Chapter 232

Chapter 232 Estrella relaxed her grip and whispered, “You must have read a few books, I reckon. You know your little one isn’t in the best of health, right?”

Her words struck a chord, and the girl, clasping her child, suddenly burst into tears.

Estrella quickly handed over a tissue, saying, “Your baby’s still young. Timely medical care and an improved living situation could turn things around. But if things stay as they are, I’m afraid the outlook isn’t too rosy.”

As Estrella spoke, the girl began to sob audibly. “They told me to keep quiet, said it’s normal for kids around here, that they’re all like this.”

The girl’s confession tugged painfully at Estrella’s heart. Indeed, Education is the key to lifting folks out of poverty.

“You need to stand up for yourselves if you want to change your situation,” Estrella consoled her. “If you don’t even dare to acknowledge the problem, who’s going to solve it?”

I The girl looked up, her eyes brimming with a mix of hope and desperation. “If I tell you, can you help us? Can you make life better for my baby?”

Estrella replied with resolve, “I’ll do everything in my power.”

Reassured by Estrella’s determination, the girl carefully placed her child on the ground, then turned and went inside her house.

She came back with a medical file and some test results, handing them to Estrella. “We went to the hospital. The doctor said my child’s been poisoned, which is why he’s not developing properly. His head’s too large, he’s unsteady on his feet, and his bones are brittle from severe calcium deficiency. They sal he’s not absorbing nutrients and might even become deformed.”

Estrella listened intently, her expression growing darker as she realized the child’s symptoms were the same as Alex’s, who was also suffering from fluoride poisoning.

Much like Alex, many folks in Glimmering Lake were unbeknownst to themselves suffering various degrees of fluoride poisoning.

They were content just having the factory nearby, as long as it provided a paycheck.

Estrella took photos of the medical records and test results with her phone while the girl stuffed the paperwork into her bag. “If these can help my baby, take them. They’re no use to me here.”

Estrella, a mother herself, felt a lump form in her throat. Swallowing hard, shesaid, “Until we sort this case out, we’ll supply you with clean drinking water and fresh vegetables daily. There’ll also be door-to-door sales of daily necessities and food. Once this case is closed, we’ll resolve all these issues.”

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After the case was concluded, Glimmering Lake’s drinking water would need to be sourced from elsewhere. The land would also require testing and restoration to determine its usability. These were substantial projects that couldn’t be easily accomplished in the short term. Even if Estrella wanted to expedite the process, she’d need the green light from those above once the case was resolved.

Tears welled up in the girl’s eyes as she whispered, “Thank you, ma’am.”

“Ms. Estrella, what should we do about the water, vegetables, and the food and grocery sales you mentioned earlier?” It was already dark as they drove back to town, and Keegan asked with a worried expression.

“All those issues are taken care of, starting tomorrow. Right now, our priority is gathering more evidence to prove the villagers have been poisoned with fluoride. We need to wrap this case up tight,” For the short-term issues of the villagers’ drinking water and food, she could spend some money to get people to take care of it. As for the future, winning the case was a must.

Keegan chimed in, “If we can get the villagers to speak up, we’ll definitely win.”

Estrella gazed out the windshield with a heavy sigh. This time, they were up against not just the factory but two government bodies as well. It was bound to be a tough fight, but she was determined to give it her all.

As they discussed the case, Keegan suddenly slowed the car. “Ms. Estrella, what’s with all those rocks on the road ahead?”

Following his gaze, Estrella saw a row of large stones blocking their path. Keegan slo to a stop and was about to unbuckle his seatbelt when Estrella grabbed him, “Hold d Keegan. Don’t get out just yet.”

It was only a little past eight o’clock, but the sky had darkened, and this stretch of road was deserted. Theirs was the only vehicle in sight. Keegan sat back, sensing the troub as well. They sat silently, observing their surroundings. After Estrella made several calls and sent their location to Bryce and the others, four men suddenly emerged from the fields on either side, wielding clubs and knives, and approached their car.

“Lock the doors, Keegan,” Estrella said calmly as she noticed the men.

Keegan’s voice shook, “Ms. Estrella, the doors are locked tight.”

As she glanced in the rearview mirror, Estrella saw four more men advancing from behind. They were now surrounded, and it was clear they were the targets of a planned ambush, likely connected to the Glimmering Lake case.

“Get out. Everyone out!” As Estrella’s gaze returned to the front, she saw the leading man slamming a rod on the hood of the car.

Keegan jolted in his seat, “Ms. Estrella, what should we do now?”

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“No getting out, we need to buy some time,” Estrella calmly replied.

“Didn’t you hear me telling you to get out?” The leading man, irritated at their lack of a reaction, slammed his club onto the windshield. Estrella’s car was well-built. The glass didn’t shatter but cracked in a spiderweb pattern.

As Estrella and Keegan refused to exit the vehicle, the mob outside grew restless, kicking the car and shouting, “Get out if you don’t want trouble, or you won’t even have a whole corpse left!”

Frozen with fear, Keegan turned to Estrella, “What do we do?”

The car swayed under the force of the assault. Estrella took out a pen and paper, scribbled her phone number, and stuck it to the window, signaling for their leader to call and negotiate.

The men outside ignored her, refusing to call her, and continued to vandalize the car, demanding that they get out.

As the mob grew increasingly violent, the driver’s side window was moments away from shattering. Estrella held her breath, bracing herself to fling the door open when suddenly, a beacon of salvation pierced the darkness: headlights from an approaching vehicle.

Estrella’s heart leapt at the sight, a lifeline thrown in the midst of chaos. Even though she had no clue who was behind the wheel, it was a relief that it wasn’t just her and Keegan alone on this desolate stretch of road anymore.

As the glaring lights drew closer, Estrella shielded her eyes. The thugs outside did the same, cursing impatiently as their rampage was interrupted. Then, she watched as th high beams switched to low, and the car pulled up on the opposite side of the rocky verge.

The license plate remained a blur, but the make of the vehicle was unmistakable: a Mercedes-Benz SUV of impressive size.

And then she saw him-a tall figure emerging from the driver’s side, wielding a baseball bat like a modern-day knight.

When her gaze finally settled on the man’s face, Estrella’s breath hitched in her throat.