Chapter 87
87
“ Last time I asked you, who lives in the lonely house at the back of your family’s garden? Do you remember what you told me ? ”
“ You said it was a mad servant, but today, out of curiosity, I went to check it out. Guess what I found?”
“ What?”
Sebastian’s heart clenched tightly, anxious to know what she was about to say.
“A woman. She was chained up!”
“I talked to her. She isn’t insane.”
“She even told me her name is Octavia!”
“Impossible!”
Sebastian couldn’t believe it. “Octavia isn’t supposed to be here. But then , who sent those postcards…”
“I didn’t believe it either, but she showed me the birthmark on the back of her neck, and it matched exactly with what you described. She begged me to
save her!”
Hearing this, Sebastian was in shock, his hands tightly clenched.
“Octavia, in the Vanderbilt family house? Who locked her up there?”
“I don’t know, but I saw Marcus going in and out, ‘taking care‘ of her.”
“Marcus must know something. He’s part of the old lady’s people.”
“Could this have been planned by the old lady? It doesn’t seem likely…”
Caitlin continued with her speculations.
“I’m going to find Octavia!”
Sebastian could no longer remain calm and stood up immediately.
Caitlin quickly stopped him, “I suggest you wait. It’s better not to act rashly and alert them. You can save her after your eyes heal.”
Sebastian looked crushed, thinking of Octavia. She had always taken care of him, just like his mother, Eliza. He never imagined Octavia would end up like
this.
There must be a huge conspiracy behind it!
Marcus was just a butler; what power did he have to cover up such a thing?
Sebastian closed his eyes, still hearing the sounds of Octavia and his father arguing. She had demanded his father pay for his mother’s death . The sound of her anguished cries still haunted him.
“Do you remember the last time you saw Octavia ? ”
“After my mother went missing, Octavia took care of me. One day, when I came home from school, she was gone. Marcus told me she had gone abroad
and left a letter for me.”
“I went to my father, and he told me she had met a European man and went traveling with him.”
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“ Those were probably all excuses. You lost your mother, and Octavia cared for you so much, How could she bear to leave you behind ? ”
Caitlin speculated, “If I’m right, finding Octavia could help you find your mother. This might be an important clue.”
“ Yes, you’re right.”
Sebastian nodded, realizing Caitlin’s reasoning made sense.
“Also, I’m still curious about what happened, ago, regarding your mother. After she went missing, why didn’t your father search for her? Why did
he marry Grace instead?”
Talking about what happened 18 years ago was like reopening an old wound. It was the most painful memory for Sebastian.
His mother had disappeared, and his father remarried. He had a stepmother now…
Thinking of it alt made his heart ache. His hand trembled with anger, and veins popped on his hand and arm.
Caitlin, seeing his distress, sighed deeply and said, “You must know my father, Jonathan? He remarried soon after my mother passed away.”
“So, I understand your pain.”
“I can’t forgive my father either!”
After Caitlin spoke these words, there was a long silence between them.
Sebastian probably hadn’t expected her to open up about her own feelings. He hadn’t thought deeply about how similar their situations were.
Perhaps her sincerity had helped to suppress the anger in his heart, and he finally opened up about the things he had kept locked inside .
It turned out that when Sebastian was eight, he had witnessed his father getting close with another woman and getting into a car with her.
His mother, Eliza, chased after them in her car. After that day, she never returned.
The police searched all over New York, but couldn’t find her.
Sebastian spoke with great pain in his heart. Despite being blind, his eyes were still hot
with tears, and his chest felt tight with grief.
“You didn’t ask your father? Wasn’t your mother’s disappearance because she chased after him and that woman?”
“He had an alibi. When the police investigated, they only found my mother’s car abandoned on the road, but no sign of her, and no solid evidence. ”
Though the police cleared his father of suspicion at the time, Sebastian always believed that his mother’s disappearance was caused by his father’s affair.
He hated his father and could never forgive him!
“Sebastian, you’re luckier than I am. My mother is dead. Her remains are missing, even her ashes are nowhere to be found.”
“And your mother is just missing. As long as she hasn’t been found, there’s still hope.”
Hearing this, Sebastian fell silent. Over the years, he had never given up on looking for his mother.
But even after all this time, there was still no sign of her.
His mother’s disappearance case had long passed the statute of limitations, and the police had destroyed the records .
He even suspected his mother might have already been murdered!
If she were alive, how could she not have returned?
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Caitlin sighed softly and blinked away the tears in her eyes. “Alright, it’s late. You should rest early”
The night was long, and neither of them spoke any further.
For so many years, the topic of his mother’s disappearance had been the most taboo and sensitive subject for him. No one dared to bring it up in front of
him.
But today, Caitlin had broken through that thick shell around his heart and, despite the guilt and self–blame, brought him a little comfort.
Their similar fates had brought them a new understanding of each other. Perhaps it wasn’t an exaggeration to say they were connected by the same fate.
Sebastian was bound to stay up all night.
He needed to rescue his aunt as soon as possible!
He had to get better quickly so he could uncover the truth about what happened all those years ago.
**The Next Morning**
Sebastian heard from Xavi that a large shipment of jewelry, clothes, and other items had been delivered to their home the day before, all under his name and sent to Caitlin.
He was astonished. “How could that be? I didn’t buy anything for her !”
“But the order was placed using your phone, Mr. Vanderbilt. I’ve already checked! Think back–who could have used your phone yesterday?”
Sebastian thought for a moment. “It was Howard! Could it have been him?”
Xavi agreed, “It could very well have been the young master. He must have wanted to do something nice for Caitlin and used your phone to place the
order.”
“…!”
Sebastian was speechless. The little brat had totally tricked him!
No wonder Caitlin’s words yesterday had sounded so strange!
Turns out it was his son behind it all!
Even if he explained now that it wasn’t him, no one would believe him–after all, the kid had used his phone and face to make the purchase!
There was no way to clear his name now!
Caitlin, meanwhile, had made breakfast and ensured both Bruce and Sebastian had eaten.
Unable to hold back any longer, Sebastian cleared his throat. “Caitlin, there’s something I need to explain.”
“What is it?”
“Those things from yesterday–none of them were from me. Don’t misunderstand! It was Howard, he stole my phone and ordered th
Caitlin glanced at Bruce, who shrugged his tiny shoulders, as if to say: “Dad, I’m just messing with you. What are you going to do about it?”
“I could guess it wasn’t you!”
Caitlin chuckled lightly. Sebastian was definitely not the type to buy gifts for her!
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After breakfast, Caitlin prepared to visit Beatrice at the hospital
She packed some food into a thermos and took the Vanderbilt Family’s car
Before long, the car arrived at the hospital.
As Caitlin arrived at the door of Beatrice’s room, she overheard loud, harsh arguing comin