Dario's words plunged me into an icy abyss.
"Mom... it hurts..."
Irene's voice grew fainter by the second. I couldn't think straight anymore.
I shoved open the door and yelled at the driver, "Stop the car immediately or I'll jump out!"
The driver was startled and slammed on the brakes and the car came to an abrupt halt.
Without another word, I scooped Irene up and rushed out.
"Ma'am, where are you going?"
The driver tried to dissuade us, but the honking from the vehicles behind him grew relentless.
With no other choice, he restarted the engine and sped away.
Holding Irene close, I flagged down a passing truck and begged the driver to rush us to the hospital.
The hospital emergency room was packed. The doctor frowned as he examined Irene.
After determining the cause, he turned to me, his face flushed with anger, "How do you raise a child? You didn't even know the food had expired?"
My heart sank.
That vicious woman, Cecilia—she actually fed Irene spoiled food?
Fortunately, Irene had eaten only a little at lunchtime. The doctor said we'd brought her in just in time—an IV drip would be enough to send her home.
Relieved, I hurried Irene to the ward for the IV.
Just as the nurse inserted the IV needle, hurried footsteps echoed outside the door.
"Valerie, what the hell are you doing?"
Seeing Dario enter, I was overcome with fury.
I slammed the medical records against his chest and shouted accusingly, "Look at this! This is the 'care' your wonderful housekeeper gave us."
Dario glanced at the chart, his brow furrowing slightly, "Cecilia wouldn't be this careless. It must be the kitchen maid who used the wrong ingredients."
I was so furious I could barely contain my laughter. Even now, he was twisting the truth to defend Cecilia.
I grabbed his collar and demanded coldly, "Dario, have you grown tired of us—me and my daughter?"
Dario grabbed my hand and hurriedly protested, "You disappeared for seven years and not a single day went by without me searching for you."
His eyes suddenly welled up with tears as he spoke, "Valerie, do you have any idea how I endured these 2,500 days and nights?"
But I didn't want to hear it. "Enough. Let's get a divorce!"
As the words fell, Dario froze as if struck by lightning.
His face twisted in disbelief as he stammered, "Valerie, don't joke like this. You know how much I love you..."
Before he could finish, his phone rang urgently.
He suppressed his sorrow and quickly answered the call from Cecilia, "What? Jerry's gone missing?"
After hanging up, his face darkened as he demanded in a hoarse voice, "Valerie, Jerry only said a few harsh words. How could you hire someone to kidnap him?"
I froze in shock, suddenly thinking Dario seemed like a moron.
Before I could defend myself, he grabbed my neck, twisted my arm behind my back and dragged me out of the hospital room.
"You're coming back with me now! If you don't hand Jerry over, I'll make sure you never see Irene again."
"Let go of me! I didn't kidnap him." I struggled desperately, but it was useless.
He shoved me into the car and sped home at breakneck speed.
Cecilia stood anxiously at the front door. As soon as we got out of the car, she threw herself into Dario's arms, sobbing, "Jerry was walking Black outside just now when he suddenly let out a terrible scream and vanished."
"I'm so scared... It's all my fault for not watching Jerry properly..."
Dario comforted her gently, then turned his gaze to me with a fierce glare as he threatened, "If you don't want anything to happen to Irene, tell me exactly where Jerry is!"
Watching them embrace, my heart felt like it had been wrenched.
For the sake of an adopted son, Dario was willing to hurt me and my daughter.
