Chapter 190:
The girl trembled, eyes cast downward, and shook her head vigorously.
In that moment, Elena sensed something was terribly wrong. She noticed the girl’s demeanor—shaking and trying to shrink behind Elena’s protective stance.
Glimpses of dark bruises peeked from beneath the cuffs of the girl’s sleeves and around her delicate neck, drawing Elena’s immediate attention.
Glancing around to ensure they were alone, Elena lowered her voice to a soothing whisper. “Has someone hurt you?”
The girl remained unresponsive, frozen in fear.
Urgently, Elena gently grasped the girl’s shoulders.
Seeing the girl’s face, Elena gasped in recognition. “It’s you!” Memories flooded back—this was the kind soul who had helped her during the welcome-back celebration.
Elena knew the girl was mute. With care, she took the girl’s hand and wrote a reassuring message in her palm: “Don’t be afraid.” The simple gesture seemed to calm the girl’s nerves. She timidly lifted her eyes, meeting Elena’s comforting gaze, and a flicker of recognition passed between them.
Encouraged by her calmness, Elena communicated through sign language. “Tell me what happened. Do you want me to call the police?”
At the mention of the police, Kiera Johnson’s reaction was immediate and fearful. She shook her head vigorously and signed, “Please, no police!” Calling the authorities was out of the question. If she did, her father and brother would learn of her defiance and refuse to take her back.
Elena, sensing her distress, reassured her with fluid signs. “Okay, I won’t call them. Can you tell me, has someone been causing you trouble?”
Elena reflected on the girl’s background. Her presence at the upscale banquet hinted at an affluent life. What could have possibly led her to this predicament?
Kiera’s shoulders slumped, embodying misery—like a lost puppy caught in a relentless downpour.
Grateful for Elena’s earlier aid, she was ready to reciprocate. Gently lifting Kiera’s chin, Elena signed, “Is someone after you?”
After a brief pause, Kiera slowly nodded uncertainly.
Elena pressed further, “Do you need me to get you out of here?”
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Kiera responded with a quick nod, then an immediate shake of her head, her face etched with inner turmoil. Huddled into herself, she wrestled with her thoughts. Escape was not an option. Her aunt would surely inform her father of her disobedience, which would lead to her being disowned.
This grim realization drained the color from Kiera’s already pale complexion.
Suddenly, a disturbance erupted at the garage entrance. A middle-aged woman, flanked by a group, entered, scanning the area as if searching for someone.
Seeing them, Kiera instinctively cowered further behind Elena.
Elena raised an inquisitive eyebrow and asked, “Are they here for you?”
Kiera hesitated, uncertainty flickering across her face, then gave a sincere nod. She cast a cautious glance toward Elena, wondering if this woman might see her as a nuisance. Yet, the thought of returning filled her with dread. Her aunt had plans to harvest her kidney for her cousin’s sake. Without her kidney, she feared she might die and never reunite with her father and brother. Still, the hope that they would come to rescue her lingered in her heart.
