With a grim face, Sam looked at Yilia and continued, "She didn't lie. Beryl really is Mr. Jacob's daughter. Now, where is the kid? Where do you keep her?"
"What?" Yilia stammered. Her eyes suddenly opened wide in disbelief. She shook her head multiple times, and her eyebrows furrowed in a frown. She bit her lip and cried out, "Impossible! That's impossible! You can't possibly know that! Mr. Jacob himself told me that he has no daughter."
'How is that possible? That brat? That little, lying girl is Mr. Jacob's daughter?
This man must be deceiving me!' Yilia thought with a huge frown on her face.
She looked at Sam and wondered if he really was lying in front of her. When she saw how serious he looked, Yilia swallowed a lump on her throat. She couldn't accept the fact that Beryl was really Jacob's daughter, because she obviously knew what awaited her. Once Jacob found out what she did to his daughter, there was no wonder that Jacob would kill her.
On the other hand, Sam observed Yilia's expression. He honestly didn't care what she was thinking about. All he cared about was Beryl and Emily, who were the most important people in Jacob's life. He was willing to do whatever it took to protect both of them.
He adjusted his grip on her collar and tightened it. Yilia winced. The indifference that covered Sam's face was as cold as ice. When Yilia still wouldn't talk, he asked again, "Where is the kid? Where is she? Tell me!"
"The kid… she… um… she…" Yilia stammered and lowered her head to avoid his piercing eyes. She swallowed another lump on her throat and replied, looking anywhere but him. "I... Honestly, I don't know! After she cut my wrist yesterday, she ran away to God knows where! Believe me, I don't know where she is right now."
"And you let a little kid run off like that?" Same glared at Yilia and tightened her collar once more to make her look at him. Yilia shook and couldn't answer in fear. After a moment, Sam finally loosend his grip and let go of Yilia. He looked at his hands with disgust as if he just threw trash with his own bare hands. He placed a hand on his temple and ordered, "Take her away."
Yilia's eyes widened as several men clad in black suit entered the ward after getting Sam's order. They held Yilia by the arms and dragged her violently, pulling her away without mercy.
Yilia struggled as she was being dragged out. She glared at Sam and exclaimed, "What are you doing? What is this? We're in a damn hospital! You can't do this to me! It's against the law! Let me go!"
Sam ignored Yilia's cries. His face didn't budge and stayed indifferent, but deep inside he was already anxious and lost in thought.
Why did Beryl come back alone from D country? How could Emily let her child alone? 'She is only five years old, but clearly, she already had been trafficked and deceived for the past few days. Now, the little girl is wandering alone, most probably lost and scared. Who knows what could and would happen to her?'
Sam thought. He also wondered what happened to Mr. Jacob and why he forgot about Beryl and Emily.
For now, Sam focused his goal into finding Beryl first. He had to make sure that the little girl was safe.
...
Meanwhile, Beryl wandered around the city, trying to find Jacob. She went here to see her father, and she had to fulfill that goal. However, she didn't know where she could find Jacob, and she knew better than to trust strangers.
Especially that what Yilia did to her was so painful and almost traumatic.
As she walked, once she got tired, she would sometimes hide quietly behind the garbage bins beside a fastfood restaurant. She would feel hungry as she looked the glass walls of the restaurant, but she felt more longing and sad watching the crowds inside eat with bright smiles on their faces along with their beloved ones or friends.
This image made her smile and reminded her of the times that her mommy and daddy would take her to the cake shop, and they would enjoy themselves with the sweetness of the cake from the frosting to the core. Her heart filled with warmth as the happiness from those moments was still vivid for her.
Right now, she looked like a homeless and neglected puppy. She had no other choice but to watch how happy others were, while she succumbed to her own melancholy.
Some of the people that passed by her had pity in their eyes, making Beryl feel even more sorry for herself.
Then again, she shook these negative thoughts away and tried to cheer herself up.
Back in their place, her mommy and Anna were waiting for her rescue. They were depending on her, and she wanted to be their superhero and save them.
Because of this thought, Beryl once again gained a little strength and confidence. She believed in herself that she would find her daddy's company at the end and would be able to see him and talk to him. When they meet, if her daddy apologized to her, she would reluctantly accept his apology.
She wanted her daddy to beg her for a long time before she would talk to him, and that she would pretend to be angry at him to make him feel guilty.
What he had said to her before really stabbed Beryl's heart, but her pain now was nothing compared to the danger her mother was in now. She had to act fast to save them before it was too late.
At last, Beryl made up her mind. She smiled, but after a while, the delicious smell from the fast food restaurant finall distracted her, making her empty stomach growl like a starving beast. She swallowed her own saliva and murmured, "Ugh, I'm so hungry!"
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: A Call That Changed Her Entire Life