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4. Eirene’s Situation

Eirene’s Situation

Eirene was running breathlessly through a dark, narrow alley, calling out her daughter’s name, “LUCY… LUCY!” She screamed so loudly that she felt a burning pain in her throat. As she ran aimlessly, she reached a cliff—a deadly precipice.

“Mom, save me! Mom…” Lucy sobbed, desperately trying to reach her mother. Eirene sprinted toward her, but the small space between them felt endless. Suddenly, two bulky men appeared, dragging Lucy toward the edge of the cliff. Despite using all her strength to run, Eirene couldn’t close the distance as they pushed…

“LUCY…”

Eirene jolted awake, screaming from the nightmare.

“Eirene, are you okay?” Robin was right by her side.

It took a moment for Eirene’s blurred vision to clear. She was in her own home, behind the Beatrix Mansion where she lives with her daughter. This house had been given to her by her uncle Arthur Beatrix, the head of the Beatrix family and also the Finance Minister.

“Eirene, drink some water,” Robin urged as he hurried to bring her a glass. Looking at him, Eirene realized that it was all just a dream; however, Lucy was still missing.

“What time is it? Did someone call me? What about Lucy?” Instead of drinking the water, Eirene bombarded him with questions in her hoarse voice.

“Relax; you need to rest.” Robin gently held her hands. In her panic, she nearly tore out the infusion needle from her arm and then realized she was receiving glucose.

Eirene took a deep breath; tears welled up in her eyes again. A single tear rolled down her cheek. Robin held her firmly, worried she might try to run again, and softly wiped away the teardrop with his tongue before Eirene could react.

Eirene didn’t react to Robin’s gesture; she was already aware of his feelings for her, but this was not the time to address them. She chose to ignore it and focused on her daughter.

“How long have I been sleeping?” she asked, tearing the insulin IV from her hand as she prepared to leave.

“It’s been over 30 hours,” Robin replied, feeling ashamed of his earlier action. It was rare for them to be alone like this.

Eirene wiped the blood from her hand with the corner of her light green, worn-out dress and picked up her cell phone. There were no missed calls or messages. After a moment of contemplation, she called her uncle. After a few rings, the line went busy.

“Mr. Beatrix is not available, and you’ve already tried multiple times. He doesn’t care,” Robin said. He wanted to comfort Eirene, but nothing seemed to penetrate her current state.

Eirene fell silent, lost in thought as she planned her next steps to find her child. Earlier, her mind had been chaotic, impairing her ability to think clearly, but now that it was somewhat calmer, she could identify potential loopholes in Lucy’s disappearance.

Eirene wasn’t there because Melissa had called her urgently; rather, the park from which Lucy had vanished was a well-known and secure location. It was Sunday afternoon, a time when many families gathered there with their children, making it unlikely that someone could simply drag her away. Besides, Lucy was smart; she would never voluntarily leave with a stranger.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. “I’ll check,” Robin volunteered, and soon the small house was filled with the loud and intrusive voice of a woman.

“How long are you going to neglect your duty?” Mellisa exclaimed as she barged in as if it were her own property. She looked Eirene up and down; although Eirene had rested and changed out of her dirty clothes, her appearance remained pitiful.

Eirene’s hair was unkempt from not being combed after a long sleep; her lips were cracked and bleeding; her face was pale; and her eyes were red and swollen.

After observing Eirene's condition, Mellisa turned to Robin, who was still standing by the door. “Your daughter is missing, yet you still remember to flirt with a man,” Mellisa mocked as she sat on Eirene’s bed, smirking and completely ignoring the infusion equipment beside it.

Eirene was accustomed to Mellisa's behavior from their childhood; one couldn't expect any semblance of human decency from her.

“I haven’t found Lucy yet; please give me more time,” Eirene said in a low voice, ignoring Mellisa’s sarcasm.

“I have a lot of work pending, and I have a show tomorrow, so stop wasting my time,” Mellisa replied indifferently, pressing Eirene to return to work for her.

“Mellisa, please, there are many servants working in the main house. My Lucy is missing; I just need two more days,” Eirene pleaded. It was true that she hadn’t worked for almost a week, but as a small maid, her duties could easily be covered.

“Why are you acting like this? It’s not as if she’s your own daughter; you just picked her up,” Mellisa shot back, her anger rising. They had known each other since childhood; Eirene had been Mellisa’s personal maid since the age of eight. This was the first time Eirene had ever replied back after years of servitude, and it was over a child she had merely taken in.

Eirene took a deep breath. She wanted to speak, but the words got stuck in her throat. The shame and helplessness were evident on her face. Mellisa felt a sense of satisfaction upon seeing Eirene's distress, as if causing her pain was the sole purpose of her visit.

“I’m leaving. If you don’t come within an hour, don’t blame me for the consequences.” Mellisa paused to look at Robin and then around the small house. “You still need this job to keep your daughter and grandmother safe, right?”

As soon as Mellisa left, Eirene turned to Robin. “You should go to work,” she said, cutting him off before he could respond. “Please leave me alone.”

Eirene lay on her bed, her mind consumed by Melissa's words. The innocent, smiling face of her daughter Lucy flashed in her thoughts, and a tear rolled down her cheek. Eirene worried about her precious child, wondering what she might be doing and if something had happened to her.

It was rare for Melissa to give Eirene an hour off, as she would often create a mess even if left alone for a minute. Eirene slowly closed her eyes, her thoughts in disarray, making it difficult to make any decision. If she left this job, her grandmother would suffer, but if she didn't, what would become of her daughter?

In the midst of her turmoil, Eirene's cell phone rang. It was an unknown number. Eirene, who had few friends, initially hesitated but, considering the situation, answered the call without delay.

"Mom..."

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