Anne held Ella in her arms and rubbed her back comfortingly. She was determined to save Colin and reunite the father and daughter.
Ella cried her heart out. Anne patiently consoled the girl and stayed with her until she fell asleep.
It was past midnight when Anne returned to her room. Kevin was still awake. He saw her and rubbed his neck. "Has Ella fallen asleep?"
Anne took off her pajamas and tossed them aside. "I think the girl is made of water."
She shook her head helplessly and showed him the pajamas soaked in Ella's tears.
Kevin couldn't help but smile at his wife. Ella had cried a lot. However, the little girl was adorable. Everyone felt sorry for her rather than regarding her cries as a nuisance.
"The mayor's daughter's birthday is on the day after tomorrow. There will be a party. All famous people in A City will attend the ceremony." Kevin took out three invitation cards and gave them to Anne. "These are for us."
The cards were addressed to Kevin, Anne, and Selma respectively.
Anne groaned with frustration. "I hate such parties. But it will be inappropriate if we don't go."
Kevin smiled and threw the cards aside. He, too, hated attending boring parties. But they had no choice but to mark their presence.
Two days had passed in the blink of an eye. However, Peter hadn't made any progress in his investigation. They couldn't find any information either.
Ella was happy that her father was still alive. Her nightmares finally ceased, so Anne and Kevin could sleep at peace. Although the little girl missed her father, she believed that he would come to see her soon.
The mayor's daughter had turned eighteen this year. Therefore, it was not just a birthday party but her coming-of-age ceremony as well.
Selma enjoyed attending parties. Therefore, she bought a gift on behalf of the Fu Family.
"Too many things have happened in A City this year. You seldom get the chance to attend such a lively occasion. Moreover, you two work all day long and worry about Kim. You can have fun at the ball," Selma persuaded the couple.
Anne and Kevin looked at each other and sighed. They preferred staying at home rather than attending a boring party.
Anne wore a light-blue maxi dress to the party, while Kevin was decked in a black suit. The two looked beautiful, like a match made in heaven.
The Fu Family held a powerful position in A City. Although a lot had happened in the past, none of them seemed to affect the family's reputation.
All eyes turned to them when Kevin walked in with his mother and wife. Everyone greeted them warmly.
"Mr. Kevin, Mrs. Anne, you are finally here! Mrs. Selma, I'm so happy to see you!" The mayor's wife welcomed them.
Everyone was beaming with joy. Selma immediately gave her the box in her hand. "This is our gift for Miss Eliza."
Considering the Fu Family's status, they knew that it must have been a valuable gift. The mayor's wife looked excited. She turned around and waved at a girl, gesturing for her to come over.
Anne and Kevin followed the woman's gaze and saw a beautiful girl in a white dress. She was talking to a young boy.
However, she noticed her mother's gesture and quickly walked up to her.
"Eliza, this is a gift from Mrs. Selma. You should thank her." The woman smiled dotingly.
The girl didn't need any introduction because it seemed obvious that she was the mayor's daughter.
The gift was wrapped in a box, so she couldn't see what was inside. However, judging the shape, she guessed that it was likely to be a jewelry box. Eliza's face beamed with joy. "Thank you, madam."
Selma shook her head, smiling. "I haven't seen her for two years. She looks more beautiful now," she said, looking at the girl in awe.
The mayor's wife looked proud and happy. Every mother loved when people complimented their daughter. Therefore, she didn't bother hiding her joy.
Anne and Kevin exchanged pleasantries with the woman and walked to a silent corner. They were relieved to be finally away from the crowd.
Selma was an extrovert and enjoyed socializing with people. Therefore, she was busy talking to the other ladies at the party.
Moreover, everyone was flattering Selma, trying to be in her good books.
"When will the party end?" Anne whined.
"The ball hasn't even started yet. How will it end soon?" Kevin shook his head, feeling amused.
Anne groaned with frustration. The party hadn't started, but she was already bored. She couldn't wait to go home, curl into a ball, and sleep.
She sighed and raked her eyes across the room. Her body stiffened when her gaze fell on the center of the dance floor.
Eliza was with a boy. She was laughing at something he had said. The boy looked incredibly handsome. He was staring into Eliza's eyes, making her blush. However, the girl averted her gaze as if she was too shy to look at him.
Anne wasn't surprised that the girl was in love. However, the guy next to Eliza piqued her curiosity.
She had seen the boy before. It was a familiar face. Anne felt that she had seen him more than once.
Kim had abducted Anne and kept her under his custody for two years. The boy often came to see Kim. The man trusted the boy and gave him petty works to complete.
Handsome people always stood out in a crowd, so Anne noticed him even from a distance.
She never thought that she would see the boy again, that too as a guest of a prestigious party.
The boy was Kim's loyal assistant. Did that mean Kim was here too?
Anne grew cautious. She scanned the room to see the familiar face. Her body visibly relaxed when she realized that he wasn't around.
"What happened? Are you all right?" Kevin asked, squeezing her shoulder.
Anne took a deep breath and informed him about the boy. Kevin's jaw tightened as he listened to her every word.
Back then, when the police arrested Kim, they had managed to kill almost everyone who worked for him. However, the boy was an exception.
However, Kevin didn't think that he would pose a threat to them one day. He wondered if the boy was still working for Kim.
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