. She just ran.
Quinley held the letter and cried for a long time.
She'd finally found her birth mother, only to lose her again almost immediately.
"Don't worry too much. We'll find her."
Zachary tried to comfort her.
Quinley nodded. "We have to find her."
---
That same day, they left Lakeside City.
Word came from the station—Jeremy was asking to see Zachary.
So the day they got back to Rosewood City, Zachary went.
After half a month, Jeremy had lost a lot of weight. He leaned back in his chair, eyes narrowed as he studied Zachary. A smug smile played at his lips.
"Still haven't figured out the riddle?"
He meant those numbers.
"Just tell me what you want."
Zachary checked his watch. "I only have ten minutes."
"I gave you all that time. You really haven't guessed?"
Jeremy didn't look great, but his hawk-like eyes gleamed with malicious satisfaction.
Zachary had no patience for games. He stood. "If you don't want to talk, fine. I'm not that curious."
Just as he turned to leave, Jeremy's voice followed him.
"Let me give you a hint. You were three years old that year."
In an instant, the cold light in Zachary's eyes turned sharp as a blade.