Chapter 180: Relentless (Part 2)
“I need your help, Aidan,” Alison said.
“Alison, just tell me. Whatever I can do, I’ll help,” Aidan replied.
Alison bit her lip, then blurted it out. “Aidan, tomorrow is Aimée and Jack’s wedding. I’d like you to accompany me.”
Aidan was stunned, and asked, “Are you really going?”
“Yes. Actually, there’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you, but I didn’t know how to bring it up. Aidan, I’ll explain everything later. For now, please just help me out this once, OK?” Alison pleaded.
Aidan’s mind spun.
Didn’t Alison love Jack? Could what he had seen that night have been a lie? Had that woman not been Alison?
He was utterly confused. Yet when he met Alison’s eyes, he felt she wouldn’t deceive him.
“Alison, you just need me to accompany you to the wedding, right?” he asked.
“Yes,” Alison replied.
“All right, I agree,” Aidan said.
This gave him hope.
As long as Aimée and Jack got married, it wouldn’t matter if he had seen her with Jack that night. Then there would be no more obstacles between them.
He wouldn’t ask her why—so long as he could be with her, that was enough.
“Thank you, Aidan,” Alison smiled, though she half-expected him to press for more.
“Alison, don’t be so formal. I’m still waiting for you to come back to YD.”
Alison glanced back at the children. They had already gone down the slide. A server was now leading them in group exercises, promising a prize at the end.
Sophia and Ethan waved excitedly at her before following the server out.
But just as the children left KFC, a man in plain clothes rose from a nearby corner, quickly blending into the crowd.
Alison withdrew her gaze and turned to find Aidan still watching Sophia and Ethan.
“Aidan, these two kids are such little rascals.”
“It’s good. Mischievous kids are always clever.” Aidan’s gaze drifted back to the window.
“You seem quite experienced. Have you been through this yourself?” she quipped casually.
Yet her words made Aidan freeze, thoughts spiralling.
“Alison, do you care about my past?” He began to blame himself. Perhaps it was precisely because of his past scandals that Alison had dismissed him outright.
“ Aidan, that’s not what I meant…”
Before she could finish, Alison suddenly heard Ethan’s urgent cry.
“Mummy, hurry up! Sophia’s gone!”
“What?” Alison sprang to her feet, and Aidan followed suit.
They rushed out the door.
The children, who had been doing their rhythmic exercises, had stopped. Onlookers by the roadside murmured.
They scanned the area, but saw no sign of Sophia.
“Where did Sophia go?” Alison’s mind was in turmoil.
Aimée’s face flashed through her thoughts. Could she have done something to Sophia?
A buzzing sound filled her head. Overwhelmed by panic, her body went limp—she was about to collapse.
Fortunately, Aidan was right beside her and caught her in time.
Darkness swallowed her slowly.
She slumped against Aidan, letting him hold her.
In the darkness, she heard Ethan’s desperate cry: “Mummy!”
She felt as though she had grasped Sophia’s hand.