Chapter 356 A Trap

Chapter 356 A Trap

"Okay, I respect your decision. But I agree with Martha - if he reaches out to you, please turn him down."

Oliver didn't mean to make decisions for Daniela. He just felt bad for her and didn't want her to get hurt again.

When someone who once abandoned you comes back, don't give them another chance to hurt you.

"I know."

With that, Daniela opened the car door and got out.

Three days later, she got a call from Justin.

Daniela hesitated for a moment, but still answered.

"Daniela, this is Sunny."

Sunny's voice came through the phone.

This was someone in the world who shared the same blood as her.

Daniela could hate Justin and Caroline, but she couldn't hate this innocent person.

"Sunny, hi."

Daniela didn't know how to interact with this person she was supposed to call her brother.

"Daniela, will you come with me to the zoo tomorrow? I really want to go see the lions, but I haven't had a chance since I got sick. Will you come with me, please?"

Sunny pleaded on the other end.

Two little voices were fighting in Daniela's head.

The rational one said, "Turn him down, this is a trap."

But the emotional one said, "Say yes, he's your brother."

Daniela stayed silent, not knowing how to answer.

"Daniela, did I do something wrong? Dad said we're brother and sister, and when I get better, I'll help Dad take care of you."

Daniela's defenses finally crumbled.

"Okay, tomorrow then."

She agreed and quickly hung up.

Sunny's voice kept echoing in her mind.

Daniela knew she wasn't being soft-hearted, and she wasn't confused.

She just longed too much for the warmth of family.

Martha had given her family warmth too, but it was different. She and Martha didn't have a home - they'd always been staying at Maple Estate.

That place wasn't their home.

The next day, at the agreed time, Daniela showed up at the zoo entrance.

Justin drove up with Sunny and appeared before Daniela.

"Daniela, I'm so happy to see you."

Sunny stuck his head out the car window, beaming at Daniela.

Justin quickly opened the door and lifted out Sunny's wheelchair.

"Daniela, sorry for keeping you waiting. Sunny's always loved lions, but his mom and I are too busy to bring him. Thanks for doing this today."

As he spoke, he gave Caroline a look.

"Daniela, thank you."

Caroline looked at Daniela and said with a smile.

Justin helped Sunny into the wheelchair, and Sunny wheeled himself over to Daniela's side.

"Daniela, let's go."

Caroline handed a bag of things to Justin, who quickly passed it to Daniela.

"There's some food in here, and water for Sunny. If you guys get tired, just call me and I'll have the driver come pick you up."

Soon, Justin and Caroline left.

In the car, Caroline looked back worriedly.

"What if that daughter of yours just leaves Sunny there?"

"She won't. I can tell she's just like her mom when she was young. Sunny's in bad shape right now, and he hasn't taken his medicine these past few days, so later..."

He didn't finish the sentence.

"What if something happens? What if there's danger?" Caroline asked worriedly again.

Justin's face showed displeasure. "We're not leaving, nothing will happen. Besides, isn't this all for Sunny's sake? As long as she agrees to the compatibility test, Sunny will be saved."

Only then did Caroline calm down.

"I'll have Carl follow them." Caroline was about to make a call.

Justin immediately stopped her, grabbing her phone and tossing it onto the passenger seat. "Sunny knows Carl. Do you want this whole thing to fall apart? Everything I'm doing is for our son. Just listen to me this time."

Caroline's lips trembled and tears were about to fall. "If you can't save Sunny this time, we're done. Let's just get divorced."

When she threw her tantrum, Justin immediately went into coaxing mode.

At the zoo, Daniela pushed Sunny's wheelchair as they walked inside.

"Daniela, let's hurry, the lion is up ahead. It's so majestic."

Sunny kept describing the lion to Daniela, but she didn't hear a word of it.

A brother had suddenly dropped from the sky.

She knew full well her father had dug a trap for her, yet she'd somehow jumped right in.

She must be crazy.

"Do you come here often?"

Daniela asked.

Sunny immediately opened up.

"Yeah, I used to come see the lion all the time. When I was little, Dad would carry me here. He always told me I'd grow up to be a lion too. Then I got sick, and it became too much trouble for them to bring me, so I haven't come much. Daniela, did you come to the zoo a lot when you were little? What's your favorite animal?"

Sunny looked up at Daniela and asked.

His question hit a sore spot for Daniela.

She'd never been to a zoo as a child.

Martha was too busy working and making money to bring her to places like this.

Later, when they moved to Maple Estate, Martha had even less freedom, and she herself had no chance to come here either, focused on becoming better.

She felt embarrassed to tell Sunny that this was actually her first time at a zoo.

"I don't like animals."

Daniela answered flatly.

"Why not? Animals are so cute! Look at that little bear - so fluffy and chubby, isn't it adorable? And that giraffe - don't you think it looks so funny when it eats?"

Sunny kept talking.

Daniela just listened, but never responded.

They were brother and sister, but they'd had completely different childhoods.

When they reached the lion exhibit, Sunny got really excited.

"Daniela, this lion is called Simba. Have you seen The Lion King? There's a lion named Simba in that too."

He started telling Daniela the story of Simba.

Daniela just listened. All of this was so foreign to her.

What Daniela didn't know was that not far from the lion exhibit, Quinley and Oliver were walking over with Riley.

Two-year-old Riley was sitting on Zachary's shoulders, riding piggyback.

"Daddy, go faster, I want to see Simba!"

Her chubby little hands held onto Zachary's handsome head as she urged him on.

Zachary's long legs picked up the pace.

Ever since Riley had grown up day by day, Zachary had completely become a doting father. Whatever Riley asked for, he'd agree to it 100%.

"Isn't that Daniela?"

As soon as the three of them arrived at the lion exhibit, Quinley spotted Daniela right away.

She was pushing a wheelchair with a young man in it, also standing at the edge of the lion exhibit. However, she didn't seem to notice Zachary and the others.

Zachary looked in the direction Quinley was pointing and saw Daniela too.

He also got a clear look at the man in the wheelchair.

He looked like an adult, but his expression was like a child's.

Zachary took out his phone, snapped a photo, and immediately sent it to Oliver.

Oliver had been busy at the office when he suddenly received a message from Zachary - no text, just a photo.

He enlarged the photo and immediately recognized Daniela.

Then he understood everything.

"Zach, where did you see Daniela?"

Oliver called right away, his voice full of urgency.

Earlier, Daniela had promised him she absolutely wouldn't go see Justin, but now she was with that half-brother of hers.

Oliver sensed danger. He had to pull the stubborn Daniela back.

"The zoo."

Zachary replied.

"Uncle, come see the lion with me!"

Hearing Oliver's voice on the phone, Riley snatched the phone from Zachary's hand and ordered into it.

"Okay, I'm coming right now."

Without a second thought about the meeting he still had to attend, Oliver rushed straight to the zoo.

[Where are you guys?]

Oliver had arrived, and another message came through.

"Lion exhibit."

Zachary replied.

Riley was already bored here and was making a fuss about going to see the giraffes.

Zachary indulged the child. Without a word, he stretched his long legs and, following Riley's orders, walked quickly toward the giraffe exhibit.

Soon, Oliver caught up.

He met Zachary at the giraffe exhibit.

"Uncle, we're over here!"

Riley was the first to spot him. Riding on Zachary's shoulders, she waved hard at Oliver.

He didn't care about anything else and hurried over, out of breath.

"Where are Daniela and them?"

Oliver asked, panting.

"Still at the lion exhibit, I guess." Zachary answered.

At that moment, Riley, riding on his shoulders, was making a fuss about wanting Oliver to hold her.

"Riley, I have something urgent today. I promise I'll hold you another day and let you ride on me, okay?"

He tried every nice word with Riley, but she wouldn't budge.

"I want uncle to hold me."

She started throwing a tantrum.

"Fine, I'll hold you."

Zachary indulged her and handed little Riley to Oliver.

"You take care of her now. Quinley and I are going to have some couple time."

Just like that, Zachary escaped with Quinley in his arms.

Oliver had Riley on his shoulders, but his heart was anxious.

"Riley, why are you torturing me like this?"

Oliver said unhappily.

Riley had gotten her way and now acted like a triumphant general.

"Uncle, didn't you say that when I need you, you'd always be there? Why are you going back on your word now? Looks like Daniela was right - men are no good."

Oliver was shocked. "How could Daniela tell you something like that?"

"She didn't tell me. I heard her when she was talking to herself, and I remembered it."

Riley was clever, so smart that Oliver had to be careful around this little one.

Riley rode Oliver like a high horse, very pleased with herself. When they got to the lion exhibit, they didn't see Daniela and Sunny.

"Where are they?"

Oliver got anxious and circled around the lion exhibit.

"Uncle, don't move, just stand here. I want to take a picture with the lion."

Riley started giving orders again.

But this time, Oliver couldn't follow her orders.

"Another day. I have something urgent today."

Oliver said and walked quickly forward.

Riley was used to being spoiled, with everyone always giving in to her. Now Oliver was ignoring her request.

She immediately started wailing.

Her little hands gripped Oliver's hair tightly as she opened her mouth and cried non-stop.

When she cried, Oliver instantly became the center of attention.

At that moment, Daniela was accompanying Sunny to the public restroom.

He needed to use the bathroom but couldn't do it by himself.

"Wait here, I'll go find staff."

After settling Sunny, Daniela immediately went to find staff to help.

Soon, they pushed Sunny into the men's room.

Daniela waited outside the door.

But after a long time, Sunny hadn't come out.

"Sunny, are you okay?"

Daniela called out loudly from outside, but there was no response from inside.

Without thinking twice, she rushed right in.

The two people who had taken him in were standing by the sinks smoking and chatting.

"Where's the boy from earlier?"

Daniela asked anxiously.

"Inside. He said his stomach hurt and he needed to stay a while longer."

One of them replied.

But Daniela felt something was wrong.

"Sunny, where are you?"

She called out loudly, her voice especially jarring in the large men's room.

"Miss, please go out. This is the men's room."

Someone reminded her.

But Daniela didn't care anymore.

She opened one stall door after another, just to find Sunny.

Soon, in the last stall, Daniela found Sunny.

He was leaning against the toilet, as if he'd fallen asleep.

"Sunny."

Daniela stepped forward and pushed him.

His body went limp and fell over. Daniela quickly reached out to catch him.

"Help, he's passed out!"

Daniela called to the staff outside. One had already left, but the other heard and quickly came to help.

Together they managed to get Sunny from the stall onto his wheelchair.

His face was deathly pale. Daniela tried pressing his pressure point, but Sunny wouldn't wake up.

"Miss, you should call an ambulance."

The man called for her, and the two of them pushed Sunny's wheelchair out of the restroom.

Soon, the ambulance arrived.

Everyone helped lift Sunny onto the ambulance.

While waiting for the ambulance, Daniela had called Justin.

But the phone wouldn't go through no matter how many times she tried.

"Uncle, isn't that Daniela?"

Riley suddenly spotted Daniela, just as she was helping lift Sunny onto the stretcher.

Oliver saw Daniela too. Without thinking, he grabbed Riley's little legs and immediately rushed toward Daniela.

"What happened?"

He asked anxiously.

Daniela looked up and ran into Oliver.

His face was tense, looking very worried.

Riley, riding on his shoulders, looked excited, grabbing Oliver's ears with both hands. "Daniela, we meet again!"

Daniela didn't have time to explain. She just nodded at Oliver, then quickly stepped into the ambulance.

Just as the ambulance door was about to close, Oliver pulled it open again. He pulled Riley down from his shoulders, held her in his arms, and got on the ambulance too.

"I'll go with you."