Amber answered, “Somerset Mountain. Why?”
“Hudson Pharmaceuticals has funded children from Somerset Mountain?”
“Yes, we have been doing it for more than 20 years.”
“How could it be? I remember there wasn’t anyone left after the fire.”
“The fire?” She was slightly stunned. “Justin, how did you know there was a fire in Somerset Mountain?”
A frown came to Justin’s face as he feigned indifference. “It was on the news. I happened to watch it.”
Amber nodded. “Yes, it was exactly because of the fire that the whole mountain was reduced to ashes. I heard someone almost died too. My dad said that there was a hidden village in Somerset Mountain and it was home to some human traffickers. They were trying to escape security checks, so when the fire happened, they couldn’t be rescued on time.”
Justin clenched his fists tighter. “That’s what your father told you?”
“Yes, those traffickers hid in a ditch and the firemen didn’t even know there were people there. They managed to find them in the end, but a little girl almost died in the process.”
“Almost died?”
His expression changed.
“She was burned badly, but she managed to survive. My dad did everything he could to save her by sending her to hospitals all over the country. In the end, she was even sent abroad to receive treatment.”
Amber didn’t manage to finish her words before Justin grabbed her hand to interrogate her, “Where is she now?”
“She… she’s still out of the country.”
“What’s her name?”
“Justin, what came over you?”
“What’s her name?” he repeated.
“Katherine Cooper.” Amber’s features were distorted in pain. “Justin, let me go! What happened to you?”
Justin’s cold face was stiff as he struggled to believe his ears.
Katherine…
Katie…
He was taken back to the Burton Family after the fire twenty years ago. He didn’t have the ability to investigate the matter at first and when he finally rose to position as the president of Burton Group, the landscape had already changed beyond recognition.
All these years, he had sent people to search all over Somerset Mountain, but he never succeeded in finding even a scrap of information about the girl.
He thought she was dead.
He even thought she died in the fire to save him, but she was alive!
“I want to see her.” Justin grabbed Amber’s arm, his cold eyes burning with determination. “Where is she?”
Amber looked shocked. “She will be attending the charity event this Saturday. If… if you want to see her, you can attend with me this Saturday. However, Justin, what’s wrong with you?”
He never answered her as it took a long while for him to calm himself. “I’ll attend the event this Saturday with
you.”
The wind howled on the other side of the car window, signaling that night had fallen over Riverdale like a humongous black cloth that stretched across the entire sky.
Amber carefully retracted her hand and she looked down at the bruise on her wrist-a result of Justin’s tight grip.
She felt that she had made the absolute right choice.
A girl whom Justin hadn’t seen in more than 20 years was enough to shake him to his core.
If he knew that Rachel was that very girl from all those years ago, the consequences would be inconceivable.
The chill in Amber’s cold eyes was reflected in the car window.
Meanwhile, at the investigation bureau, a conversation was occuring.
“Officer Hawkins.”
“Don’t call me that. I’ve been stripped of my position, so just call me by my name.”
“I can’t do that. The position issue is temporary and I’ve already acknowledged you as my only leader.”
“Suit yourself.” Janice pulled up a chair and sat on it. Beneath her short haircut, her features were bright and firm. “Any updates on the case that I asked you to investigate?”
“I was just about to mention that. This is taken from the case files concerning Somerset Mountain. If I were one second late, they would’ve been destroyed since these files had exceeded the 20-year confidentiality period.”
She took the box of files from her subordinate.
Due to its long history, the box had already yellowed and it reeked of mold.
“Officer Hawkins, what are you going to do with these files?”
“To save someone.”
Janice’s expression was stern, but her eyes betrayed a certain compassion.
If it weren’t for the limitations set on her due to her position and also the confidentiality period, she would’ve given those files to Rachel long ago. Perhaps if she had done so, those horrible things wouldn’t have happened.
After Amber had taken Justin away from the hospital, he never appeared again for a few days.
Rachel was stuck in the ward. Even though she had gone out for walks, Jennifer never left her side.
She managed to catch sight of Julian a distance away on a few occasions, but Jennifer had always pulled her back to the ward in case history repeated itself.
After closing the door and leaving, Jennifer sighed.
The food on the tray was almost untouched.
“Miss Jennifer.”
Julian’s voice rang down the corridor.
She hastily pulled him aside. “Dr. Peters, it’s not that I refuse to help you. It’s just that Mr. Burton has warned me before; if I allow you to meet Mrs. Burton one more time, I would be done for.”
“Miss Jennifer, I don’t mean it like that.”
“Then…”
“How is she these days?”
“She’s alright. She doesn’t eat as much as she used to, but it’s way better than when she refused to put anything in her mouth.”
“That’s great.” Julian seemed panicked as he placed a folder in Miss Jennifer’s hands. “Please pass this to Rae in my stead.”
Miss Jennifer was a little shocked. “What is this?”
“Don’t worry. Even if my brother sees this, he wouldn’t blame you for anything. Just give it to Rae. Perhaps it would turn the tides.”
She was still doubtful, but she nodded and agreed to his request.
“Thank you so much, Miss Jennifer.”
“It’s the least I can do. Mrs. Burton is the kindest mistress I’ve ever served, for she has never troubled me. I also hope that she will recover as soon as possible. Well then, Dr. Peters, I’ll be taking my leave now.”
Miss Jennifer entered the ward with the folder in hand.
Rachel was sitting by the window with a foreign book.
She couldn’t leave the ward, so reading became her only pastime.
“Mrs. Burton, Dr. Peters just swung by and asked me to pass this to you.”
Rachel was slightly startled as she saw the black folder in Miss Jennifer’s hands. What is it?
“I’m not sure either. Dr. Peters wanted you to look at it yourself.”
Rachel opened it to see various photocopied documents inside. Some of the documents were blurred and after flipping through a few pages, she suddenly caught sight of the words ‘Somerset Mountain Police Station’.
Somerset Mountain? Aren’t these documents proving I have lived in Somerset Mountain before? Why is Janice giving me these?
She then went through a few more pages and found a newspaper clipping from 20 years ago, offering a reward to whoever found a lost child.
‘The young master of the Burton Family, Justin Burton, was successfully rescued. The human trafficking nest in Somerset Mountain was discovered, but the mountain went up in flames…
The mountain was burned?
Somerset Mountain…
Upon seeing the photos in the newspaper detailing the fire, Rachel suddenly saw some unfamiliar scenes flit
across her consciousness.
“Katie, look. There’s smoke coming in that direction. Is something on fire?”
“Quickly run! You can escape after you pass that mountain!”
“What about you?”
“I have to go and tell the others!”
“No! I’ll come with you!”
Rachel held her head as a severe headache had come upon her. Where did these scenes come from? Who is that boy?
