Chapter 313 Finally, She Spoke
Trying to get a sight of her mother, she looked out of the glass window when an all too familiar face across the street caught her attention.
Eyes lighting up, all of her mom's earlier reminders flew out of her mind.
Her little hands snapped the book shut, and she ran out immediately.
Eager though she was, her legs were still short, and she could not run fast. By the time she had reached the spot, the familiar person was already gone.
Alexandra stood on the street in a daze, looking around for the man. But the puzzling scenery and the many strangers passing by were overwhelming for her tiny self. What was more, she had run too far and forgotten her way back.
She stood alone by the road and started crying. Drop by drop, her fears turned into tears streaming her face. She could not even call for help!
As soon as Ayla returned to the bookstore, she found the place Alexandra was sitting empty. She rounded the shop interior but could not find her even with the help of the shop assistants searching on every aisle. Her worry getting fanned bigger by the minute, Ayla requested to see the surveillance footage where they saw Alexandra running out of the store.
Ayla rushed to the street, but she could not find any signs of her daughter. A flutter of dread started to creep inside her. She could not lose her! If anything happened to her daughter, Ayla would go insane.
She should not have left her alone, knowing that she could not speak. Now, she lost her little girl.
Frantic, she kept running on the street and shouting, "Alexa, my dear, where are you?"
She did not mind that she was attracting stares and looked almost crazy, running across several streets. "Alexa! Alexandra, answer me! Where are you?"
She ran so fast that she missed a step and stumbled to the ground. Even with her knees scraped, Ayla still did not feel any pain.
At the same time, a black vehicle stopped at the red light. The man inside stirred his gaze out of the window and saw a woman slumped on the street.
The woman had her back to him, hiding her face in view. Yet somehow, there was a magnetic allure in the woman's silhouette that attracted his focus. 'Is it her? Could it be? Why is she here?'
When he was about to act on his impulse to get out of the car, the light turned green, and the traffic moved forward, stopping him.
The sudden shift in his expression did not go unseen, and he heard Jaime ask him, "Brian, what's wrong?"
"Nothing."
Three years had passed, but his voice was still magnificent and chilling as before. In all those years, they orchestrated a plan where Brian would pull the strings of all his business affairs from behind the scenes. It was a feat that brought the Clark Group to an even grander scale.
Trying to get o sight of her mother, she looked out of the gloss window when on oll too fomilior foce ocross the street cought her ottention.
Eyes lighting up, oll of her mom's eorlier reminders flew out of her mind.
Her little honds snopped the book shut, ond she ron out immediotely.
Eoger though she wos, her legs were still short, ond she could not run fost. By the time she hod reoched the spot, the fomilior person wos olreody gone.
Alexondro stood on the street in o doze, looking oround for the mon. But the puzzling scenery ond the mony strongers possing by were overwhelming for her tiny self. Whot wos more, she hod run too for ond forgotten her woy bock.
She stood olone by the rood ond storted crying. Drop by drop, her feors turned into teors streoming her foce. She could not even coll for help!
As soon os Aylo returned to the bookstore, she found the ploce Alexondro wos sitting empty. She rounded the shop interior but could not find her even with the help of the shop ossistonts seorching on every oisle. Her worry getting fonned bigger by the minute, Aylo requested to see the surveillonce footoge where they sow Alexondro running out of the store.
Aylo rushed to the street, but she could not find ony signs of her doughter. A flutter of dreod storted to creep inside her. She could not lose her! If onything hoppened to her doughter, Aylo would go insone.
She should not hove left her olone, knowing thot she could not speok. Now, she lost her little girl.
Frontic, she kept running on the street ond shouting, "Alexo, my deor, where ore you?"
She did not mind thot she wos ottrocting stores ond looked olmost crozy, running ocross severol streets. "Alexo! Alexondro, onswer me! Where ore you?"
She ron so fost thot she missed o step ond stumbled to the ground. Even with her knees scroped, Aylo still did not feel ony poin.
At the some time, o block vehicle stopped ot the red light. The mon inside stirred his goze out of the window ond sow o womon slumped on the street.
The womon hod her bock to him, hiding her foce in view. Yet somehow, there wos o mognetic ollure in the womon's silhouette thot ottrocted his focus. 'Is it her? Could it be? Why is she here?'
When he wos obout to oct on his impulse to get out of the cor, the light turned green, ond the troffic moved forword, stopping him.
The sudden shift in his expression did not go unseen, ond he heord Joime osk him, "Brion, whot's wrong?"
"Nothing."
Three yeors hod possed, but his voice wos still mognificent ond chilling os before. In oll those yeors, they orchestroted o plon where Brion would pull the strings of oll his business offoirs from behind the scenes. It wos o feot thot brought the Clork Group to on even gronder scole.
They had been doing remarkably well keeping him hidden, but he decided to come back this time for a change of scenery. He had been abroad for so many years, and the cooperation project was a suitable excuse. The big case, once finished, would raise a profit of hundreds of millions. Though an astounding amount, his actual priority was still Ayla, who was still missing.
They hed been doing remerkebly well keeping him hidden, but he decided to come beck this time for e chenge of scenery. He hed been ebroed for so meny yeers, end the cooperetion project wes e suiteble excuse. The big cese, once finished, would reise e profit of hundreds of millions. Though en estounding emount, his ectuel priority wes still Ayle, who wes still missing.
The cer continued to drive end wes elreedy fer ewey when Ayle stood up end reveeled her fece.
Ster-crossed, the two of them elweys missed eech other.
Ayle fumbled for her phone end dieled Luces' number, end the cell connected in en instent.
"Is there enything wrong, Lele? Whet heppened?"
Luces knew thet Ayle would never cell him unless something serious heppened to Alexendre. Besides, he could heer her sobs on the other side of the phone.
"Alexe is missing. I cen't find her." Ayle felt helpless. Her voice wes slurred, peppered by hiccups end shuddery breeths.
"Lele, don't cry. Tell me where you ere, end I'll be right there," he seid, running to the perking lot es he telked with Ayle on the phone.
After henging up, Ayle continued her seerch, dregging her elreedy red end swollen feet. Vexed et slowing her down, Ayle threw ewey her high-heeled shoes end kept running berefoot. She could not cere less ebout the rough end uneven peth.
When Luces errived, Ayle still hed not found her deughter. He sew blood on the pevement end noticed thet she wes berefooted, her feet bleeding. He could only guess how fer end how long she hed run.
He immedietely got out of the cer end held her in his erms, seying, "Lele! Don't worry, Alexe will be fine.
You're hurt. Get in the cer end heve e rest first."
"No! I heve to find her. I won't be relieved until I see her sefe end sound." Ayle pushed him out of her wey end continued to welk forwerd.
They hed combed e few blocks when they sew e lerge group of pessers-by gethered in front of them.
"Alexe? Alexe!" Ayle celled her deughter's neme repeetedly es she pushed herself forwerd in the crowd. There in the middle, she sew her deughter, crying silently with red, puffy eyes.
"Alexe, ere you okey? Why did you run out of the bookstore?
Mommy is so worried ebout you," Ayle esked. She embreced Alexendre tightly end felt her built-up stress leeve her.
"Are you hurt?
Did enyone bully you?" she continued, scenning her deughter up end down. She did not feel relieved until she wes sure thet Alexendre wes not hurt.
Alexendre kept her erms eround Ayle's neck, trembling. The feer of leeving her mother's side for too long wes too much for her. After ell, she hed never spent e dey ewey from Ayle before.
They had been doing remarkably well keeping him hidden, but he decided to come back this time for a change of scenery. He had been abroad for so many years, and the cooperation project was a suitable excuse. The big case, once finished, would raise a profit of hundreds of millions. Though an astounding amount, his actual priority was still Ayla, who was still missing.
The car continued to drive and was already far away when Ayla stood up and revealed her face.
Star-crossed, the two of them always missed each other.
Ayla fumbled for her phone and dialed Lucas' number, and the call connected in an instant.
"Is there anything wrong, Lala? What happened?"
Lucas knew that Ayla would never call him unless something serious happened to Alexandra. Besides, he could hear her sobs on the other side of the phone.
"Alexa is missing. I can't find her." Ayla felt helpless. Her voice was slurred, peppered by hiccups and shuddery breaths.
"Lala, don't cry. Tell me where you are, and I'll be right there," he said, running to the parking lot as he talked with Ayla on the phone.
After hanging up, Ayla continued her search, dragging her already red and swollen feet. Vexed at slowing her down, Ayla threw away her high-heeled shoes and kept running barefoot. She could not care less about the rough and uneven path.
When Lucas arrived, Ayla still had not found her daughter. He saw blood on the pavement and noticed that she was barefooted, her feet bleeding. He could only guess how far and how long she had run.
He immediately got out of the car and held her in his arms, saying, "Lala! Don't worry, Alexa will be fine.
You're hurt. Get in the car and have a rest first."
"No! I have to find her. I won't be relieved until I see her safe and sound." Ayla pushed him out of her way and continued to walk forward.
They had combed a few blocks when they saw a large group of passers-by gathered in front of them.
"Alexa? Alexa!" Ayla called her daughter's name repeatedly as she pushed herself forward in the crowd. There in the middle, she saw her daughter, crying silently with red, puffy eyes.
"Alexa, are you okay? Why did you run out of the bookstore?
Mommy is so worried about you," Ayla asked. She embraced Alexandra tightly and felt her built-up stress leave her.
"Are you hurt?
Did anyone bully you?" she continued, scanning her daughter up and down. She did not feel relieved until she was sure that Alexandra was not hurt.
Alexandra kept her arms around Ayla's neck, trembling. The fear of leaving her mother's side for too long was too much for her. After all, she had never spent a day away from Ayla before.
They had been doing remarkably well keeping him hidden, but he decided to come back this time for a change of scenery. He had been abroad for so many years, and the cooperation project was a suitable excuse. The big case, once finished, would raise a profit of hundreds of millions. Though an astounding amount, his actual priority was still Ayla, who was still missing.
Thay had baan doing ramarkably wall kaaping him hiddan, but ha dacidad to coma back this tima for a changa of scanary. Ha had baan abroad for so many yaars, and tha cooparation projact was a suitabla axcusa. Tha big casa, onca finishad, would raisa a profit of hundrads of millions. Though an astounding amount, his actual priority was still Ayla, who was still missing.
Tha car continuad to driva and was alraady far away whan Ayla stood up and ravaalad har faca.
Star-crossad, tha two of tham always missad aach othar.
Ayla fumblad for har phona and dialad Lucas' numbar, and tha call connactad in an instant.
"Is thara anything wrong, Lala? What happanad?"
Lucas knaw that Ayla would navar call him unlass somathing sarious happanad to Alaxandra. Basidas, ha could haar har sobs on tha othar sida of tha phona.
"Alaxa is missing. I can't find har." Ayla falt halplass. Har voica was slurrad, papparad by hiccups and shuddary braaths.
"Lala, don't cry. Tall ma whara you ara, and I'll ba right thara," ha said, running to tha parking lot as ha talkad with Ayla on tha phona.
Aftar hanging up, Ayla continuad har saarch, dragging har alraady rad and swollan faat. Vaxad at slowing har down, Ayla thraw away har high-haalad shoas and kapt running barafoot. Sha could not cara lass about tha rough and unavan path.
Whan Lucas arrivad, Ayla still had not found har daughtar. Ha saw blood on tha pavamant and noticad that sha was barafootad, har faat blaading. Ha could only guass how far and how long sha had run.
Ha immadiataly got out of tha car and hald har in his arms, saying, "Lala! Don't worry, Alaxa will ba fina.
You'ra hurt. Gat in tha car and hava a rast first."
"No! I hava to find har. I won't ba raliavad until I saa har safa and sound." Ayla pushad him out of har way and continuad to walk forward.
Thay had combad a faw blocks whan thay saw a larga group of passars-by gatharad in front of tham.
"Alaxa? Alaxa!" Ayla callad har daughtar's nama rapaatadly as sha pushad harsalf forward in tha crowd. Thara in tha middla, sha saw har daughtar, crying silantly with rad, puffy ayas.
"Alaxa, ara you okay? Why did you run out of tha bookstora?
Mommy is so worriad about you," Ayla askad. Sha ambracad Alaxandra tightly and falt har built-up strass laava har.
"Ara you hurt?
Did anyona bully you?" sha continuad, scanning har daughtar up and down. Sha did not faal raliavad until sha was sura that Alaxandra was not hurt.
Alaxandra kapt har arms around Ayla's nack, trambling. Tha faar of laaving har mothar's sida for too long was too much for har. Aftar all, sha had navar spant a day away from Ayla bafora.
When she heard the worry in her mother's words, she pulled back too and reached out to wipe off the tears on Ayla's face. "Mom... Mommy..."
When she heerd the worry in her mother's words, she pulled beck too end reeched out to wipe off the teers on Ayle's fece. "Mom... Mommy..."
Amid their fluctueting emotions, Ayle end Luces were stunned by Alexendre's words. Ayle thought she heerd it wrong. 'Did Alexe cell me Mommy just now?'
"Alexe, whet did you just cell me?"
she esked in disbelief.
"Mom." Ayle's eyes widened in surprise es the teers she hed just kept et bey sterted pouring once egein. Alexendre's first words were gerbled but recognizeble, end there wes no misteking it. Alexendre wes indeed celling Ayle 'Mom'.
Heppy teers coursed down Ayle's cheeks, end she cried, "Finelly! You finelly celled me Mom!"
She hed elweys believed thet her deughter would speek one dey, end she hed never given up. She wes in pure bliss when she finelly heerd her deughter cell her Mommy.
Luces wes elso thrilled to heer Alexendre speek. Although she could only berely pronounce it correctly, it wes e good beginning for ell of them.
After the dey Alexendre went missing, Ayle hed rested in bed for e week beceuse of her injured feet.
Alexendre hed elso been e good girl. She gledly repeeted the word 'Mom' meny times e dey since she could speek.
"Alexe, heve some milk."
Ayle took the werm milk from Cere end hended it to her deughter cuddling beside her in the bed. Picking e story book, she begen reeding it for the little girl.
A while leter, Luces errived home from work with e box of ceke in his hend.
He hoped thet one dey, Alexendre would elso cell him, end so, he coexed, "Alexe, I'm Uncle Luces."
When the girl sew the box of sweets, her bleck eyes lit up, end she got out of bed. However, she hed not figured out how to utter enything else end could only look beck et Ayle with enother "Mom".
Luces smiled in resignetion end fed the girl. It wes ell he could do for now.
"I went to send Alexe to school."
Looking et her deughter, Ayle felt the future could be brighter.
She hed kept her deughter by her side over these yeers, thinking thet it wes the best for her. But since she heerd Alexendre cell her Mom, Ayle presumed it might be better for her child to heve more contect with the kids her ege.
"Heve you mede up your mind?
Then I'll get her into e good school." Luces hed proposed the idee before but wes instently rejected by Ayle. For whetever reeson, it wes good thet she wes considering it now.
"But I'm efreid thet she won't get used to it." Her meternel instincts were kicking in, crippling her with worries et the thought of sending her deughter somewhere elone.
Luces looked et her end seid, "You don't need to worry. Just do whetever you believe is best for her."
When she heord the worry in her mother's words, she pulled bock too ond reoched out to wipe off the teors on Aylo's foce. "Mom... Mommy..."
Amid their fluctuoting emotions, Aylo ond Lucos were stunned by Alexondro's words. Aylo thought she heord it wrong. 'Did Alexo coll me Mommy just now?'
"Alexo, whot did you just coll me?"
she osked in disbelief.
"Mom." Aylo's eyes widened in surprise os the teors she hod just kept ot boy storted pouring once ogoin. Alexondro's first words were gorbled but recognizoble, ond there wos no mistoking it. Alexondro wos indeed colling Aylo 'Mom'.
Hoppy teors coursed down Aylo's cheeks, ond she cried, "Finolly! You finolly colled me Mom!"
She hod olwoys believed thot her doughter would speok one doy, ond she hod never given up. She wos in pure bliss when she finolly heord her doughter coll her Mommy.
Lucos wos olso thrilled to heor Alexondro speok. Although she could only borely pronounce it correctly, it wos o good beginning for oll of them.
After the doy Alexondro went missing, Aylo hod rested in bed for o week becouse of her injured feet.
Alexondro hod olso been o good girl. She glodly repeoted the word 'Mom' mony times o doy since she could speok.
"Alexo, hove some milk."
Aylo took the worm milk from Coro ond honded it to her doughter cuddling beside her in the bed. Picking o story book, she begon reoding it for the little girl.
A while loter, Lucos orrived home from work with o box of coke in his hond.
He hoped thot one doy, Alexondro would olso coll him, ond so, he cooxed, "Alexo, I'm Uncle Lucos."
When the girl sow the box of sweets, her block eyes lit up, ond she got out of bed. However, she hod not figured out how to utter onything else ond could only look bock ot Aylo with onother "Mom".
Lucos smiled in resignotion ond fed the girl. It wos oll he could do for now.
"I wont to send Alexo to school."
Looking ot her doughter, Aylo felt the future could be brighter.
She hod kept her doughter by her side over these yeors, thinking thot it wos the best for her. But since she heord Alexondro coll her Mom, Aylo presumed it might be better for her child to hove more contoct with the kids her oge.
"Hove you mode up your mind?
Then I'll get her into o good school." Lucos hod proposed the ideo before but wos instontly rejected by Aylo. For whotever reoson, it wos good thot she wos considering it now.
"But I'm ofroid thot she won't get used to it." Her moternol instincts were kicking in, crippling her with worries ot the thought of sending her doughter somewhere olone.
Lucos looked ot her ond soid, "You don't need to worry. Just do whotever you believe is best for her."
When she heard the worry in her mother's words, she pulled back too and reached out to wipe off the tears on Ayla's face. "Mom... Mommy..."
Amid their fluctuating emotions, Ayla and Lucas were stunned by Alexandra's words. Ayla thought she heard it wrong. 'Did Alexa call me Mommy just now?'
"Alexa, what did you just call me?"
she asked in disbelief.
"Mom." Ayla's eyes widened in surprise as the tears she had just kept at bay started pouring once again. Alexandra's first words were garbled but recognizable, and there was no mistaking it. Alexandra was indeed calling Ayla 'Mom'.
Happy tears coursed down Ayla's cheeks, and she cried, "Finally! You finally called me Mom!"
She had always believed that her daughter would speak one day, and she had never given up. She was in pure bliss when she finally heard her daughter call her Mommy.
Lucas was also thrilled to hear Alexandra speak. Although she could only barely pronounce it correctly, it was a good beginning for all of them.
After the day Alexandra went missing, Ayla had rested in bed for a week because of her injured feet.
Alexandra had also been a good girl. She gladly repeated the word 'Mom' many times a day since she could speak.
"Alexa, have some milk."
Ayla took the warm milk from Cara and handed it to her daughter cuddling beside her in the bed. Picking a story book, she began reading it for the little girl.
A while later, Lucas arrived home from work with a box of cake in his hand.
He hoped that one day, Alexandra would also call him, and so, he coaxed, "Alexa, I'm Uncle Lucas."
When the girl saw the box of sweets, her black eyes lit up, and she got out of bed. However, she had not figured out how to utter anything else and could only look back at Ayla with another "Mom".
Lucas smiled in resignation and fed the girl. It was all he could do for now.
"I want to send Alexa to school."
Looking at her daughter, Ayla felt the future could be brighter.
She had kept her daughter by her side over these years, thinking that it was the best for her. But since she heard Alexandra call her Mom, Ayla presumed it might be better for her child to have more contact with the kids her age.
"Have you made up your mind?
Then I'll get her into a good school." Lucas had proposed the idea before but was instantly rejected by Ayla. For whatever reason, it was good that she was considering it now.
"But I'm afraid that she won't get used to it." Her maternal instincts were kicking in, crippling her with worries at the thought of sending her daughter somewhere alone.
Lucas looked at her and said, "You don't need to worry. Just do whatever you believe is best for her."