The smile on Lizaâs face was unsettling to those around her.
Joelle empathized; Liza had recently suffered the loss of her child.
âIs there something you need?â
Redness was the only hint of color in Lizaâs eyes as she turned mechanically to stare at the carâs tinted window. The glass was reflective, and it seemed like Liza was looking in a mirror, but Joelle knew she wanted to see Aurora inside.
To keep Aurora from being frightened, Adrian shielded her with his body.
âShould I get in touch with Belle for you?â
Liza cocked her head, murmuring, âWhy? Why? My childâ¦â
Clearly, she was too distressed to grasp what was being said to her, her numbness rendering her unable to respond.
Seeing no point in further conversation, Joelle said decisively, âAdrian, we should leave.â
They climbed into the car and drove away, leaving Liza behind, still muttering as she watched other parents embrace their children.
Recalling Gracieâs comments about Lizaâs brush with death made Joelle reflect on her own experiences.
âWhat caused Lizaâs miscarriage?â
Adrian didnât have the answers either, so he asked Callan to look into it.
That night, Callan brought news, saying, âLiza has Rh-negative blood, a rare type. She used to mention it on social media. On the day she was abducted, 500 milliliters of her blood were taken by force.â
Five hundred milliliters was a substantial volume. Typically, a blood donation doesnât even reach 400 milliliters.
It was almost a miracle that Liza had survived.
Shortly thereafter, a patient succumbed to hemorrhagic shock at Illerith Hospital after being admitted in critical condition with Rh-negative blood.
Reports indicated the person had been kidnapped and subjected to significant blood loss too. The news left Joelle feeling disturbed.
Adrian asked why she was so worried.
âRyland also has that rare Rh-negative blood. When he was born, his life hung in the balance.â
Joelle was acutely aware of the need for discretion in these sensitive times.
âDonât worry,â Adrian said, comforting her with an arm around her shoulders. âNothing will happen to Ryland.â
âOkay.â
Joelle had been curious for some time: if Ryland was Katieâs son, then who was his father?
Adrian shook his head. âI asked, but Katie told me Rylandâs father passed away two years ago and kept his identity secret.â
Joelle suspected it wasnât difficult to figure out. Since Katie didnât have Rh-negative blood, it must have been Rylandâs father who did.
There werenât many people who had died in the past two years with Rh-negative blood. With a little digging, one could possibly identify him.
But with the father deceased, Joelle saw no reason to disclose Rylandâs paternity to the world.
She yawned, prompting Adrian to check if she was tired. She nodded, and Adrian easily picked her up.
âYour shoulder!â
.
.
.