5 A Cruel Twist of Fate

The man on the other end of the call repeated what he had just said before hanging up.

Layson held her phone in his hand, his expression complicated.

The man had said that Adela’s father had hanged himself, her stepmother had run away, and only her younger sister was left at home.

Layson knew that Adela had agreed to be a surrogate for the sake of her father. Now that her father was gone, there was no reason for Adela to remain in his bed.

A flicker of pity and compassion crossed his eyes as he pulled Adela into his arms, speaking softly. "I’ll go with you later. Besides, I need to check on Dexter."

Adela clung to his neck, crying into his chest.

Her soft sobs were heart-wrenching to hear.

Layson sighed, his tone soothing. "Why don’t you change your clothes first?"

Adela nodded, sniffling as she hurriedly threw on her clothes and went to wash up.

Layson dialed a number and instructed in a low voice, "I’ll send you a photo shortly. Find the person in the photo as quickly as possible."

……

They arrived at the slums at 7 a.m.

This was Layson’s first time here.

Dexter had lived here for five years, yet Layson had never bothered to visit him once.

Looking at the chaotic surroundings in the distance, he couldn’t help but frown.

Adela walked quickly, leaving him behind in just a few steps.

In a place like the slums, there were no secrets. Overnight, everyone knew about Adela selling herself, her father’s suicide, and her stepmother’s escape.

As soon as Adela stepped onto the street, people began pointing at her. Some looked at her with pity, while others whispered insults.

But the overwhelming sadness in Adela’s heart drowned out everything else. She managed to ignore them entirely.

When she reached her house, it was already surrounded by people. The door was ajar, and inside, Calvin’s body lay covered by a white cloth while a neighbor carried Herbie out.

The moment Adela appeared, all eyes turned to her.

Ignoring their gazes, she walked step by step into the house.

Layson arrived just as Dexter did.

The two brothers exchanged glances before Dexter quickly looked away.

With everything that had happened to Adela, Dexter had no time to argue with Layson about anything else.

Layson watched as Dexter ran inside but stayed outside, waiting among the crowd.

Inside, Adela collapsed to her knees with a thud.

Dexter wanted to comfort her but didn’t know where to start. In the end, his gaze landed on the suicide note on the table.

Adela didn’t notice his actions. Her hands trembled as she lifted the white cloth.

Calvin’s face was bruised and swollen from a beating, and now, lifeless, it was terrifying. The sight filled Adela with both heartbreak and fear.

How did it come to this...?

The tears she had held back for so long finally burst forth, falling onto the white cloth.

After reading the suicide note, Dexter was shocked.

He immediately crouched down and handed the note to Adela. "Adela, read this! You—"

The rest of his words caught in his throat. He watched her nervously, afraid she might pass out from the shock.

Sensing something was wrong, Layson pushed through the crowd and entered.

Adela read the note carefully, word by word.

"Adela, there’s something I’ve hidden for eighteen years. Your mother couldn’t have children, and you’re not our biological child. Please forgive our selfishness for never seeking out your real parents. When we found you, you were placed in a wooden tub with a birthstone on you. I left it by your side. Adela, I hope you can find happiness in the second half of your life. I will always consider you my daughter."

"No..."

Adela clutched the piece of paper tightly, kneeling on the ground, repeatedly muttering, "No."

Dexter instinctively wanted to hold her but was stopped by a single look from Layson.

The next moment, Layson embraced Adela and looked at Dexter. "Where’s the birthstone?"

In a situation like this, Dexter didn’t bother arguing with Layson. He bent down and began searching for the birthstone.

Meanwhile, Adela clung to Layson’s shirt, murmuring, "How could this happen..."

Layson patted her back gently, a trace of emotion flickering in his eyes.

"I can’t find it," Dexter said after searching for a long time, barely holding back his frustration as he resisted the urge to kick over the table.

Layson had a pretty good idea of what the birthstone might be. He looked at Dexter and said, "You’re no longer needed here. Leave."

Dexter frowned, gritting his teeth as he muttered, "If anyone’s leaving, it should be you."

Layson, never one to argue with him, picked up Adela and walked out.

"You stay and clean up the mess."

"Me?!" Dexter pointed at himself, almost laughing in disbelief.

Layson strode forward with long steps. He glanced down at the girl in his arms, his frown deepening.

As he carried Adela out of the slums, they attracted plenty of attention.

He retrieved a bottle of water from the car for her, but after taking only a sip or two, she began to vomit.

Layson was taken aback. "What’s wrong?" he asked gently.

Adela shook her head slightly, choking out, "It’s nothing."

For some reason, Layson felt relieved.

When she finished crying, he handed her a tissue without saying a word.

He didn’t know what to say to comfort her.

Layson had no real concept of family. To him, Adela’s father had been a burden.

Time passed, and the wail of police sirens broke through the air. Soon, police cars appeared in the distance.

Layson turned his gaze away from the flashing lights and asked Adela softly, "Do you want to rest for a bit? I can have Dexter handle the police."

Adela’s eyes were swollen and red. Though she had mostly calmed down, her voice was still shaky. "No, I can handle it myself."

Layson replied, "Let’s go together. I don’t trust Dexter with this."

Adela didn’t refuse. "Thank you."

"You don’t need to thank me."

"...Alright."

As they walked back, Layson received a call informing him that Ella had been found.

He pondered for a moment before saying, "Check if she has a birthstone on her."

Adela looked at him, puzzled, but Layson only ruffled her hair lightly.

A strange feeling welled up in her chest as she turned away, quickening her pace.

On the other end of the line, there was a mix of scuffling sounds, a woman’s pleas, and a man’s threats.

Soon, the caller returned with information. "Mr. Norman, she says she sold the birthstone."

"Ask her if there were any markings on it," Layson instructed.

Just as they arrived at their destination, the person on the phone replied, "Mr. Norman, she said the stone had the word 'Walton' engraved on it."

Walton?

Layson froze in his tracks.

He looked up at Adela, a sudden urge to laugh overtaking him.

If this were true, "cruel twist of fate" didn’t even begin to describe her life.

Layson stepped aside, picked up his phone, and made a call.

At that moment, in a luxurious mansion, Liam Walton, the heir to the Walton family, answered the phone.

“Hello?”

“Liam, I think I may have found your sister.”