Chapter 2 Get Her Out Of Here
Hugh had his rules, one of which was that phones should be turned off during morning meetings.
Gilbert quickly retrieved his phone and was about to end the call.
Hugh scolded, “Take it!”
Gilbert then coughed. “Dad, it was an unknown number, I…”
Hugh put his teacup aside and ordered, “Take the call and put it on speakers!”
Bryson and Jonas looked pitifully at Gilbert.
Gilbert had no choice but to pick up the call and put it on speakers.
They were taken aback when they heard a small voice.
“Hello… is this uncle? I’m Lilly Hatcher… My mommy is Jean Crawford… Are you my Uncle Gilbert?”
The little girl’s voice was weak and indescribably monotonous, like a small robot, with no discernible emotions in her tone.
The looks of the Crawford family changed drastically!
Clack… Hugh’s pen cap dropped from his hand.
They could not utter a single sound, as if everyone had their throats strangled.
The child’s tender voice sounded again on the other end of the phone.
“Uncle… I’m so cold and hungry… I didn’t push my stepmother, but they don’t believe me… Daddy dragged me to the gate to kneel… but I’m cold… Uncle, will you help me…”
As she spoke, her voice grew weaker and weaker.
The sound of the snowstorm blowing could still be heard from the other end of the call, but her voice had abruptly stopped.
Gilbert finally got back to his senses and grabbed his phone, holding it close to his mouth as he yelled frantically,
“Hey, Li-Lilly? Where are you? Tell me your location now!”
However, there was no response.
Hugh, panicked, stood up, and his previously rigid and stern look had already gone as if he had aged in an instant.
“Quick! Quickly! Investigate the number and location now!”
**
Lilly pa**ed out before finishing the call and dropped the phone in the snow.
Stephen then returned to look for his phone and saw Lilly lying there, not moving.
He kicked her and snarled, “It’d be better if she’s dead!”
Four years ago, he found a woman on the street who was poorly dressed and in bad condition. He took her back to his apartment out of kindness.
After the woman cleaned up, he discovered that she was gorgeous.
She had amnesia and appeared to be confused. As Stephen was enamored by her cuteness, he took care of her.
Like a fool in love, he doted on her, telling her to not force herself to do anything as he cared for her…
Now that Stephen thought about it, he found it revolting.
Who knows if a female beggar like her was taken advantage of when she was wandering about the streets?
Otherwise, why doesn’t Lilly have any resemblance to me?
Although suspicious, Stephen never wanted to do a paternity test because if it turned out that he was not the father, he would be the most foolish man in South City!
Stephen grabbed his phone and walked away. He continuously made calls in his warm study room.
“Hello… Mr. Burton, it’s me, Stephen! I’m wondering if you are acquainted with the Crawford family from Clodston?”
“Greetings, Mr. Ledger! Happy new year! Are you acquainted with the Crawford family? Oh, my company’s just having a minor issue…”
**
The snowstorm outside the study room was intense, and Lilly was still lying on the snow. It was only a matter of time before the day got dark.
She was a little conscious but could no longer force her eyes to open.
She had never cried since her mother died. Even if her father abused her, she never shed a single tear.
Yet, she wanted to cry at that moment.
When she called her uncle, there was no response from the other end.
Do they hate me too? Then no one likes me at all.
What about mommy? If I die and mommy sees me, will she hate me too?
Lilly’s lips, turning purple from the cold, were pressed together as she kept thinking.
Mommy… I won’t cry… Lilly’s a good girl…
Suddenly, she heard a loud noise.
About seven cars arrived at the Hatcher mansion, and a man wearing a black down coat got out of the first car and opened the mansion’s gate!
As there was a ma**ive snowstorm, the snow had already covered Lilly’s petite figure.
Gilbert anxiously looked around. On the phone, Lilly said she was kneeling at the gate!
Suddenly his face turned pale as he noticed a small pile of snow at the gate.
He immediately rushed over and shoved the snow away, causing his hands to redden from the cold. Finally, he found a small figure under the snow!
“Lilly?!”
Gilbert hurriedly picked up the young girl, and the moment he saw Lilly’s face, he knew that this was their Lilly – her face was a splitting image of their sister when she was young…
Their most beloved and cherished sister’s child – Lilly!
Lilly felt as if she had fallen into a warm embrace, and the person had even taken off their coat to wrap her around.
Lilly was numb from being frozen for too long, and after feeling an instant of warmth, she still felt bone-chillingly cold, causing her to shiver uncontrollably.
Lilly struggled to open her eyes and finally saw the man before her – he looked somewhat similar to her mother but also different.
Lilly’s lips twitched as she asked weakly, “Are you… uncle… I didn’t push anyone… uncle…”
At that moment, Lilly was murmuring as she had lost consciousness.
She was like a cold, emotionless robot compared to Gilbert’s agitated self.
Gilbert was on the verge of crying.
The young child in his arms was only wearing thin sleepwear – pure cotton autumn clothing – with no padding at all.
Her small face had already turned purple from the cold, and her lips were cracked and turning dark.
Like a frozen sculpture, her tiny figure could not move, making Gilbert afraid that he would break her with a single touch.
“Lilly… Uncle’s here, and I’m bringing you home.”
Gilbert choked. He could not imagine how Lilly managed to survive independently with her condition.
He was even scared to think she would have died if they arrived later.
Gilbert carefully held Lilly, focusing solely on her. He rushed back to the car.
“Lilly, stay with me.” Gilbert’s voice turned hoarse as he urged, “Don’t sleep… Lilly, can you say something to uncle? Lilly…”
Lilly had already lost consciousness.
Hugh staggered a little as he rushed over. Seeing Gilbert’s piled-up clothes, he anxiously asked, “How is she?”
Gilbert was already panicking. “Quick, we must go to the hospital now!”
The Crawford family felt their hearts were in their throats and immediately headed toward the hospital.
Meanwhile, Stephen, who had just received the news of their arrival, hurriedly rushed downstairs with a mixture of excitement and elation on his face.
When the Crawford family was rushing into the mansion, they were stopped by the security guard. Once Anthony revealed his name, the guard quickly went to inform Stephen.
As he was wracking his brains trying to find a way to be acquainted with the Crawford family, Stephen was taken aback by the news!
Although he did not know why the Crawford family suddenly appeared before the mansion, he knew he had a chance as long as they were there.
There’s hope for the Hatcher family, after all!
Suddenly, Stephen remembered something and quickly turned to a servant, saying, “Is that deadbeat still lying in the yard? Get her out of here immediately!”
That jinx had cursed her mother to death, and now my company will go bankrupt from her curse too.
Stephen would not allow her to ruin this opportunity to meet with the Crawford family.
