Chapter 87

Chapter 87
If I hadn't been courageous enough to return to Flintstone City, I would have never found out that I have a daughter.

How could I have not known I had given birth to a twin and that the other child was stolen? As I asked myself this, I resisted the urge to burst into hysterics, wondering what would have happened to Cleo in Celestine's hands if I hadn't discovered she was my child.

“Calm down, Elizabeth,” he whispered.

I turned to him, my vision blurring while staring at his handsome face. “How could I calm down after learning the truth, Crimson? I wasted four years of my life not knowing she existed!”

“It wasn't your fault. You were deceived, just like me. It's all Celestine's doing! Instead of blaming yourself, think about what you have to do next!”

He was harsh, but his words were true, snapping me out of my misery like a slap. Cleo was my daughter, and it was my duty to protect her now and make up for lost time. I couldn't change the past, but I could certainly shape the future.

“Please bring me to Cleo… I want to see her now.”

As he took my arm and matched my stride in the lengthy hallway, there was pity in his gaze..“Cleo’s at my parents' house. I let them babysit for a day. I shall drive you to her,” he whispered.

Relief washed over me like a tide. “Thank you… I'll be at ease once I see her…”

“I believe she'll be thrilled to see you.”

—

After minutes of driving through the peaceful highway, we finally arrived at our destination: a large mansion with an impressive exterior. The colossal iron gates opened, and Crimson's car skidded to a stop in the driveway.

The front door swung open before we even had a chance to reach it, and a tall, elegant woman greeted us with a warm smile. Crimson introduced the woman to me as Martha, the caretaker of the mansion.

“You look familiar,” the woman remarked. Her gaze was intense, her eyes fixed on mine without blinking. After a long silence, she said, “You look like Cleo!”

Instantly, a shy smile stretched across my lips. Even the woman noticed that Cleo and I shared features.

Martha led us through the house. The grand foyer was adorned with marble floors and a sweeping staircase that led to the upper levels.

"Martha, have you seen my parents?"

"They are in the study… They have been waiting for you.”

We made our way to study. When we entered, Mr. and Mrs. Ashford were seated across each other on the sofa, their expressions etched with worry. I could feel the tension in the room.

Crimson's temples scrunched into a frown. He, too, felt the tense atmosphere. "Where is my daughter?"

The two stood up, but it was Mrs. Ashford who answered. "Celestine took her.”

“What!” My breath hitched in my throat. “S-she took Cleo!”

Crimson's mother brushed her fingers on her hair. “Celestine said she already asked your permission to take her, so we couldn't stop her from taking our granddaughter.”

“I never agreed to let her take Cleo; she tricked you.” Crimson's face turned red, and he clenched his fists.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself.

“Did she say where she was taking Cleo?” He asked.

“No… She didn't say anything. She was just in a hurry,” Alicia replied.

I felt cold all over, and my strength seemed to escape my body at the bad news. Negative thoughts swirled in my mind, making my chest painfully tight to the extent that I couldn't breathe. What if Celestine had done something to Cleo? What if she hurt the child? What if she…?

I pushed the negative thoughts to the back of my mind and pulled myself together. At this point, I wasn't sure if Cleo was safe, but I could only hope that she was unharmed. Otherwise, I would chase Celestine to the depths of hell to make her pay if something unpleasant happened to my daughter.

“I’m sorry,” Crimson's mother said. Remorse flickered in her eyes. “I didn't initially want to hand Cleo to Celestine, but she insisted, even threatening to make a scene if we didn't hand over the child. I had no option except to let her take Cleo. After all, she was the child's mother, and she had visitation rights.”

“She no longer has the right to take Cleo,” Crimson said grimly. “She wasn't even my daughter's mother.”

“What do you mean, son?” Alexander, who had been quiet for a long while, lifted his face, revealing a confused expression. “What are you saying?”

Crimson looked back at his father. He took a deep breath and explained, “I know it sounds shocking, but Cleo is not Celestine's child.”

Alicia's eyes widened, disbelief crossing her features. The look of shock was short-lived, though; soon after, it was replaced with relief. “Really? So I was right all along!”

"I found out the truth about Cleo not being hers during a DNA test. Celestine lied to me… to us.”

"Why would Celestine lie about something like that?" Alexander asked.

“I don't know about her intentions, but I bet she wanted me to dance on her palm. Thank goodness I didn't marry her before!”

Alicia hesitated. “I… I want to know who Cleo's biological mother is….”

“Cleo is Elizabeth's child,” Crimson announced.

I met Alicia's gaze, feeling nervous that she wouldn't accept me as Cleo's mother. But then her eyes filled with tears. “I... I can't believe it…”

I felt a lump form in my throat. “I just found out today.”

Alicia reached out a hand and squeezed my shoulders. “I'm so happy that you're Cleo's mother! I'm very happy because you're a hundred… no, a million times more deserving of being a mother than that woman!”

“Thank you, Mrs. Ashford,” I mumbled under my breath.

Alicia turned to Crimson. “Please find Cleo and make sure she's safe.”

“Elizabeth and I will find her!” Crimson promised. I had never seen him so determined before. “We will do everything in our power to bring Cleo back safely.”

“Go ahead! We can't waste more time!” Alexander said.

Crimson grabbed my hand. I could feel the warmth of his hand over mine as we made our way to the door.

—

We drove to Celestine's condominium, where we believed she was staying, but when we arrived, the place was empty, and the front desk informed us she had already moved out.

I could feel the panic rising within me.

I tried to stay calm for Crimson's sake, but the fear was overwhelming. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest as I desperately searched through the condominium with Crimson, hoping to find some clue as to where Celestine had taken my child.

But there was nothing. No note, no message.

Tears started to well up in my eyes out of frustration.

I sank down onto the couch, feeling defeated and helpless. How could Celestine do this to me? How could she take my child again?

Crimson sat beside me, his hand resting on my shoulder in a silent gesture of comfort.

"We'll find her, I promise," he assured me.

“Please…. I won't be able to take it if I don't see her again.”

“We will find our daughter, no matter what,” he said and wiped away the tears from my eyes. "We won't stop until we do."