Chapter 1198
Amelia’s mind raced with doubts and fears. Was Riley really suffering from a mental illness, confined to a psychiatric hospital?
After washing up and changing her clothes, Amelia still felt a little muddle-headed.
She walked out of the bathroom and saw Warren standing outside, obviously waiting for her.
“Are you done?” he asked gently.
Amelia nodded, her voice subdued. “Yes.”
“Go to the living room and have a seat. I’ve warmed up a glass of milk. It’s good to drink a cup of milk before sleep,” he suggested, guiding her to the couch and handing her a cup of warm milk.
Amelia accepted the warm glass of milk, holding it in her hands and recalling the time when Riley had secretly brought her milk during her pregnancy.
Back then, Riley had remarked, “You require proper nutrition at this point. I might not be able to offer much, but I still have ways to get you some milk.”
Drip, drip!
Tears suddenly welled up in her eyes, and one escaped, falling into the cup.
She hastily wiped her eyes, but more tears followed as if they had been waiting for a release.
“I-I’m sorry, but… I don’t think I can drink this right now,” Amelia whispered, her voice shaky.
Warren watched her tears fall, his heart aching for her. At the same time, he couldn’t help feeling a little jealous. Those tears were meant for him, but he felt a pang of pain in his heart. He couldn’t stand seeing her cry, as each tear felt like a stab in his heart.
“Is it because you’re worried about Riley?” he softly inquired.
“I… I know I shouldn’t cry and that crying isn’t good for the baby, but… I don’t know if Riley is truly in a psychiatric hospital. If she is, how long will it take to locate her? With so many psychiatric hospitals across the country, even with Rosalie’s assistance, the search could be prolonged. How long before we get any leads?”
Amelia choked on her words, and tears streamed down her cheeks.
Warren’s gentle hand continued to caress her tear-stained face, his palm slowly moistening from her tears.
The warmth seemed to seep through his skin, infiltrating his veins, and creating a profound sense of discomfort.
“What can we do to keep you from crying?” he murmured softly. “If I also mobilize resources to help locate Riley, will you stop crying?”
Amelia gazed at the face that was mere inches away from hers in a daze as she felt his finger gently brush away the tears on her face.
“Will… you assist us in finding Riley’s whereabouts?” After a pause, she suddenly clutched his hand, her voice filled with anxious hope.
“Yes, as long as you refrain from crying,” he assured her.
Warren would send his men to look for Riley as long as Amelia stopped shedding tears.
He realized that even as he tried to distance himself from the emotions of the past, he still couldn’t bear to see her cry. It would make him profoundly uneasy.
It was as though her tears had the power to move him to do anything for her.
Amelia was taken aback by Warren’s willingness to assist in finding F Seeing him make calls and instruct his team to check the list of patie in psychiatric hospitals across the country for the past ten years was surreal moment. Only then was she sure that he was helping her.
The only condition was her not crying, and it left Amelia feeling somewhat incredulous.
Regardless of Warren’s motivations, Amelia was immensely grateful for his support in locating Riley.
As she lay in bed, the room was shrouded in darkness, illuminated only by the moonlight filtering through the window. Sleep eluded Amelia, and she gazed at Warren, who was resting beside her, in a daze.
In slumber, his usually austere countenance appeared much softer. His high nose bridge and beautifully shaped lips made him a striking figure. In truth, he was a gentleman.
She remembered how he wiped her tears with his hands and told her not to cry.
At that moment, Amelia was in a trance, feeling as if the man had never been hypnotized. It was as if Warren still loved her and was willing to do anything for her, as long as her tears were kept at bay.
“How could I have such an illusion?” she chided herself internally.
Even so, unable to resist the temptation, Amelia reached out her hand, drawing it closer to Warren’s face, but hesitated just before making
contact.
The space between them felt simultaneously close and immeasurably distant.
“Warren, thank you. I hurt you back then, and maybe you don’t love me now. It’s probably the best outcome for us-maintaining the status quo. Don’t love me, and wait for the day we divorce so that we can truly sever our ties.” This way, he could move on and build a new life, while she would lock away their feelings and relationship in a corner that no one else could access for the rest of her life.
They had loved each other, but they always seemed to miss their chances.
Amelia wore a bitter smile, and a sigh escaped her lips. She withdrew her hand and slowly closed her eyes, unaware that Warren lay beside her, his fingers lightly clenched on the bedsheet.
In the following days, both the Youngblood family and Warre collaborated in their search for a list of patients in psychiatric Upon learning of this, Lillian instructed Callum to deploy addit eresources to aid in the investigation.
As the three forces collaborated, they finally discovered that a per mamed Riley Summer had been sent to a psychiatric hospital in diommore eight years ago. Her height and other details matched An ledescription, but when the photo of “Riley” was sent to Amelia, she w efeftstumuned.
Thdiingage depicted a woman in a tattered hospital gown with matted and disheveled hair. Her scalp appeared to have suffered severe trauma, leaving her entirely bald in some areas.
Her eyes were dull and devoid of any light. Her skin was pallid, almost translucent, and a twisted scar resembling a centipede marred her cheek. What baffled Amelia the most was the vacant ring finger on her right hand. The woman was missing a finger.
Amelia stared at the photo in disbelief, unable to fathom what she was seeing.
This was Riley! It really was Riley!
Despite the stark contrast to her memory, Amelia recognized Riley immediately.
The once vibrant and charming woman had been transformed into this shocking state, leaving Amelia to wonder, “What’s going on? Why did Riley… become like this?”
