“There are now police stationed outside Valerie’s house. The authorities have also spoken to her father. If his daughter is responsible for this, he said he’s willing to cooperate with us,” Dad informed me.
“Are there any other videos aside from this one?” I asked.
“Yes,” Mr. Anthony replied quickly, showing another video. He zoomed in on the vehicle’s window, and I froze as I recognized someone familiar wearing sunglasses.
**LILY**
I’m home now. The doctor initially didn’t want to discharge me from the hospital, but I begged them, saying it would be better for me to rest at home. I assured them I could handle myself and that my son, Grayson, needed me. The doctor eventually agreed to let me go home.
It was already eleven at night when we finally arrived home. I also met Crystal and Jasmine, and I was deeply grateful to them, though I felt shy as well. Before they left, they told me to call them if I needed anything.
“Grayson is already asleep, sis,” Violet said, sitting beside me.
“It’s already midnight, but there’s still no news about my child. Why haven’t they found anything yet?” I asked.
I stood up from where I was sitting and started looking for my phone. Violet asked me what I was looking for, and when I told her it was my phone, she quickly found it and handed it to me.
I dialed Arlo’s number, but he didn’t answer. I called three more times, but still, there was no response. My anxiety grew as I wondered what had happened, and the lack of updates about my child’s whereabouts only made things worse.
A few moments later, dad entered the house. Mom, Violet, and I quickly approached him.
“Dad, do you have any news? Do you know where my child is or who kidnapped her?” I asked in rapid succession.
Dad sighed deeply and shook his head. My fear grew stronger as I thought about what might have happened to Gabriella. I tried to fight off negative thoughts, but it felt like I was on the verge of losing my sanity.
“The authorities still don’t know where the child has been taken, and there hasn’t been any contact from the kidnappers about what they want. No ransom demands have been made yet. Whatever amount they ask for, I can give it just to have my granddaughter back,” Dad said, pulling me into a comforting embrace as I cried.
Dad kissed the top of my head, and I could feel his deep sympathy for me. Mom came over and joined the hug, holding me tightly.
“Why does it feel like the world is against my happiness, Dad? Why does this always happen to me? Whenever things start to feel okay, something comes along to ruin it. Why does it feel so unfair?” I asked Dad through my tears.
“My child, everything will get better. Every tear you shed now will be replaced by something beautiful tomorrow. Trust in God; He is not unfair to us,” Mom said gently.
We suddenly heard the sound of police cars arriving outside. Dad, Mom, and I quickly stood up, and Dad went to open the door. The three of us stepped outside to see the police officers who had arrived.
“What’s the news? Have you found my granddaughter?” Dad asked. The female police officer shook her head.
“Not yet, sir. We’re here to secure your safety because we now know who kidnapped the child,” the officer said.
“Who kidnapped my child?” I asked, my voice trembling with anger.
“Valerie Garcia,” the officer replied. It felt like a bucket of cold water had been poured over me when I heard the name. Valerie was the one responsible for kidnapping my child.
Suddenly, my phone rang, and I quickly answered it—it was Arlo on the line.
“Hello, babe. How are you all doing there? Did the police assigned to guard you arrive?” Arlo asked me.
“They’re already here. Arlo, I know that Valerie is the one responsible for kidnapping our child. Please, Arlo, do everything you can to save our child from that woman,” I said firmly, my voice trembling with anger as my blood boiled at the mention of her name.
I heard the voice of one of Arlo’s friends in the background. A few moments later, Arlo said goodbye, telling me they had something important to handle.
I went upstairs and checked on my son, who was still sleeping. I closed his door quietly and entered Gabriella’s room. Tears immediately streamed down my face. I hugged my daughter’s large teddy bear tightly.
“Forgive me, my child. Mommy couldn’t protect you. I’m so sorry,” I said, sobbing as I lay down on my daughter’s bed.
While clutching her teddy bear, my thoughts spiraled. I wondered about her condition—if they were feeding her, giving her milk and water. Was her bed comfortable? Was Valerie yelling at her? Was Valerie scaring her? The more I thought about it, the harder I cried. As a mother, I could feel that my daughter was terrified and crying for me.
