Imprisoned While Pregnant, She's Back for Payback novel Chapter 265

Chapter 265 Vanished Without a Trace

Chapter 265 Vanished Without a Trace

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The ringing in her head slowly faded, and the sounds around her finally came back into focus.

Tess frowned slightly. She noticed a tall figure standing behind her.

Thinking she was blocking the sink, she stepped aside. But the figure moved with her, like a shadow stuck to her back.

Something wasn’t right. She raised her hand to brush her hair, stealing a glance in the mirror.

Her eyes suddenly locked with the stranger’s.

Those strange eyes jolted her like a surge of electricity, making her whole body tremble.

“Hmm…

A chill raced down her spine. Tess tried to struggle, but the grip on her from behind was shockingly strong.

Then it hit her–why those eyes looked so strange.

They weren’t a woman’s at all. They were a man’s eyes.

Which meant…

Tess’s heart felt like an invisible hand had clenched around her heart.

Before she could even see what was happening, a sharp, sweet scent flooded her nose. It was so strong it made her eyes sting with tears.

A cloth pressed down over her face. Her body went limp, and she stopped moving.

The man tugged his mask higher, then dragged her limp frame against the door, locking the restroom behind them.

After fumbling around for a moment, he pulled a janitor’s cart from one of the stalls, shoved Tess’s body inside, and changed into a cleaner’s uniform.

When his tall figure stepped into the crowded hallway, he drew glances from patients and visitors.

He quickly lowered his head, almost burying his face in his chest to avoid suspicion.

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19:20 Mon, Oct 13

Chapter 265 Vanished Without a Trace

Meanwhile, in Tess’s hospital room, the nurse’s eyes lit up with relief.

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She bent down to see Layla’s lashes trembling and her cheeks slowly gaining color. Excited, she opened the door and called out, “Mrs. Lock! Layla’s awake!”

But her voice echoed back without an answer.

Frowning, the nurse scratched her head, then went back to the bedside.

She checked Layla’s temperature. The fever from earlier had faded.

“Mommy…”

Layla whimpered as her eyes opened fully. Her voice was raspy, but her cries were stubborn, insistent–she wouldn’t stop until Tess came.

The nurse’s heart tightened. She called over a coworker. “Can you help look for her mom? Check the restrooms and nearby halls.”

The second nurse nodded quickly and hurried off.

But after circling the entire building, there was still no sign of Tess. It was as if she had vanished into thin air.

Layla cried harder, refusing to calm down until her mother returned.

The nurse was sweating, panic written all over her face. With no other choice, she pulled up the hospital’s contact list and called the child’s emergency contact.

“Mr. Lock, can you come to the hospital right away?” She asked, rushing through a quick explanation of the situation.

There was a pause on the other end, followed by muffled voices.

Someone announced, “The meeting’s on hold.” The conference room instantly went quiet. Then a deep, steady voice came through, sharp with urgency. “Which room?”

“302,”

Beep, beep-

Click. The line went dead.

The nurse stood dazed–after all, she had just spoken to the wealthiest man in the city. She didn’t dare show any other emotions, nor could she let it distract her from caring for Layla.

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19:20 Mon, Oct 13

Chapter 265 Vanished Without a Trace

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With a helpless sigh, she turned back to the hospital room to stay by the little girl’s side.

She had just changed the IV bag and sat down when the door burst open.

Before she could react, a gust of cold air rushed past her, stirred by the sweep of a wide coat. Strands of hair lifted across her forehead. She looked up, startled.

A tall, striking man with sharp features strode in, his expression dark. He leaned over the bed where Layla, the little one, was blinking her big eyes up at him.

“What happened to her?”

Finn’s brow tightened as he turned his gaze on the nurse.

For a moment, her knees nearly buckled under the weight of those piercing eyes, but she quickly found her composure.

Stepping forward, she reported carefully, “Miss Layla has several bruises that appear to be from someone pinching her. As for why she was admitted–someone gave her a dangerous amount of salt. It caused dehydration and a fever. That’s why she needed treatment.”

“Who brought her here?”

Finn’s hand brushed Layla’s forehead to check her temperature. His touch was surprisingly gentle, a sharp contrast to the cold tension in his face.

“Mrs. Lock.”

Finn’s hand paused for a moment, then moved again as if nothing had happened. He gently rolled up Layla’s sleeve. What he saw made his brow tighten–ugly marks, already turning dark purple, lined her small arm.

His eyes, already cold and heavy, darkened further with a flash of danger. But then his gaze met Layla’s. She looked up at him with an innocent smile, and his heart twisted with even more complicated feelings.

She wasn’t his child by blood. He knew that. Yet he had watched her grow. Somehow, he felt an inexplicable closeness to her. Any resentment he felt was aimed at Tess–and the mystery father he still hadn’t identified..

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19:20 Mon, Oct 13

Chapter 266 The Missing Mother