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7. Preparation for Party

Preparation for Party

“Add some diamonds here,” Melissa ordered Eirene as she painted her nails while Eirene made adjustments to the dress.

“Make sure to do it better; Adhere is taking me to an important party this week,” Melissa continued, not feeling the slightest regret about making Eirene work for her while Lucy had been missing for almost ten days.

Eirene remained silent, her mind calm. At least her daughter was doing better; she called once a day. They didn’t talk much, but Eirene could sense that Lucy was improving—at least there was no one beating or scolding her as she had been treated in Beatrix’s house.

Melissa’s irritation grew as Eirene continued to ignore her commands and focused on her work. In a fit of frustration, she picked up a glass full of juice and threw it at Eirene.

Eirene was drenched in juice, and a shard from the broken glass cut her arm. Instead of tending to herself, she shielded the dress she was mending with her own body. Melissa felt a sense of satisfaction upon seeing Eirene’s blood.

“Go wash my clothes; I don’t want any stains on them,” she huffed, returning to her beauty routine.

“Eirene,” Robin called as soon as she reached the washing area as if he had been waiting for her.

Pain was evident in his eyes as he saw Eirene soaked in juice and bleeding. “Why aren’t you leaving with me? You don’t have to be a maid here. It hurts me to watch you struggle every second.”

Robin took her hand, but Eirene pulled away. She didn’t say much; instead, she showed him the dress she was carrying. “I have to wash and prepare it before her party.” With that, she walked away.

Robin’s expression changed as he watched Eirene enter the laundry room. He hadn’t expected her to speak, but being completely ignored stung his pride again.

As far as he remembered, Eirene had always been silent; she never expressed her emotions or accepted help from others, no matter how much she struggled or suffered. She never allowed anyone to shelter her from her pain.

While soaking the dress, Eirene's phone rang. She checked it immediately but was disappointed to see it wasn’t her precious daughter calling; it was her friend Stella.

“Eirene, I think Lucy might be in danger,” Stella said slowly, making Eirene's heart skip a beat.

“What do you mean? I talked with her yesterday; she was fine,” Eirene replied anxiously.

“She might be fine now, but the person…” Stella hesitated, as if debating what to say. “Eirene, she is calling from a special phone made for military and undercover agents. Only someone related to the government or involved in illegal activities would use those.”

“I don’t understand. She just calls from a different number every time,” Eirene said, feeling overwhelmed. Her life had revolved around Melissa Beatrix, leaving her with little experience of the outside world.

“No, that phone is designed so that no one can trace its location. I think the person she’s with is dangerous.” Stella sighed; she had struggled for a long time before confessing this to Eirene. Her superior had told her everything that day, but considering Eirene's mental state, she hesitated to speak.

“Shouldn’t you do something? She’s just a child! What could they possibly want from her?” Eirene insisted, wanting to continue when Stella spoke again.

“We are trying to locate that person. Eirene, I think her kidnapping isn’t straightforward. Do you think Melissa might have done it?”

Eirene fell silent at Stella’s words. She had her doubts and was certain she would fail if she stood against Melissa, Arthur Beatrix’s favorite daughter.

“What should I do?” Eirene asked desperately. Lucy was her only family; she couldn’t lose her. “The higher authorities aren’t helping, but there are some hackers who can provide information. Let me look into it. In the meantime, keep an eye on Melissa; given her nature, she might drop some hints.”

Stella explained several other details before ending the call.

Eirene’s leg felt weak, and she fell to her knees. Why was it so hard for her to keep that little life safe? Just as negative thoughts surrounded her, the phone rang again.

“Grandma,” Eirene answered softly. Her grandmother rarely called her since childhood.

“Eirene, I need money for my knee operation. I don’t want to disturb you, but you were supposed to send it to me last week,” the old lady said.

Her grandmother’s voice sounded healthy, and rather than asking how Eirene was doing, she only mentioned the money. Eirene's numb heart lacked the energy to feel disappointed, so she simply disconnected the call.

That call was a harsh reality check; she couldn’t even cry. Slowly wiping her tears, she remembered Stella’s words: she had to fight for her daughter’s safety.

Styling and making dresses was her favorite hobby, but today even that could not lift her mood.

On the other side, Samuel was working at his desk when his office door swung open. Without lifting his head, he knew who had entered.

“I’ve been waiting for over an hour since I asked for you,” Samuel said, still not raising his gaze.

“I was busy planning your birthday party,” Victor replied as he submitted several documents for Samuel to review.

Going through the list, Samuel retorted, “You can keep it simple. Why all the fuss?”

“It’s not just a birthday party; it’s an opportunity for business connections. Anyway, you wouldn’t understand,” Victor said, shifting to another topic.

“There is new demand…” They soon began discussing business matters.

“Remember to deliver that baby to her mother’s doorstep within three days, if possible before the party,” Samuel said after concluding their work conversation.

Victor looked at Samuel with disgust in his eyes. “I’m telling you, she isn’t my bastard child.” Samuel understood that Victor came from a conservative background, but that disgust still hurt his pride.

On the other hand, Stella struggled for two days before she could find a name related to Lucy. Without wasting time, she contacted Eirene.

They met at the same café in front of the police station after Stella’s shift.

“Lucy hasn’t called me in the last three days; I’m worried sick,” Eirene said as soon as she saw Stella.

“It was hard, but I got the details of the owner of that phone,” Stella replied. She was aware of Eirene’s situation and was helping her against her superior's orders as part of the crime branch.

“Who is it? We can go and arrest them,” Eirene said, already standing up to leave.

“No, listen. He’s a big shot and protected by the government. We can’t even touch a single hair on him; it would be difficult even for your uncle to help,” Stella explained. If it weren’t for that protection, she would have confronted him already.

“Who?”

“The executive director of Serene, Victor Park.”

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