Chapter 84 Searched the Whole City, Still Couldn't Find Her
Snowflakes fell silently around them. In the quiet night, only Caspian's steady voice echoed in her ears.
Gloria vaguely felt something wasn't quite right. Caspian seemed too indulgent with her.
Yes, that kind of indulgence where he'd give her anything she asked for.
Not like a younger brother, not like a friend, and not like family either.
She found it hard to put into words what his feelings for her were.
There's no such thing as pure friendship between men and women—she'd known this since she was young.
Just like her and James. At first they were good friends, but in that innocent age of first love, the moment she grabbed his collar and kissed him, their relationship changed.
Especially in these complicated times, how could there be pure friendship?
Attraction between opposite sexes—most of it was about physical needs.
But Caspian was too strange.
They'd had intimate contact before. Even after finishing filming scenes, his eyes remained calm and composed, never revealing even a hint that he wanted her.
Whether it was three years ago when she withdrew from public life, or their recent reunion.
He seemed too indifferent toward her.
If he really liked her, why would he help her unconditionally, and even repeatedly advise her to think carefully and not impulsively abort the child?
He hadn't deliberately pushed her relationship with James forward. He only stepped in to help when she needed it.
He didn't seem like someone orchestrating events, but more like an observer, coldly watching things unfold.
Not love.
Gloria could only attribute it to gratitude.
Caspian stepped forward and raised his hand to brush the snowflakes off her shoulder.
The cold pine and sandalwood scent on him was extremely elegant, like mountain snow water—clean and crisp, driving away all those inappropriate thoughts from her mind.
He adjusted the umbrella handle for her, firmly blocking the wind and snow outside.
Gloria looked up into his calm eyes, which were like a vast lake, so peaceful without a single ripple.
His voice was light: "You still have tomorrow. Think it through—do you really want this child or not? Your body has been injured before, right?"
Gloria's hand tightened inch by inch around the umbrella handle. She pressed her lips together without answering.
"The procedure will damage your body again. If you hurt yourself for a man, sacrifice an innocent life, and end up never being able to conceive again, I think that's too high a price to pay."
Gloria remained silent, not knowing how to respond. Her small face looked especially pale and helpless in the wind and snow.
"Alright, it's freezing out here. Go back inside, don't catch cold."
Gloria nodded, her voice carrying endless hoarseness and exhaustion: "The road is slippery, be careful on your way back."
"Okay." He turned and got in his car.
The car started and slowly drove away. Through the rearview mirror, he saw that Gloria hadn't left.
That thin figure of Gloria, holding the umbrella, slowly crouched down, looking so pitiful in the cold wind.
Gloria's mind was in chaos. She knew Caspian was right, and she knew how hard it had been for this child to come.
Was she really going to take out James's mistakes on the child?
She might not regret it today, but what about in five years, ten years?
When she saw other people's children, would she be envious? Would she regret the child she'd aborted?
In her old age, when others had children and grandchildren around them while she was all alone, would she be lonely?
Gloria sat on the steps, covering her face with both hands, crying silently.
She heard a helpless sigh by her ear.
She looked up to see Caspian standing in front of her.
His gaze was even darker than the thick night. Gloria's tears still hung at the corners of her eyes, her disheveled appearance crashing into his pupils.
She felt a bit flustered and at a loss.
"You—didn't you leave?"
He pulled out a handkerchief and bent down to wipe the tears from the corners of her eyes. His cold voice took on a touch of warmth: "You're still the same as when you were little, haven't changed a bit."
Back then, when she was bullied outside, she was afraid to go home because Vivienne would worry.
The day before he left, he'd searched for a long time before finding her.
Gloria was hiding in a cement pipe, her eyes red.
She said bad moods shouldn't be brought home.
Gloria looked at the calm and refined Caspian before her. He was like a deity from heaven, without desire or obsession.
Forever looking down from above at the ways of the world.
Only toward her, he was like a beam of warm sunlight falling into her barren and dark world.
Gloria grabbed his hand, like a drowning person in the vast ocean finally grasping a piece of driftwood.
Her palm was a bit cool, forming a stark contrast with the warmth of his wrist.
Poor Gloria, tears streaming down her face, looked at him so helplessly, desperately wanting an answer.
"Caspian, help me. What should I do?"
He had become her only salvation.
Using the force of her hand, Caspian pulled slightly and drew her body into his embrace.
The umbrella in Gloria's hand fell to the ground. She hugged Caspian's waist tightly.
She stood one step higher than him, greatly reducing the height difference between them.
Gloria buried her face in his neck, her scalding tears sliding down against his skin.
Her hands gripped his clothes tightly, her breath hot and intense, waves of warmth falling onto his neck.
Caspian's prominent Adam's apple bobbed. His hands loosely held her.
His steady voice fell by her ear: "Gloria, I can provide you with convenience, but I can't make any life decisions for you. This path, you have to choose yourself."
"Whatever decision you make, I'll stand by your side. The day after tomorrow morning, I'll come pick you up. You can choose to abort the child, or you can choose to find a place to clear your head."
"People should never make any decisions when they're impulsive."
He was clearly two years younger than her, yet at this moment he seemed like her life mentor.
The scent on him was gentle and elegant, gradually soothing her restless and anxious heart.
Gloria lifted her head from his embrace. "I'm sorry."
She used her fingertips to wipe his neck. The cool skin touched him gently. Caspian grabbed her hand, not letting her move anymore.
"It's okay. Everyone has a vulnerable side. In that house with wind coming through all four walls, it was your small body that held me and kept me warm."
Caspian held her waist, using his own body to shield her from the wind and snow. The handkerchief wiped away her tears bit by bit, gentlemanly and restrained.
"If it weren't for you, I would have frozen to death that snowy night. Gloria, whenever you need it, I can always provide you with warmth."
Hospital.
James's condition hadn't stabilized yet. He had a recurring fever and was unconscious, trapped in nightmares.
"Gloria!"
He shouted and opened his eyes.
John approached him. "Mr. Williams, how are you feeling?"
James's mind went blank for a moment. Looking at the room's layout, he realized he was in the hospital. His hoarse voice asked: "Have you found Gloria's whereabouts?"
"Not yet. Mrs. Williams hasn't purchased any transportation tickets, and there's currently no hotel check-in information or spending records."
James's heart sank. "Check her phone. I installed a tracking chip in it."
That day when he threw away Gloria's old phone at Maria, he gave her a new one. He'd done it as a precaution.
John shook his head. "Mrs. Williams isn't using that phone."
James sighed helplessly: "She's guarding against me to this extent. I just didn't want her to leave me."
"Don't worry, Mr. Williams. Vivienne's health isn't good, so Mrs. Williams couldn't possibly take her on a long journey."
"Did you check the nursing homes?"
"Yes, there's no registration record."
"What about Caspian's whereabouts?"
"Can't find them."
James looked at the heavy snow outside the window, his heart aching.
He'd searched all of Silverlake Springs but found no trace of Gloria.
As time passed second by second, his unease deepened.
He struggled to get out of bed and directly pulled out the needle from the back of his hand. Blood splattered.
James said in a low voice: "Give me the car keys. I'm going to find her. There must be some place you've overlooked."
"Mr. Williams, you're so sick, your fever hasn't even gone down yet. If you want to find Mrs. Williams, at least wait until you're feeling better."
"No, there's no time."
"No time for what?"
James didn't even bother changing clothes. He grabbed a coat and threw it on, and rushed out in slippers.
"Mr. Williams."
"Grandma just had surgery and is still at risk. She'd only choose two places—either the hospital or a nursing home."
"Mr. Williams, you mean?"
James stepped out of the hospital entrance. The fierce cold wind rushed at him. His sharp gaze turned toward a mountain peak.
"I have a feeling they're at Dawnrise Recovery Retreat!"