Chapter 857
Chapter 857:
Stunned, Nia didn’t say a word. She only stared at the woman on the stretcher.
Tears still streamed down her cheeks, but she wasn’t sobbing like before, and she didn’t make a sound.
Annabel lowered her head, her emotions tangled. She couldn’t imagine what the little girl was feeling. The scene was heartbreaking, and Annabel knew it would be etched into her memory forever. She couldn’t help wondering where Nia would go now. Would she be sent to a welfare home, or would someone adopt her?
No matter what the future held, the most precious time in a little girl’s life was the time she spent with her mother.
Annabel sighed silently. Holding Nia’s hand, she said gently, “Nia, would you like me to sing for you p>
At that, Nia finally broke down. “I want my mom! I want my mom p>
“Your mommy will always be with you,” Annabel said, pulling her into a tight embrace. “She’ll be watching over you from heaven p>
Someone from the rescue team came to take care of the woman’s body. Anika watched with a heavy heart as the stretcher was covered with a white cloth. She turned back to the little girl; her eyes stung, and when she realized she was crying, she wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes as if it were nothing.
She went to get a few bags of bread and some bottles of water, then returned to Nia. Handing her a bottle and a bag, she asked softly, “Nia, are you hungry? Have some bread p>
The little girl blinked her tear-filled eyes and took the bread mechanically. She opened the bag and took a bite.
Anika and Annabel coaxed Nia for a long time before the little girl gradually calmed down. When Nia finally came back to her senses, she looked up at the two women standing beside her and said sincerely, “Thank you, misses. Thank you p>
Anika let out a quiet sigh of relief. She was glad to see that Nia was starting to accept the harsh reality. She looked at the little girl with tenderness and gently stroked the back of her head. “It’s okay. You don’t have to thank us p>
Exclusive content available at gⱯlnσν𝒆𝓁s․com
As soon as she finished speaking, Anika suddenly remembered something. She took the photo of Jared from her coat pocket and showed it to the little girl. “Nia, do you know the person in this photo p>
“Yes!” Nia’s eyes lit up the moment she saw it. She nodded and explained, “He is Mr. Ortega, our school teacher. Mr. Ortega is very nice. He teaches us, and he often helps the people in the village too. He also gave me chips p>
Hearing the little girl’s innocent words, Anika couldn’t contain her excitement. Tears instantly welled in her eyes, but she forced herself to stay composed so she wouldn’t break down.
After searching for so long—after nearly giving up—she finally knew where Jared was.
Annabel was happy too, and a smile appeared on her face. She thought for a moment and said, “The earthquake happened at nine o’clock this morning. That was still school time. Jared must have been at the school. Let’s go there quickly p>
At Annabel’s words, Anika’s excitement surged. She gently held Nia’s arm and asked eagerly, “Nia, tell me—where is your village school p>
Nia turned and pointed toward the west.
Anika and Annabel exchanged a quick look, then called several bodyguards to go with them.