Filed to story: Eight Uncles Beloved Treasure
Lilly sobbed a little longer, then fell asleep.
Once they were outside the room, Gilbert asked indignantly, “Anthony, are we really going to let the Hatchers off so easily?”
Bankruptcy alone was not sufficient punishment for people like them!
Anthony slowly unbuttoned his shirt sleeves and rolled them up. Calmly, he replied, “Eight against one, Gilbert. Is that enough for you?”
There would be eight Crawfords seeking revenge against the Hatcher family!
The rest of the Crawford brothers narrowed their eyes upon hearing Anthony’s words.
Gilbert loosened his wrists and cracked his knuckles; Edward, an architectural engineer with a fiery temper and tanned skin, scoffed and grabbed a rebar from out of nowhere.
“We’re law-abiding citizens. How can we openly assault someone in public?” Bryson, the good-natured Captain, said gently. He interrupted a nearby nurse and asked, “Hello, do you have a gunny sack in the storeroom?”
The nurse stuttered, “Yeah… yeah… we have a polybag and some paper boxes in the pharmacy.” She suggested the paper boxes instead, assuming they wanted to store something.
Bryson smiled and said, “Thank you. A gunny sack will be sufficient.”
The Crawford brothers thought, a sack will be useful to beat someone up.
Meanwhile, Stephen shivered in the cold as he waited outside the VIP wards. He swore in
his heart, I’ve been up all night, and it’s almost daylight. Where the hell are the Crawfords?
Richard left earlier because he could not stand the cold any longer. He reminded Stephen to stay put and demonstrate their sincerity before he left.
Spring nights were colder than winter nights. Stephen could feel the biting cold filling his lungs with every breath of the stale air. The long wait had also left him hungry and exhausted. All he wanted to do was return home, take a warm, relaxing shower, and sleep the rest of the day away.
Things became even more unbearable when he considered the cozy environment he could be in. Stephen decided it was pointless to wait any longer after another hour had passed.
The man spoke on the phone while walking to the underground car park. “Remember to call me once the Crawfords leave…” Before he could continue, total darkness surrounded him. He was covered in a gunny sack!
“What the hell! Who are you?” Stephen screamed in agony as his attackers landed forceful punches.
The perpetrators were none other than the eight brothers from the Crawford family. They did not typically get their hands dirty but could not help themselves when they considered Lilly’s unfortunate situation. Their resentment grew as they remembered Lilly’s injuries and how she had cautiously asked if there would be food when she returned home and if they would hurt her.
“Stop it!” Stephen begged. He was helpless and at his captors’ mercy. “Do you know who I am? I’m the President of Ador Hatcher Corporation. How dare you attack me! I swear that I’ll…”
Anthony scoffed and loosened his tie. He then motioned for his brothers to stop the assault. Everyone complied with his instructions, and Edward clung to the rebar as he prepared to resume the attack.
Stephen heaved a sigh of relief after his opponents appeared to have backed down. However, the rebar landed forcefully on his leg, much to his surprise.
“Ahh!” His agonizing cries rang out throughout the parking lot.
Although Stephen survived the attack, he was injured so badly that he had to be carried into the hospital. What made matters worse was that he had no idea who was to blame and had no way of finding out. His adversaries did not leave any clues suggesting their identity.
“Are you feeling better, Stephen?” Debbie sobbed beside the man’s bedside. If he were awake, he would notice the lack of sincerity in her eyes. The woman appeared to be a worried wife, but she was secretly distraught over Lilly’s unexpected newfound identity in the Crawford family.
Debbie was appalled when Paula told her the news yesterday. She fumed inwardly, how did that bastard become the only beloved daughter of the Crawford family?!
In truth, Lilly was not responsible for the miscarriage; Debbie had intentionally caused the fall so that she could get rid of the baby. She knew that the Hatchers were experiencing financial difficulties and that Stephen was on the verge of bankruptcy after incurring numerous debts. Debbie believed that a young and beautiful lady like her had a good chance of finding a new husband; one who was wealthier and more powerful than Stephen. If she had a child, remarriage would be more difficult for her. As a result, she needed to find a way to make the baby vanish while avoiding responsibility.
Debbie knew that Lilly was a lonely child loved by no one. Since her birth, the Hatchers had never been kind to her. Stephen had even admitted in his drunken stupor that he despised her presence. Hence, Debbie felt that it was safe to pin the blame on her lost child on Lilly. Little did she know that the girl was part of the Crawford family.
Debbie’s spine tingled at the prospect of offending one of the four greatest families. What should I do? I’ll be in trouble if they find out the truth. I need to figure out how to keep Lilly silent forever…
In the VIP ward, Lilly opened her eyes once again. This time, the room was completely empty and deathly quiet. She felt insecure and uneasy, thinking that everyone had left.
A few moments later, there was a soft knock at the door. Her face lit up when she saw Gilbert enter the room. Hugh had instructed them to wait outside the ward in order to avoid crowding the room and improve ventilation.
“How are you feeling, Lilly? Shall I get you some breakfast?” Gilbert said warmly. When Lilly nodded, he gave the order to serve breakfast.
The rest of the Crawfords were awakened by the noise and went into the room to check on Lilly.
“What do you like to eat, Lilly? There are sandwiches, donuts, oatmeal…” Hugh asked tenderly.
Edward pushed his way in and exclaimed, “How about meatball spaghetti? It’s delicious!”
Hugh reprimanded Edward by hitting his leg with his walking cane. “Lilly has only just awoken. How is she going to eat the meatball spaghetti?” He picked up a plate and suggested, “How about some sandwiches? They’re tasty.”
Bryson smiled as he picked up a bowl. “Or some oatmeal would be good too.”
Lilly pursed her lips, and tears shimmered in her eyes. Recognition dawned on her that she may now have a family. She sniffled and said cautiously, “I would like to have some sandwiches, Grandpa.”
“Great! Come, have the sandwiches!” Hugh nodded fervently, his tear-reddened eyes fixed on Lilly, who reminded him of a younger Jean. However, unlike Lilly, Jean was willful and hyperactive when she was a little girl. She led a carefree life and often bickered with her brothers. However, the little girl before him was melancholic and careful with her words. She must have been through a lot to be this mature at the age of three and a half.
The Crawfords only left the room after Lilly had finished her meal and tucked into bed. However, the moment Lilly closed her eyes, a voice sounded in her ear. “Tulip! Tulip!”
She opened her eyes, only to find the room devoid of any presence. Lilly attempted to go back to sleep, firmly believing that she must be in the midst of a dream. As she closed her eyes, the voice resurfaced. “Lilly, Lilly, Tulip!”
Nervously gripping the sheets, Lilly anxiously scanned the room, desperately trying to locate the origin of the voice.
Lilly glanced around, but the room remained empty. “Who are you?” she asked, her voice trembling.
“I am your master,” the voice replied calmly.
The little girl frowned at the strange response. “I don’t have a master,” she firmly stated.
Suddenly, a shadowy figure appeared in the chair beside the bed. The young man, dressed in a white robe, was invisible to everyone else. He had blood-red lips, piercing grey eyes, and a prominent nose. He emitted a cold, sinister aura.
The man glared at the little girl before him and thought, I thought she would be an ignorant child. It seems she is not easily fooled…
“Tulip.” Before he could continue, Lilly interrupted, hissing, “My name is not Tulip. I’m Lilly.”
The man stroked his chin and said, “I am truly your master. Your mother asked me to be your master before she passed away.”
“No, she wouldn’t,” Lilly protested. She couldn’t believe her mother would give her to a stranger.
The man was speechless at her denial. When Jean was on her deathbed, she saw him and begged him to protect Lilly and the Crawfords. Lilly was only two years old at the time and couldn’t see his spiritual form. But the fact remained that he was her master! Two days ago, when Lilly was on the brink of death, she finally heard his voice. Yet, she still refused to believe his words.
The man rubbed his nose and stated, “Jean Crawford is your mother, and you are Lilly Hatcher. I know who you are.”
Lilly pursed her lips and retorted, “Everyone knows that.”
What an intelligent young lady. The Hatchers would never be able to bully her if it weren’t for her small stature and desire for love.
The man smirked and replied, “Don’t overthink everything, little one. When you are well enough, we can perform the necessary rituals. My name is Pablo Belmont. I was a formidable man in my previous life.”
Noticing Lilly’s confused expression, Pablo explained, “It’s natural that you don’t know who I am because I wasn’t born in your era. However, I am a talented man. I can teach you many things, such as how to protect yourself from bullies.”
“Will great men perish?” Lilly inquired. When she realized her question received no response, she asked again, “If you are as capable as you claim, how did you die?”
Pablo was rendered speechless by her challenging questions. Lilly clutched her sheets and bit her lower lip. “If you really are my master, why did you leave me alone?” Nobody cared about her since her mother died, not even when she cried or got hurt. For the past year, she had tried her best to avoid causing trouble. But despite her efforts, her father and grandparents didn’t love her. Debbie even beat her at times.
“From now on, I will protect you,” Pablo solemnly declared. His face hardened, and he offered no further explanation. Lilly turned away from him, biting her lower lip.
Pablo patted Lilly’s head and said, “Get some rest. I will be back later. This is my welcome gift for you.” He had rushed to see Lilly and needed to return to tie up loose ends.
Lilly felt a warm sensation and noticed red threads encircling her wrist. The room fell silent once again. She looked around but saw no one. To her surprise, her aching body felt better, and her heart was at peace.
After ten days, Lilly’s wounds had mostly healed. Finally, she was well enough to go home.
“This is a miracle. She has healed so quickly. Given the severity of her injuries, I expected it to take three months,” a doctor exclaimed in disbelief.
Gilbert soon arrived and observed Lilly on the bed, her eyes fixed on the red string around her wrist. She looked incredibly lonely and scared.
“Lilly, what’s wrong?” He reached out and gently patted her head. “What is this?” He pointed to the red string, curious as he hadn’t seen it on Lilly’s wrist the previous night.
Lilly raised her head and asked, “Where is my rabbit, Uncle Gilbert?”
Gilbert remembered that while Lilly was unconscious, she clung to a worn-out stuffed rabbit. In his moment of panic, he had hastily discarded the filthy toy.
