117. Missing Lucy

117- Missing Lucy

“Why didn’t you follow her?”

His voice was low, but the anger vibrated through every word.

“It was Victor Park. We don’t dare follow him, don’t forget his real identity, sir,”

The woman replied calmly, unfazed by Aurther’s anger.

Aurther disconnected the call and leaned back, resting his head against the seat.

“Take me back to the office,”

He instructed the driver. Without stepping foot inside his house, he left once again.

“MOM!”

Lucy’s scream pierced the air, jolting Eirene awake. For a moment, she was disoriented, her heart pounding as she tried to grasp what had happened.

“Lucy, what’s wrong?”

Eirene asked, her voice thick with concern.

“Mom, I thought I was dreaming! Did you really sleep with me?”

Lucy’s eyes sparkled with excitement before she threw her arms around Eirene, hugging her tightly. Her delight was unmistakable.

“Let’s get you ready for school,”

Eirene said as she led Lucy to the bathroom. She avoided answering further questions, still weighed down by her sleepless night. It had been early morning by the time she’d finally managed to drift off.

When Eirene emerged, expecting Lucy to be running late, she was surprised to find two maids already tending to her. One was packing Lucy’s schoolbag, while the other was helping her into her uniform and styled her hair.

Eirene felt a twinge of awkwardness. She had spent her life serving others, always worried that Lucy might face the same fate. Yet now, Lucy was the one being cared for.

“Mom, let’s go! The chef makes really good breakfast, even the vegetables taste great!”

Lucy exclaimed, eagerly dragging Eirene toward the dining hall.

Inside, Samuel was already seated, sipping coffee as he typed away on his laptop.

“Rich man, why are you up so early today?”

Lucy beamed, her joy at having spent the night with her mother still evident.

“I have things to do. What’s got you so happy?”

Samuel asked, habitually lifting Lucy and placing her in her kid’s chair.

Eirene watched in silence. Everyone in the house treated Lucy with such care and affection, making her feel at home. Yet, Eirene couldn’t ignore the nagging doubts in her heart.

Even with money and status now, could she truly provide Lucy with the same level of safety and power that Samuel could?

Lucy, however, remained blissfully unaware of her mother’s turmoil. She was simply happy. She adored both her mother and Samuel, and the feeling of being with them together filled her with delight.

The ride to school was just as pleasant. Seated between Eirene and her "Rich man," Lucy excitedly shared all the things she wanted to do.

Upon arriving, Lucy’s homeroom teacher greeted her with a warm smile.

“How nice, Lucia, that your mother and father dropped you off together today.”

Lucy frowned and quickly corrected her,

“No, Miss, it was my mother and Rich man.”

The teacher chuckled before pressing on,

“Why are you lying, dear? You look so much like your father.”

The comment wasn’t surprising. Ever since the incident in the Dean’s office, rumors about Lucy’s family had been circulating.

Lucy’s face reddened as she snapped,

“No, he is not my father!”

Turning away, she took her seat, refusing to look at the teacher.

Realizing her mistake, the teacher immediately softened her tone.

“Sorry, dear Lucia. I won’t say that again.”

Though the question had been driven by curiosity, it wasn’t the first time Lucy had heard such remarks. Her reaction made it clear how much the topic affected her.

Lucy had grown fond of her Rich man. He was the man who had rescued her from danger, protected her from Mellisa, and provided her with a far better life. But her feelings toward her father were entirely different.

He had abandoned her and her mother at Beatrix Mansion, leaving them to suffer. There, she had been verbally abused and bullied whenever her mother wasn’t around. Her mother had worked tirelessly, only to be punished.

If her father hadn’t left them, would things have been different?

The mere thought deepened Lucy’s resentment, intensifying the anger she held toward the man who had forsaken them.

Lucy waited at home for Samuel, refusing to do anything else. The puzzled servant, sensing something was amiss, called Samuel to report the situation, fearing that something might have happened to Lucy. Without hesitation, Samuel abandoned his work and rushed home.

As soon as he entered Lucy’s bedroom, he let out a sigh of relief and asked,

“Lucia, what’s wrong? Did someone say something to you?”

Lucy, who had been lying motionless on her bed, suddenly sat up and reached out, signaling Samuel to sit beside her.

“My homeroom teacher told me I look like you.”

She said, her voice laced with both curiosity and irritation. Pouting, she scrutinized Samuel’s face before her gaze lingered on his blue eyes.

“Is it because we have the same eye color?”

“Well, blue eyes are rare in this country,” Samuel explained.

“But my mother is from Norway, where they’re quite common.”

He pulled Lucy into his arms, though his concern hadn’t entirely faded since receiving the call.

“So why do I have these eyes if my mother isn’t from Norway?”

Lucy asked, her curiosity growing.

Samuel hesitated. A part of him wanted to tell her the truth, but he knew it wasn’t the right time. Instead, he replied carefully,

“Well, your father might have had the same eyes.”

Lucy’s expression darkened instantly. She pouted, her enthusiasm vanishing.

“I don’t want to be connected to that trash man.”

The sparkle in her eyes dimmed, and Samuel’s chest tightened at the sight.

“Trash man? Did your mother call him that?”

Samuel asked, studying her face closely, trying to grasp Eirene’s thoughts through Lucy’s words.

Lucy frowned, thinking for a moment before answering,

“No, my mom still loves him. But Aunt Stella calls him trash.”

She fell silent briefly, then added with conviction,

“I think he’s a trash man too. I don’t like him, and I don’t want to meet him.”

Samuel held her gaze before gently coaxing her into taking a short break. He suggested she have some refreshments before finishing her homework. Then, he discreetly instructed the staff to prepare her favorite dish for dinner.

The next day, Samuel sat in his office, lost in thought. His conversation with Lucy lingered in his mind, and he knew he had to handle the situation carefully. He had decided to reveal the truth to her little by little.

But he had no idea that events had already taken an unexpected turn.

The sudden sound of a door bursting open snapped him out of his thoughts. Sia rushed into the office, her face pale and filled with urgency. She took a deep breath before speaking, her voice trembling.

“Lucy is missing. Her school just called… they said she never showed up today.”