Chapter 4

The sound of Darren dropping the phone brought everyone rushing into the room.

For the first time in days, they entered with hope in their hearts.

Perhaps...

Perhaps the baby had been found.

But the moment they saw Darren's pale face and Christen kneeling on the floor with tears streaming down his cheeks...

Their hope died.

Paris ran to her husband and grabbed his collar with trembling hands.

"Chris..."

Her voice shook violently.

"Where's our baby?"

"What did they say?"

"Why are you crying?"

"Please... say something."

"I beg you."

"I'll die if you stay silent."

Christen looked at the woman he loved.

His heart shattered all over again.

He pulled her into his arms and held her as tightly as he could.

"I'm sorry..."

His voice broke.

"It seems..."

"Our little angel found heaven... before she truly got to see this world."

Paris froze.

For a heartbeat, she simply stared at him.

Then she shoved him away.

"No."

Her voice was barely a whisper.

"No..."

She shook her head again and again.

"You're lying."

"This is a lie."

"My daughter..."

"My daughter can't leave me."

A broken sob escaped her lips.

"I haven't held her enough..."

"I haven't kissed her enough..."

"I haven't watched her grow..."

"I haven't even heard her call me 'Mama'..."

She collapsed onto the floor, screaming through her tears.

"No!"

"Please!"

"Give me my baby back!"

The room echoed with her cries.

No one knew how to comfort a mother whose child had just been declared dead.

Olga buried her face in Darren's shoulder as silent tears rolled down her cheeks.

The four brothers cried openly, no longer caring who saw them.

Cameron turned away, unable to watch.

Carson covered his face with trembling hands.

The mansion was filled with people.

Yet in that moment...

It had never felt so empty.

Thud!

The bedroom door burst open.

"Dad!" Alex shouted. "Have you monopolized my baby sister long enough?"

Kylie blinked awake.

Oddly enough, it was the most refreshed he had felt in two years.

Alex hurried to the bedside and carefully peeked at the tiny girl sleeping peacefully.

"Oh, God..." he whispered. "How did such an angel descend to Earth?"

He gently kissed her chubby cheek.

The baby let out an annoyed little coo and turned her face away.

Kylie chuckled.

"I guess your baby sister isn't much of a morning person."

Alex grinned.

"She's just like you, Dad."

Kylie looked at the two most precious people in his world.

For a moment, he simply smiled.

Then he cleared his throat.

"I told you not to bang doors or run through the corridors, didn't I?"

Alex folded his arms.

"Maybe you should've remembered that before inventing a fake family tradition just to monopolize my baby sister."

Kylie coughed awkwardly.

"It is a tradition..."

He paused.

"...Just not a very well-known one."

"Sure, Dad."

Alex rolled his eyes dramatically.

"Anyway, I'm not going to school today."

Kylie's eyes widened.

"Why?"

"I'm spending the whole day with my baby sister."

For a brief second, Kylie's mind went blank.

What?

I have to spend my day in that boring office... surrounded by those insufferable people...

And my little angel gets to spend the whole day with this tiny menace?

Absolutely not!

"NO!"

Alex jumped.

"Dad! You'll scare my baby sister!"

Kylie immediately lowered his voice.

"I-I mean..."

He straightened his shirt, trying to regain his dignity.

"You shouldn't skip school. You need to set a good example for your sister."

Alex blinked.

"...Dad."

"Today is Saturday."

"My school is closed."

He smiled sweetly.

"So I think you should skip work today... and set a good example by spending time with your daughter."

Kylie froze.

His soul practically left his body.

Alex's triumphant smirk grew wider.

For the first time in years...

The mansion echoed with laughter instead of silence.

The Sterling family walked into the police station in complete silence.

They looked like people who had lost not just a child...

...but the will to hope.

Even the officers, accustomed to witnessing tragedy, couldn't help but lower their eyes in sympathy.

The head inspector stepped forward, carrying a neatly folded yellow baby blanket.

"I'm... sorry, Mr. Sterling."

He gently placed it in Paris's trembling hands.

Paris stared at the blanket.

Her fingers slowly traced the tiny embroidery stitched into one corner.

A silver 'S'.

The Sterling family crest.

She had embroidered it herself.

Her lips quivered.

"Stella Sterling..."

A tear fell onto the soft fabric.

"That was going to be your name, my sweet baby."

She hugged the blanket tightly against her chest as though it were her daughter.

"I'm sorry..."

"Momma couldn't protect you."

"I promised I always would."

Christen knelt beside her, wrapping an arm around her shaking shoulders.

His own tears fell freely.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart."

He kissed the top of the blanket.

"Your father..."

"...was too weak to save you."

"Please forgive me, Princess."

The inspector looked away, giving them a moment before quietly speaking.

"I'm truly sorry."

"This... was all we were able to recover."

"We searched extensively, but..."

He hesitated.

"We couldn't retrieve the child's body."

Before he could apologize again, Darren gently raised a hand.

"It's alright, Inspector."

His voice was calm.

Too calm.

"I don't think..."

He swallowed hard.

"I don't think any of us would've had the strength to see her in that condition."

He bowed his head slightly.

"Thank you."

"Thank you for doing everything you could."

The inspector lowered his gaze in silence.

No words could ease a family's grief.

As they walked out of the station, Paris never loosened her grip on the tiny yellow blanket.

Olga walked beside her, completely numb.

Darren stared straight ahead, his expression hollow.

Christen finally broke the silence.

"I think..."

His voice cracked.

"I think our little angel deserves a grave."

He looked at the blanket in Paris's arms.

"If this is all we have left..."

"...then we'll lay her to rest with it."

No one answered.

No one had the strength.

One by one...

They simply nodded.

Their hearts, unbearably heavy.

Unaware that the little girl they were preparing to mourn...

...was still alive, sleeping peacefully in another father's arms.

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