7. Aalya is Back

"Mom, what happened?" Caroline looked panicked when she arrived at the apartment. The front room looked so messy. Flowers vase were broken, and things were scattered. What was even more shocking was when she found her father lying on the floor with a bruised body. The middle-aged man looked unconscious.

Caroline rushed over, trying her best to wake her father up.

"Who did this?" Caroline looked at her mother with reddened eyes. She was angry, sad, and panicked—all feelings mixed together. No wonder her mother had called with a panicked and shaky voice. She had no idea that her parents were facing such a dire situation.

"Aalya came with her boyfriend." Bonnie said it weakly. She still couldn't believe that the eldest daughter she had missed so much would do such a thing to her. Instead of missing each other, Aalya attacked them.

"Aalya?" Caroline repeated the name with an unexpected tone and expression. Just as she had discussed her sister with the boss, now the woman appeared in an unexpected way.

"Why is she doing this?" Caroline looked at her father with teary eyes. Her father always echoed her sister's name in his sleep. Even Caroline's presence there was never seen in her father's eyes. Because Anthony always thought about Aalya. This incident was very painful for Caroline.

"She came home to ask for the inheritance. However, she was angry because she knew our family had gone bankrupt. She asked for the certificate for this apartment so she could sell it. I told her that the apartment wasn't ours; we were just tenants. But she didn't believe me. She thinks that your father and I prepared this apartment for you. She's angry because she thinks we're showing you favoritism."

"How did she know we were here?"

"I don't know." Bonnie shook her head weakly.

"We have to go to the hospital now."

"But we don't have any money."

"You don't have to think about that. The most important thing now is Papa's safety." Caroline insisted. She immediately called for an ambulance.

The attendants carried Anthony's body to the ambulance and rushed him to the hospital. His condition looked very worrying.

Caroline tried to calm her mother down, while she herself looked so anxious and panicked. She had no money to hold on to. The only money in her pocket was the hundred dollars that Jared had given her just moments ago.

Caroline had no choice but to call Jared. No other name came to mind but his. If she had asked Jake for help, she would have gotten scorn and abuse.

"Uncle, can I ask you a favor?" Caroline asked hesitantly after her call was connected to Jared. She bit her nails to ease her nerves, looking repeatedly at her mother, who was sitting in the waiting room chair up ahead. She deliberately stayed away when talking to Jared so that her mother could not hear the content of their conversation. She didn't want her mother to be further distressed at the thought of hospital fees.

"What kind of help do you need?" Jared asked without hesitation.

Caroline was silent for a long time. She had just started working for Jared; there was no way she could borrow a large sum of money. She was sure Jared wouldn't help her.

"Did you hear me?" Jared asked again because he didn't get an answer.

"I want to borrow money." Caroline spoke quietly; she could barely hear what she had said.

"Can you repeat yourself? I can't hear your voice."

"How much money can I borrow from you? You can deduct my salary next month. I know I'm new to working for you. I also realize we're not that close to borrowing money from each other. But I promise I'll work even harder."

"How much money do you need?"

"Five thousand dollars."

"Send me your account number; I'll transfer it now."

"Thank you, Uncle." Caroline said it happily. A knot of smiles rose on her lips. Because half of her burden had been reduced, She no longer had to think about the hospital fees tonight. Again, Jared had helped her twice.

***

Thalius stopped the car when they arrived in front of Caroline's apartment. They waited for some time, hoping that Caroline would come down and join them. However, there was no sign of Caroline after they waited for thirty minutes.

[Have you left yet?] Jared texted to confirm Caroline's whereabouts.

There was no reply.

"Check!" Jared ordered Donny.

The well-built man did exactly what his boss asked. He knew what Caroline's apartment number was, as he had followed her yesterday. However, he returned to the car with a panicked expression upon his return from Caroline's apartment.

"Sir, the apartment is empty and messy." Donny was informed with a sense of apprehension.

Jared was speechless at the news. His mind was running wild. Caroline had borrowed five thousand dollars last night, and now she was gone. He began to feel the pain in his chest from betrayal. He thought Caroline was just like any other woman who only wanted money. Even her message this morning was ignored. Caroline had taken advantage of her kindness.

He didn't mind the five thousand dollars he had given. However, he was upset that his trust had been betrayed. He thought he could open his heart to Caroline, but not at all.

"Let's go." Jared said weakly. He had just felt the tremors of love, but now he had been stabbed in the back.

"Sir, isn't that Caroline?" Thalius pointed to the woman who had just gotten out of the taxi and was running hurriedly towards the apartment ahead.

A faint smile appeared on Jared's lips. He had been annoyed and disappointed, but now he felt happy again after seeing Caroline. He looked up Caroline's number again and pressed the call icon.

This time, the call was immediately received by Caroline.

"Sorry, Uncle. I'm a little late; I'm sorry. Please don't cut my salary; I'll be at the office in a minute. I'm sorry." Caroline said it hurriedly.

"I'll give you ten minutes, and you should be in front of the apartment." Jared emphasized.

"Okay, Uncle." Caroline said yes, then disconnected.

"Sir, isn't this a little suspicious? The apartment is very messy."

"Maybe she didn't have time to clean up her apartment because she was too busy working." Jared started to think positively.

"No, sir. The mess is very different. There were a lot of broken and disorganized things on the floor. And there wasn't a single valuable item there. Doesn't she live with her parents? Why would the apartment be empty this early? And she just came back from nowhere." Donny's detective side was starting to smell something fishy.

Jared began to realize that something was wrong. Why did Caroline borrow five thousand dollars from him last night? Why didn't Caroline tell him she was in trouble?

"You find out what's going on. Tell me the slightest bit of information." Jared commanded. He clenched his fists hard. He would not let anyone disturb the peace of the woman he loved.