Chapter 212

Just then, there was a knock on the door. It was Savannah.

She walked in and said, "Caroline, Aria's crying and wants you to hold her. Can you..."

She looked a bit embarrassed.

I shook my head. "It's okay, I'll go now."

Savannah led me to a lounge next to the examination room.

There was Aria, sitting on a chair and crying. Her small, lonely figure looked so pitiful.

My heart melted instantly.

I hurried over and picked her up. She buried her tear-streaked face into my neck.

"Mom."

She could only manage simple sounds, not yet able to speak properly.

I hugged Aria tightly and closed my eyes.

From the moment I learned the truth, I never thought of abandoning her. She might not have come from my body, but she was born from my heart.

Aria would always be my child, and nothing would change that.

I sat down with her on the chair, soothing her. "Don't cry, baby, don't cry."

After a long time, Aria finally fell asleep in my arms.

I carried her back to my original hospital room and laid her on the bed, covering her with my blanket.

I turned to Savannah and Royce. "We know the truth, but don't tell anyone else. I don't want Aria to grow up being judged by people who don't know the truth."

"As for my biological child..."

I took a deep breath, feeling a sharp pain in my heart.

I didn't know where he was or if he was okay.

And all of this was because of Brandon, that bastard who dared to switch my child.

I would never forgive him.

I left Savannah to watch over Aria and went with Royce to find Brandon.

Brandon had just left the hospital and returned to the hotel.

We sped all the way there and intercepted him in the hotel lobby.

Seeing us, Brandon looked stunned. "What are you doing here?"

Without a word, I slapped him hard across the face.

Brandon was furious, humiliated by the public slap.

"Caroline, what gives you the right to hit me?"

He tried to hit back, but Royce grabbed his wrist and pushed him back forcefully.

Brandon stumbled backward.

I glared at him.

"Where is my child?"

Brandon's eyes flickered with guilt. He hesitated, then said, "What child? Aria is at the hospital."

I sneered. "Stop pretending. Aria's blood type is B. You and I are A and O. How could we have a B type child?"

"Where is my biological child?"

Brandon looked away, then tried to act confident.

"Who knows if you had a child with another man? It has nothing to do with me. I don't know what you're talking about."

I sneered. "Brandon, do you think I'm like you, a cheating scumbag?"

"I'll ask you one more time. Where is my child?"

"How could you be so heartless to switch your own child?"

Brandon avoided my gaze. "I told you, I don't know. Stop bothering me."

"You had a child with another man and now you're blaming me."

I looked at Brandon, wanting to tear him apart.

He was so cruel to send away his own child.

"You won't talk?"

"Call the police."

"Okay, okay, I'll talk."

I sneered. "No need. I don't care who the biological parents are. I just want my child back. Get ready for jail."

I called the police, and they quickly arrived to take Brandon to the station.

Royce and I returned to the hospital, completed the discharge procedures, and went back to the hotel.

Now that we had found Aria, there was no reason to stay, so we quickly booked flights to leave.

As soon as we landed in Skyview City, Kathy came to pick us up.

She took Aria from my arms, looking worried. "Are you okay? I heard you were in the hospital."

I smiled. "I'm fine, just a bit shaken. Don't worry about me."

She nodded, genuinely concerned.

We went home together.

We were supposed to go directly to Suncrest City, but the company's bankruptcy liquidation was in its final stages. We came back to handle the handover.

After settling in at home, we went to the company on the day of the handover.

I walked in with Asher, arm in arm. Brandon's eyes burned with anger when he saw us.

He had used some tricks to get out of the police station in Silverpeak City and returned to Skyview City.

"Caroline, you went through all this trouble to get rid of me just to hand the company over to an outsider?"

I sneered. "Brandon, to me, you're the outsider."

"Asher grew up with me and is like a brother. You're just a scumbag who conspired with my family to harm me. Why would I give the company to you?"

"Did you think I wouldn't come back after what you did to me?"

Brandon glared at us, his teeth grinding.

We ignored him. He was just a defeated dog, not worth our attention.

After completing the handover, the company was officially in Asher's hands.

Brandon left with deep resentment in his eyes.

I watched him go, sneering. "This isn't over. He'll pay back every cent he owes."

After dealing with the company, I focused on finding my biological child.

I asked Simon to investigate the records of children born on the same day as Aria, but found nothing.

It seemed my child wasn't born on the same day as Aria.

I recalled that I first saw Aria on the seventh day after giving birth.

Brandon had told me the baby had some oxygen issues and was in an incubator for a few days.

At the time, I noticed something was off with Aria but didn't suspect anything because I loved Brandon and couldn't imagine he would harm me.

But now it was clear Brandon knew everything and might have orchestrated the switch.

Unable to find my child, I felt desperate. Every night, I dreamed of my child calling for me.

I hadn't slept well in days. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw him.

I knew I couldn't let myself break down. I had to stay strong.

I believed Royce when he said my child would eventually come back to me.