Chapter 179: Shared warmth and comfort

"Papa? Is the auntie dead?"

A conflicted look spread across Charles’s face as he studied his daughter’s worried and curious eyes. "I don’t know, Penny. Papa still doesn’t know, but I’m hopeful she’ll be okay."

When the man ran away, Charles just let the officers do their job because his kid was with him. Thus, he didn’t know the woman’s situation at the moment.

"For now, let’s go first, hmm?" Charles forced a smile, trying not to worry his daughter so much.

"Major, are you going to the station now?" asked the other man in front of them."

Charles shook his head. "We’ll head to the hospital first. The officer can get my statement there."

"Copy, sir!" the man saluted again, but Charles didn’t bother.

Having said that, Charles took Penny to their car and waited for Charles’ former subordinate to join them. When he arrived, they drove to the hospital where the medics rushed the woman. Both Penny and Charles were worried and uncertain of whether they took the woman to save her life or the morgue.

*

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*

When the father and daughter arrived at the hospital, Charles quickly tried to find out about the situation. After minutes of nonstop hassle, they found themselves in the hallway of the emergency room.

Charles and Penny stood at the end of the hallway, eyes on Grace, who was crying on the waiting bench. From what they heard, the woman still had a pulse when the medics arrived, albeit faint. Her condition was still unknown, and the doctors were trying to do the best they could.

"Major." Charles’s former subordinate, Angelo, approached them with a quiet voice. "The detectives are here to get your statement."

Charles nodded and turned to Penny.

"I’m alright, Papa," Penny smiled. "I’ll just stay here."

Charles nodded and smiled. "Stay here, alright? I’ll be quick."

Having said that, Charles followed Angelo, meeting the leading detectives of this case to give his statement.

Meanwhile, Penny followed her father’s figure with her gaze before setting them to Grace. She quietly approached her, sitting on the other bench so as not to invade Grace’s private space.

For the next minute, all she could listen to was Grace’s sniffles and sobs. Penny’s lips opened and closed, but in the end, she couldn’t say anything.

’I just tried to help her change her life...’Her thoughts trailed off as deep lines furrowed her brows. ’Earlier, if Dad wasn’t there... what could’ve happened?’

Recalling the situation and the glimpse she had seen earlier, Penny’s breath slowed down. Adding to her memory was Grace’s remarks that her mom had left her when she was young.

’Am I overthinking it?’

The rest of her inner thoughts stopped at the horrifying theory that formed in her mind.

In her previous life, Grace loathed her father to the point she ended up killing him. She also hated her mother for abandoning her to that cruel monster of a father. But what if Grace’s mother didn’t leave her, but instead, she was murdered by that man and was buried somewhere or dumped somewhere without anyone’s knowledge?

Penny’s shoulder tensed up, gulping a mouthful as this was a lot to take in.

"It’s you?" Suddenly, Grace’s voice snapped her back to the current lapse. "You’re here again?"

Penny slowly turned her head in her direction, unable to smile or frown. She didn’t even know what kind of look she should give her.

"My dad and I were worried," was all Penny could say. "So, we wanted to check if you’re okay."

A thin layer of tears and bitterness shone in Grace’s eyes. She looked away, sniffing hard, wiping her unstoppable tears.

"Hah," she laughed weakly through her tears. "Even strangers are worried about us, but my own mother wasn’t even worried about us."

Grace gazed at the emergency door, biting her quivering lips. Her mother’s cowardice irritated her to the core. However, right now, she was just worried about her. She saw her mother’s face and all the blood earlier. She knew her mother was in a much more terrible state than her usual miserable state.

"Thanks," Grace expressed as she faced Penny again. "Thanks... for just... believing."

Penny pressed her lips. It wasn’t hard to notice that Grace was still bitter about their experience with the officers earlier today. After all, this wouldn’t have happened if the police didn’t let the abuser go home with his victims.

But alas... the damage was done.

"Ah, god..." Grace buried her face with her palm, sobbing. "This is frustrating." — at the same time, stressful.

How Grace wished she just didn’t care, just like what she said when she ran away from the police station. However, all she could feel right now was remorse. Despite her mother’s cowardice, she always shielded Grace and made sure Grace would be okay.

Therefore, she regretted everything she said and thought while she was angry.

’I feel sorry for her,’ thought Penny, sighing. She couldn’t do anything, knowing Grace was inconsolable at the moment. All Penny could do was be there for this former comrade, who used to have her back, and take a knife for her in the traitorous land of prison.

"Penny," this time around, Charles already returned. His call also earned Grace’s attention.

Charles glanced at Grace and smiled subtly, standing a few steps from the girl while Penny jumped beside him.

"I know we’re just strangers, but this is my friend. His name is Angelo from the Marine Corps," said Charles to Grace. "For the time being, he will be looking after you and your mother for security while he coordinates with the police department. If you need anything, he’ll help you with it."

Charles paused and sighed. "Your fa — that man... is caught, young miss. He won’t hurt you or your mom anymore. We’ll make sure of that this time."

Grace’s brows rose as her heart swelled with different emotions. She wanted to ask if Charles was sure he couldn’t hurt them again, but she didn’t have the energy at the moment. But looking at the sincerity in Charles’s and Penny’s eyes, that one problem was scratched from the long list of worries she had right now.

"Thank you," Grace breathed out with tears rolling down her cheeks. She then cast her eyes on Penny and whispered, "Thank you."

At the same time, the light in the emergency room was switched off. All of them turned to the door with Grace running toward it.

"Doctor, how’s my mom?" she asked with urgency, waiting for the doctor’s response with bated breaths.

The doctor sighed. "Your mom had a lot of new and old injuries, but fortunately, she was rushed here on time. Although I can’t say she’s out of harm’s way because she still needs to stay in the intensive care unit, she’s fine for now."

"Oh, thank God!"

Hearing the doctor’s remarks, everyone felt like a thorn was plucked out of their hearts. Grace took a step back, crying even harder. Penny and Charles look at each other in relief.

When Grace looked at them with her hands over half of her face, Penny ran to her and shared this comforting and relieving warmth to the person she used to call her sister from another mother.