Chapter 14 Ray of Hope

• She could feel Damian’s face inching closer toward hers. Just then, the loud ringing of her phone in her pocket dissolved every ounce of chemistry they had between them the moment before.
• Lara quickly took out her phone to mask her pounding heart while Damian pulled away naturally and straightened up in his seat. The second Lara answered, Elaine blurted out frantically, “Lara, you need to come now! Eric had someone take your mother away!”
• She hung up immediately after those words. Lara nervously tugged on Damian’s sleeve as she said, “Quick, take me to the hospital. Eric left with my mother!”
• As she spoke, her eyes couldn’t help but redden and tear up. She clenched her fists so hard that her nails started digging into her flesh.
• Her grip around Damian’s arm unconsciously tightened as well, and the pain he felt from it made him frown ever so slightly.
• Thus, he drove to the hospital. Throughout the ride, Lara couldn’t sit still as she stared outside with her puffy eyes, feeling both impatient and troubled inside. When they finally arrived, she hastily got down from the car and ran toward Elaine who was standing by the entrance.
• “Where’s my mom? Is she safe?”
• “Eric already took her away. I’d just arrived for my shift when I heard that he’d filled the forms to get your mother discharged. It was too late to stop him by then.”
• Elaine looked utterly defeated. She’d arrived at work a second too late—Eric had already gotten approval to discharge Jean as her family member.
• As soon as she heard those words, Lara’s legs went numb and she collapsed onto the ground.
• “What should I do? I need to see Eric.”
• Lara tried to dash outside the moment she returned to her senses. Elaine quickly stopped her and said, “He’ll definitely try to threaten you if you go. If that happens, you won’t even be able to fight back.”
• Elaine knew that Lara had simply lost her cool from being overly worried, so she couldn’t help but stop the latter from following her impulses.
• “Stay calm. I’m positive their only reason for taking your mother is to lure you to him. So, even if you don’t go, Eric will come to you anyway.”
• “I can’t afford to wait for him. My mother’s health is in critical condition; she won’t make it if I don’t find her soon! I can’t endanger my mother’s life. Even if it’s a trap, I’m willing to step into it.”
• Eric knew Lara’s weakness all too well—it was her mother, Jean. He knew that he would be able to control her as long as he had his hands on Jean.
• However, Jean couldn’t hold on for much longer anymore.
• “Are you crazy? How could you gladly jump into a trap?”
• Elaine was restless. Lara’s persistence made her feel angry and worried.
• In truth, Lara knew exactly why Elaine was desperate to stop her, but Jean was her only family now. She couldn’t bear to lose her one and only mother.
• “Leave this to me. I’ll settle it.”
• Right then, the deep voice of a man came from behind her as Damian approached in slow and dignified steps.
• Lara felt like she’d just found a ray of hope. Right now, she was all out of logic, but she didn’t want to remain calm. She simply wanted to see Jean safe and sound in front of her.
• For some reason, the sight of Damian made her heart settle down. She broke into a smile in an instant and said, “My mother will be safe for sure with you here.”
• She didn’t know where her immense trust for Damian came from, but a warm feeling spread in her heart as he walked toward her. It was as if she’d found a reliable support she could hold on to.
• “I’ll go with you.”
• Jean was still unconscious at the moment. If she were to be provoked upon her wake, she could very well lose her life.
• Damian simply stared at Lara in response and said in a low voice, “No, you stay here.”
• “I’m going with you!”
• However, Lara wouldn’t have it any other way. Elaine quickly went up to her and pulled her back. “Don’t worry. Mrs. Sullivan will be fine with Mr. Langston around.”
• Meanwhile, she gave Damian a thoughtful look as she carefully supported Lara by the arm.
• Lara pursed her lips as she stared at the lone and confident figure in front of her. The worry in her chest lightened a little as her eyes remained fixed in the direction in which Damian had left.
• In the end, though, Lara didn’t expect to be surprised with rumors of her own childbirth agreement being exposed instead of news of her mother’s whereabouts.
• Holding the newspaper that Elaine had passed her, Lara was stunned when she saw a photo of her childbirth agreement being printed on the pages. Not only that, but it was published in various top news outlets and magazines as well.
• Though names weren’t mentioned in the article, Lara knew that this was none other than a warning from Eric.
• “How’s this possible?”
• “I’m afraid Eric’s trying to hurt you on purpose. He wants to scare you with this.”
• Elaine was right—how could Lara not see it? She’d always stored her childbirth agreement in her personal safe. Eric had only ever opened it once by chance…