Luci Pearl leaned close to Griffin, her voice soft and calculated. "Griffin, you should go handle your work at the company. I'll stay here with Solenn. As soon as Harriet comes out, I'll ask her to check on her."
With pressing business matters pulling at him, Griffin hesitated only briefly before nodding. Leaving Solenn in Luci's care, he departed with Yvo and his team, the weight of responsibility temporarily lifted from his shoulders.
Luci stayed by Solenn's side, scrolling idly on her phone, her attention only half on the child. Outside the operating room, the faint hum of hospital activity surrounded them.
Inside, the surgery was underway. Althea and Wade moved with flawless precision, fully absorbed in the complex procedure on Theron's father.
Meanwhile, young Silas, fingers flying over his laptop, worked furiously while Lilith played a mobile game beside him.
"Lilith," Silas said, glancing up, "Mom said our sister is here in Crimson Ridge. How do we find her?"
Lilith barely looked up from the screen. "Silas, aren't you supposed to be the world's smallest hacker? Finding someone shouldn't be too hard. Since she's our triplet, she probably looks just like us. Try running a big-data comparison, that might lead you straight to her."
A spark of determination lit Silas's eyes. "Lilith, you're brilliant!"
She smiled shyly before returning to her game, fingers flying over the screen. "You scaredy-cat, hurry up and follow Tiny Titan! I'll protect you."
Indeed, Lilith's in-game username was "Tiny Titan", and Silas couldn't help but marvel at her audacity. How could a five-year-old command others with such authority? Was it just her gaming skill or something deeper?
Hours stretched on. The surgery was intricate and would take every ounce of Althea and Wade's focus. Silas and Lilith waited patiently, each immersed in their own world, accustomed over the years to their mother's demanding schedule.
Nearby, Solenn stood timidly, glancing up at Luci. The little girl's hands clutched the edge of her chair, uncertainty etched in her small features.
Luci, meanwhile, was absorbed in her phone, her fingers dancing across the screen, seemingly deep in conversation.
"Mommy," Solenn whispered timidly.
Luci didn't look up.
"Mommy," Solenn called a little louder.
Impatience flared in Luci's voice. "What is it? You sound like you're summoning a ghost. If you have something to say, just say it. Stop being annoying."
Solenn shrank back instantly, anxiety coiling through her tiny body. Pressing her hand to her stomach, she spoke in a trembling voice.
"Mommy… my tummy hurts. I really need to go to the bathroom. Can you come with me, please?"
Upon hearing Solenn's timid request to accompany her to the bathroom, Luci Pearl's expression hardened instantly. What was the child thinking? That she needed Luci to go with her and… help with such private matters?
Luci's brows knitted tightly.
"Solenn, you're five years old. Can't you go to the bathroom by yourself?" she snapped. "Why do you need me there? What are you thinking? Didn't they teach you this at preschool? I'm tired of this nonsense! You're nothing but trouble."
Solenn, already timid and fearful of Luci, burst into tears at the harsh words, her small body trembling.
"I… I…" she stammered, unable to form a full sentence.
Luci's irritation only deepened at the sight.
"All day long, all you do is cry, as if I've done something terrible to you. Fine, go to the bathroom yourself. But mark my words, if I see another tear, you'll regret it. Hold them back."
With that, Luci grabbed Solenn's arm and half-dragged her toward the bathroom. The child's tiny arm turned purple and blue under the force, but with Griffin absent, Solenn dared not protest.
Biting her lip to hold back the pain, she followed Luci, taking care with each step.
At the bathroom entrance, Luci shoved her inside, then returned to her phone, swiping idly.
"Hurry up. Don't make me wait. Otherwise, kidnappers might snatch you, and you'll pay for it," she muttered without looking up.
Feeling Luci's harsh tone, Solenn dared not speak. She moved carefully, aware of her fragile body. Born physically weak and diagnosed with a serious heart condition before her first birthday, every movement had always been measured, every action observed.
Even a simple trip to the bathroom had previously been accompanied by someone ready to help her pull up her pants, lest bending the wrong way strain her heart.
Now, alone with Luci, her self-care skills were limited, and she was slightly shorter than other children her age. She tottered into the women's bathroom, pushing open a stall door with laborious effort.
At that very moment, Lilith, who had been absorbed in her mobile game, realized she too needed the bathroom after drinking too much water. By coincidence, the rest area she and Silas were staying in had another exit that led directly to the same bathroom.
Setting down her phone, Lilith told Silas she'd be back and hurried inside.
As she entered, she spotted a small girl struggling to pull up her pants, tears streaking her cheeks.
Lilith froze.
The girl looked… strikingly familiar. Not just somewhat, she was nearly identical.
Lilith felt as if she were staring into a mirror. And Solenn, seeing Lilith, looked just as bewildered.
The two girls stood facing each other, confusion written on their small faces.
The coincidence was uncanny, they were wearing the same outfit: a crisp white shirt, long pants, and their hair styled in identical buns. Even their skin tone matched perfectly.
Lilith's mind raced. Could this little girl really be their missing sister?
But Solenn seemed even smaller, frailer than Lilith herself.
No, she had to know. She couldn't just wonder.
Lilith reached out, gently taking Solenn's hand, and guided her toward the bathroom mirror. Pointing at their reflections, she whispered, "We look really alike, don't we?"
Solenn nodded slowly, her wide eyes reflecting both curiosity and confusion. "Yes."
Lilith's voice trembled slightly with hope. "So… we might be sisters?"