Chapter 72
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The little girl stiffened, and she slowly raised her head. Her face was smeared with soup stains. She locked eyes with Audrey for a moment before quickly lowering her head again.
“Ah?” The woman behind her let out another cry of alarm as the little girl suddenly knelt in front of Audrey and kowtowed deeply.
Carson, who had chased after Audrey, saw the scene and quickly ran over. “What’s going on? Where did this kid come from?”
Audrey looked up at Carson, her calm eyes tinged with a hint of anger. “Take a good look at who she is.”
Carson hurriedly grabbed the child, who kept her head down the entire time. Finally, after he set the shoes down and cupped her face with both hands, Carson’s eyes widened in shock. “Luna?”
Luna flinched, lowering her eyes and avoiding their gaze.
The shop owner brought over the fried chicken Audrey had ordered and looked at Luna sympathetically. “What kind of parent loses their child and doesn’t even know it?”
Audrey handed the fried chicken to Luna. “Do you want some?”
Luna didn’t respond, only swallowing hard.
“Let me clean your face and hands, and then I’ll get you something else to eat, okay?” Audrey offered.
Luna still didn’t react, but she didn’t resist when Audrey took her hand.
There was a fast–food restaurant nearby, and Audrey took Luna to the restroom to wash her face and hands. When they came out, Carson had bought a family meal.
“Go ahead and eat,” Carson said, pushing the burger and original recipe chicken closer to her.
Luna kept her head down, motionless.
Audrey asked the staff for an empty cup, poured some milk into it, and handed it to Luna. “Here you go.”
Luna still didn’t move.
Audrey looked at her, then tilted her hand, spilling the milk onto the original recipe chicken. Carson’s eyes twitched as he heard Audrey say, “Oops, it’s dirty now. Can’t eat it. Throw it in the trash.”
Luna stirred.
Audrey looked at her and pushed the chicken closer. “If I throw it in the trash, you’ll definitely go after it, and that would be awkward for both Carson and me. Might as well just give it to you.”
Luna remained silent.
Carson couldn’t stand it anymore. “Audrey, enough,”
Audrey gave him a look that told him to shut up, then said to Luna, “If you don’t want it, I’ll give it to the beggars outside.”
Audrey picked up the paper box as if to leave, and Luna quickly grabbed a piece of chicken and began to wolf it down.
Carson was stunned for a moment.
As Luna ate, Audrey poured out half a cup of milk and handed it to her. “I’ll pour the milk over the chicken. It’ll have the same effect as drinking it after you’ve eaten.”
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20.34 Sa, 31 May
Si May
Chapter 72
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Luna looked up at her, her big eyes filled with confusion and uncertainty. After a moment of hesitation, she took the cup and began to drink.
Carson clenched his fists tightly, his expression complicated. “You must have heard about Clayton and Valerie. Valerie’s been in the hospital these past few days, and she might have left Luna home alone.”
Audrey tilted her head, looking at Luna. When she had washed her hands, Audrey had rolled up Luna’s sleeves.
At first, Luna had resisted. Perhaps it was because she remembered how Valerie had forced her to kneel and kowtow to Audrey, and how Audrey hadn’t punished her but instead had reprimanded Valerie. That had given Luna a slightly different feeling.
Luna’s act of kowtowing to Audrey was likely a desperate plea for that tiny bit of kindness.
“Does she look to you like she’s only been hungry for two days?” Audrey said lightly.
Carson didn’t respond, but he studied Luna carefully.
He wasn’t in pediatrics, but he had seen plenty of kids. Most three–and–a–half–year–olds were in kindergarten and could do things independently.
Luna, likely due to her unhappy childhood, was developmentally delayed, small in stature, and non–communicative. But she clearly understood what Audrey was saying. If the chicken was dirty and she didn’t eat it, Audrey would throw it away. Now, Luna could pick it up and eat it on her own, showing independent thought and action.
No matter how, Luna didn’t seem like someone with autism.
“Are you suspecting-” Carson hesitated.
Audrey didn’t voice her suspicions. Instead, she tilted her head, watching Luna eat and occasionally pouring her some milk.
Valerie’s actions made it impossible for Audrey to feel any warmth toward Luna. But the bigger issue in Audrey’s broken marriage was Clayton’s inability to discern right from wrong and his unconditional favoritism toward Valerie.
Audrey did dislike Valerie, but the real culprit was Clayton. So, Audrey treated Luna as a pitiable child, extending her kindness simply because she could.
“Eat slowly,” Audrey gently reminded.
Luna stiffened and put the half–burger back on her plate.
“She didn’t stop you from eating,” Carson said, glancing at Audrey.
Though her expression was indifferent, her eyes were bright. He guessed she might have another intention and withdrew his hand.
Luna kept her head down, neither moving nor making a fuss.
Audrey truly didn’t want Luna to eat. She had been hungry for a day, and overeating could hurt her stomach. “Did you run away from home by yourself?”
Luna kept her head down and didn’t respond.
“Do you often go hungry at home?” Audrey continued.
Luna remained silent.
Audrey abruptly stood up. “Let’s go. We’ll take her back.”
Luna suddenly clung to Audrey’s leg, pressing her forehead against it. The pleading posture tugged at Carson’s heart.
He wanted to persuade Audrey, but he also thought that pushing a little might reveal the truth.
So he asked for a plastic bag and packed the leftover food. “If she doesn’t want to talk, that’s fine. We’ll bring this food back with us. At least we’ve done our part.”
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Chapter 72
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Luna clung to Audrey’s leg desperately, clearly agitated but still silent.
Audrey bent down. “Answer my questions. Nod or shake your head. Otherwise, I’m handing you over to Valerie. No matter what happens to you afterward, I won’t get involved again.”
Luna still didn’t speak.
“Did you run away by yourself?” Audrey asked.
After a long silence, Luna nodded.
“Were you hungry and came out to find something to eat?” Audrey continued.
Luna hugged Audrey’s leg tighter and nodded.
Audrey lifted Luna’s face and looked into her eyes. “Does Valerie often hit you?”
Luna neither nodded nor shook her head, but her big eyes instantly filled with tears that spilled over.
They didn’t need Luna to answer to know the truth.
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Carson looked up, took a deep breath to hold back the moisture in his eyes, and punched the table. “Does she take out her anger on Luna because she was abused by her husband? Clayton helped her get a divorce. How could she-”
He glanced at Audrey, worried that mentioning Clayton might upset her. But Audrey showed no reaction, as if Clayton were an insignificant stranger.
“I’m taking you to the police department now. Tell them the truth. Understand?” Audrey wiped away Luna’s tears. “If you hide anything, no one can save you.”
Luna looked at Audrey with tearful eyes.
Audrey affirmed, “Not even me.”
Audrey and Carson took Luna to the nearest police department together.
“Don’t be afraid. We’ll go in with you,” Carson said, gently touching Luna’s head and secretly pulling out a few strands of her hair, planning to verify if she was Valerie’s child.
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