Chapter 445 Lily's Predicament

The door swung open, revealing Lily standing there, her face worn out. "Freya, what brings you here?" she inquired. "I didn't see you at the store, and then I heard from Ava that you were sick. I asked her for your address and came to check on you," Freya explained. "You're too kind to come all this way. Please, come in," Lily welcomed her inside. Freya placed her belongings on a simple table and surveyed the room. Toys cluttered the living room, mostly cars and dinosaurs, indicating a child who adored vehicles. Beside the TV cabinet lay the child's school bag and stationery, suggesting he hadn't gone to school. Freya glanced around but found no sign of the child. Unable to suppress her curiosity, she asked, "Are you alone at home?" "Yes, they're all gone," Lily replied. Her complexion was pallid with dark circles under her eyes, evidence of a sleepless night. "If you're feeling unwell, let me take a look. Fortunately, I know a bit about traditional Chinese medicine," Freya offered, deeply concerned as she observed Lily. In just one night, Lily's condition had deteriorated noticeably. Freya could sense that something was troubling her. Especially since Lily avoided meeting her gaze. "I'm fine, just a bit dizzy. I'll be fine after a day's rest," Lily insisted, unable to meet Freya's eyes, overwhelmed by guilt for what she had done. However, her family remained under Selena's control, forcing her to yield to their manipulation. However, Freya refused to let it go. She reached out and took Lily's pulse. "You have low blood sugar, combined with excessive worry and unresolved stress, leading to dizziness," After finishing her words, Freya lifted her gaze towards her. "Has something happened at home?" "N-nothing," Lily stammered. "As an employee of Julia's, if you're facing any difficulties, feel free to speak up. We're all here to help you," Freya reassured her. "Thank you, Freya, but really, there's nothing wrong," Lily insisted. "Alright then, rest up. If you need anything, don't hesitate to reach out," Freya said before leaving. Freya could discern that Lily was concealing something. Her expression was tense, indicating that there was more to the situation. Even after she had left, Freya couldn't shake off her thoughts about the matter. At this hour, when children should be in school, they were absent, opting to go out with their family. If Freya's hunch was right, this family member was likely Lily's mother-in-law. Rumored to be eighty years old, Lily's mother-in-law had given birth to Lily's husband in her later years. The idea of an elderly person and a child venturing out together like this seemed incredibly unsafe to Freya. It all felt suspicious. Could Lily's sudden betrayal be linked to her family? With this suspicion lingering, Freya promptly dialed Ella's number. "Ella, I need you to investigate Lily's family situation. Also, confirm the whereabouts of her child." "Got it. I'll head to the school right away." After ending the call, Freya made her way to where her car was parked. Just then, she observed Lily hastily exiting the house, her complexion even more distressed than before. With Lily in such a state, where could she possibly be heading? Freya discreetly followed her, keeping a careful distance. Lily hailed a taxi by the roadside and headed towards South Street. Concerned about being noticed, Freya maintained her distance. Ten minutes later, the taxi came to a stop in front of a large building. Lily alighted, made a phone call, and soon the building's automatic doors opened. Freya followed Lily into the building, watching as she entered the elevator, which stopped on the seventh floor. Freya took another elevator and followed Lily up to the seventh floor. When the elevator doors opened, she was shocked. 'Selena's Studio.' So, Lily's attack on her was all orchestrated by Selena. Freya should have realized sooner. Lily was originally associated with Selena's store, so it was plausible for her to be working for Selena again. But why? Selena couldn't offer her anything that Julia's Boutique hadn't already provided. In terms of salary and benefits, Julia's offered more. Freya clenched her fists, ready to leave. Suddenly, she heard sobbing behind her. "Selena, I beg you, spare my child and mother-in-law." It was Lily's voice. Freya narrowed her eyes, hiding around the corner, her gaze fixed firmly ahead. "I've said it before, as long as you help me, I won't mistreat your family," Selena said, her arms crossed, arrogance in her eyes, coldness in her tone. "But my child always looks for me at night. Can't you let me see him?" Lily pleaded, tears streaming down her face. She had spent the entire previous night tossing and turning, haunted by her child's cries in her dreams. She was heartbroken, spending the entire night in tears, clutching onto her child's clothes. She missed her child terribly, which was why she had come to Selena's studio. But who knew Selena would be so heartless, refusing to let Lily see her child and even kicking her out. "Your son is quite a handful. If he sees you, he'll be causing trouble for days. Hurry up and leave. If you do your job well, I'll naturally let them go," Selena said impatiently, signaling her assistant to escort Lily out. Lily was then thrown out by the assistant, kneeling on the ground, sobbing loudly. Freya tightened her fists even more. Lily's betrayal stemmed from Selena's threats. Using her child and elderly mother-in-law as bargaining chips, Selena was truly despicable. Freya resisted the urge to go over and help Lily up, turning away instead. She wanted to see how Selena planned to deal with Lily. But for now, her priority was to find Lily's child and mother-in-law and rescue them as soon as possible. Leaving Selena's studio, Freya felt overwhelmed with frustration. She didn't consider herself a saint, but she never stooped to harming others. Yet, when someone used others' lives as a threat against her, it was unforgivable! Just then, her phone rang. It was Ella calling. "Freya, I just went to the school. The teacher said Lily's child has been absent for two days." "Yeah, he's been kidnapped." Ella on the other end was shocked. "What are you saying?" "Selena kidnapped Lily's child and mother-in-law to coerce her into dealing with me. Get someone to find out where they are immediately. Also, keep an eye on Lily. She'll soon target the store." "Alright, I'll get right on it." Freya hung up the phone. Her gaze cold as she looked up at the seventh floor. Selena... If you seek your own demise, don't blame me for being heartless! … Lily took three consecutive days off and returned to work at the store on the fourth day. Although she looked better than before, she had lost a significant amount of weight. "Lily, are you alright?" Ava asked with concern as she noticed Lily's appearance. "I'm fine, just had a minor illness, but I've recovered," Lily replied. "You still need to rest. Julia's Boutique isn't as strict with its employees. Get well and then come back," Ava advised. As Freya heard the commotion outside, she stepped out and saw Lily. Their eyes met briefly, and Lily smiled at her, but quickly looked away.