Chapter 2

"What did you say?"

A flash of panic crossed Elaine's eyes as her instinct told her to rush home.

However, remembering Vera still in her arms, she had no choice but to stay.

"Didn't I tell you to watch him carefully?" she demanded.

The nanny responded apologetically, "Julius kept asking for egg tarts, so I went to the kitchen to bake some. But when I returned, he was nowhere to be found."

Elaine took a deep breath, barely managing to stay calm. "Go look for him right now. Get more people to help. I'll bring Vera home immediately."

"Yes, Ma'am."

After hanging up, Elaine felt completely drained.

Vera needed constant attention, and Julius had to be found.

But she was just one person—she couldn't be in two places at once. She had to shoulder all responsibilities herself.

Elaine felt like an ant on a hot pan, frantically running in circles.

She thought about calling Arthur, but dropped the idea the moment it arose.

Arthur definitely wouldn't answer.

In his eyes, Emily was more important than anything else.

Elaine carried Vera back home as quickly as possible.

Assistant Barry Wilson had just messaged her that the family doctor was on the way.

Elaine carefully laid Vera on the bed and told her, "Vera, the doctor will be here soon. Mommy needs to find your brother now."

Still delirious, Vera forced her eyes open and called out in murmur, "Emily..."

Elaine's heart clenched painfully.

Even in this condition, Vera thought about Emily.

"Be good, Vera. You can see her when you're better."

After comforting Vera, Elaine immediately started searching for Julius.

"Julius!"

"Julius, where are you?"

"Don't scare Mommy!"

Elaine searched throughout the sprawling mansion.

Though they didn't live downtown, the surrounding area had busy roads and traffic everywhere.

If something happened to Julius...

Elaine's heart twisted with worry, and she couldn't bear to think further.

"Julius!"

She had nearly turned the entire mansion upside down when, just as she finished checking one room, she heard a faint electronic game sound coming from under the bed.

She whipped around toward the sound.

If she wasn't mistaken, that was the smartwatch game she'd bought for Julius.

Elaine yanked away the bedskirt, and sure enough, Julius was lying there.

She felt a rush of anger, anxiety, and relief that nothing bad had happened. She stared at Julius accusingly, "Julius, why are you hiding here? Do you know how worried I've been looking for you?"

Julius pouted carelessly. "You wouldn't let me go find Emily."

Elaine stared at him in disbelief. Her eyes were filled with disappointment.

She had so many things she wanted to say, but they all were caught in her throat.

Julius's behavior and attitude felt like a knife stabbing and twisting through her heart. A cold wind seemed to blow through the wound, chilling her to the bone.

This was her flesh and blood!

Suddenly Elaine lost all desire to speak. She looked at Julius perplexingly before leaving.

Downstairs, assistant Barry had arrived with the family doctor.

"Mrs. Smith, the doctor is here."

Elaine immediately put aside what had just happened and said urgently, "Vera's in her room. I'll take you there."

The doctor immediately gave Vera a thorough examination, while Elaine waited anxiously nearby.

Reading her temperature on the thermometer, the doctor slowly shook his head. "Mrs. Smith, Vera has contracted the latest virus mutation. Currently, there's no effective treatment."

"What did you say?" Elaine stumbled backward as the world suddenly spun around her.

No treatment? What would happen to her Vera?

With trembling hands, Elaine pulled out her phone to call Arthur. With his connections, he could surely find a solution.

But as expected, no one answered.

Glancing at Elaine's pale face made Barry hesitated and finally used his own phone to make a call. Almost immediately, his call went through.

Elaine's head snapped up from the phone screen, and her grip tightened almost subconsciously.

Despite being his wife, she was unable to reach Arthur, while Barry, an assistant, got an answer promptly. How ironic.

She and Arthur were strangers living under the same roof!

Although their feelings weren't very strong when they first married, Arthur had been more considerate during her pregnancy. He remembered her preferences, personally cooked for her, and even showered her with gifts on every occasion.

They had anticipated the arrival of their children together, choosing names and things. He even assembled the cribs with his own hands.

She used to fantasize about how great it would be if it were the only way life could be all the time. Arthur would eventually fall in love with her, and they would be a happy family.

But all these fantasies and dreams were shattered the day Emily returned from abroad.

"Has the doctor arrived?" Arthur's voice came through the phone, pulling her back to reality.

Elaine took the phone. Her voice was strained when she asked, "Vera has contracted the new virus, and the doctor said there is no cure. Where are you? When can you come home?"

Arthur's voice was calm, "I'm at the virus outbreak epicenter. Emily and I are quarantined here."

"Then what about Vera? She's already unconscious!" 

Elaine struggled to control the emotion in her voice.

Taking care of their children was supposed to be their shared responsibility.

Yet here she was, struggling by herself.

The feeling of isolation exhausted and devastated her.

Arthur frowned, "I'll send more medical teams over. You must take good care of Vera."

Elaine gripped the phone tightly, swallowing the bitterness in her throat.

"Vera needs you right now."

Arthur's brow furrowed, and his thin lips pressed together in silence.

Elaine waited for his response, only to hear Emily's voice coming through instead, "Arthur, I've packed everything. We can leave anytime."

Elaine immediately caught the key words and asked urgently, "Where are you going?"

Arthur replied coldly, "The virus is spreading throughout the city. Emily's health is fragile, so I'm taking her abroad."

His answer extinguished the last glimmer of hope in Elaine's eyes.

He was thinking of Emily, but what about Vera? What about his wife and children in this crisis?

Bitterness filled Elaine's voice.

"What about me and our children?"