11:49
Chapter 189
“Seriously, man, you think every pretty girl is like Mom or something? Hanson shot his brother a lad disdain. “Always playing favontes, aren’t you?”
Felix snorted. “Bro, you’re acting weird today. You weren’t like this before”
Glancing back at Kristin who was sitting by the seashore, Felix quietly asked, “You know that chick over there?”
“Kristin, ever heard of her? Hanson replied indifferently.
“Kristin?” Felix wasn’t much for keeping up with local gossip, shaking his head.
The Turner family’s fake heiress,” Hanson scoffed, his dislike for Kristin palpable. “Did time for bladmal and extortion.”
Felix frowned. “That’s pretty judgmental, bro. Have you even met her?”
“Why would I want to meet her?” Hanson said with a snooty air.
“Don’t judge if you don’t know her. Switched at birth, right? That’s something that happened
just a baby. We’re still looking for our own sister. Isn’t she also switched at birth? Whose faut is Felix’s displeasure was evident.
“Patty’s got a thing for Rhett, you know that,” Hanson said, imitated that Rhett would choose someone with Kristin’s tarnished reputation over Patty.
“You’re such a hypocrite. Felix grabbed a nearby coconut. “You used to say Rhett didn’t want Patty because she wasn’t a true Lewis, just a foster child raised by the family’s butler. Turns out, ned rather plor somed like Kristin with no family background at all.”
Hanson was fuming. “Whatever.”
“Come on,” Felix countered seriously “I want to talk about Patty, I know you’ve always treated her like a sister, spoiled her since she was a tot. She’s innocent, sure, but our real sister is even more so. We need to find her fast, or Mom’s health will only get worse.”
“You think I haven’t been looking?” Hanson retorted, anger seeping through.
“Let’s not talk about the past. Have you seriously looked in the last five years? You always avoid it, not to upset Patty.” Felix sat down. “If the mix–up hadn’t happened, our sister would be the princess of the house
Hanson fell silent, guilt washing over him.
The whole family had sworn to spoil their real sister rotten once they found her.
“And even if Rhett doesn’t like Patty, you have no right to lash out at Kristin. You were out of line today,” Felix warned Hanson again.
Hanson rolled his eyes at Felix. “What, you interested in her? Figures.”
“Bro, you so against her, maybe you’re the one with the crush?” Felix fired back.
Hanson was momentarily speechless. “Go away, you’re annoying.”
Felix huffed. “Where are Jason and Liam?”
Hanson was there to find his youngest brother and his beloved nephew.
The Lewis brothers were quite a trio, with the youngest, Jason Lewis, unwed but with a son in tow. The woman who bore his child had bolted, leaving him to search high and low for her.
1/3
“Helpt Someone’s been awept sway by the waves!
It’s the deep water areal”
They’ve crossed the safety ling–it’s a kid!”
The beach erupted into chaos. Shouts for help echoed in English and other languages.
Kristin, delicately sipping her coconut water on the sand, leapt to her feet at the cries for help.
“It’s a child, about five or six, caught by the waves. Where are the adults?”
Kristin glanced out at sea to see a child slapped down by the waves, his inflatable ring drifting away.
“Kristin!” Before Rhett could react, she was dashing into the surf.
Taking a deep breath, Kristin dove into the water, swimming hard toward the struggling child.
The boy was already choking, too weak to fight. Saving him proved less difficult than she expected.
“Kristin!” Rhett shouted. A wave crashed over them.
Rhett’s heart pounded as he dove into the sea, shielding Kristin and the child from the crashing wave that smashed him into the rocks, slicing open his back.
Kristin clung to the child, frantic, looking up at Rhett. “Are you… are you okay?”
Rhett shook his head. “As long as you’re safe.”
When Kristin had rushed into the sea, Rhett felt his heart stop.
Lifeguards and beachgoers converged, applauding Kristin’s bravery.
She was the only one brave enough to dive in, since that area was notoriously deep.
“What were you thinking?” Rhett frowned, pulling Kristin close. “Heroic, yes, but I wish you hadn’t.”
He had been terrified.
“He’s just a kid…” Kristin murmured, the small boy in her arms reminding her of Summer.
“Liam!” Felix and Hanson realized what was happening as Kristin plunged into the water..
“He’s your kid?” Rhett looked sternly at Hanson.
Hanson’s face was grim, his feelings about Kristin conflicted….
“How can you be a parent?” Rhett took the chance to scold Hanson.
The unconscious child burst into tears, spitting out seawater and clinging to Kristin. “Mommy.”
Rescuers pulled Rhett and Kristin ashore while medics rushed forward.
“You’re so brave,” one medic said, giving Kristin a thumbs–up.
Embarrassed, Kristin lowered her gaze to the little octopus–like child in her arms.
“Sorry…” Felix moved Hanson aside, reaching to take Liam into his arms.
Liam was crying his eyes out, clutching Kristin as though she was the only thing anchoring him to the world. “Mommy, I want my mommy.”
“Liam, you’ve got the wrong person,” Felix murmured softly
But Liam only clung tighter to Kristin, wailing. “She is mommy, she’s my mommy.”
Rhett’s face turned dark with frustration what was supposed to be a fun outing had turned into an
Impromptu adoption?
“Kid, who do you belong to?” Rhett tried to lift Liam by the back of his shirt, but the boy wouldn’t budge
Henson’s expression was stormy as he scanned the are for Jason’s figure,
His kid was out gallivanting somewhere instead of keeping an eye on his own son.
Suddenly, Jason, hearing the commotion, came running. “Bro, have you seen Liam?”
Bam! Hanson’s fist connected with Jason’s face. “Where the heck were you! You know how close we were to a disaster because you weren’t watching him?”
Jason was stunned, his eyes wide with panic as he looked at Liam. “I… I saw Mom heading towards the sea cliffs, and I chased after her but then lost sight. I was worried something had happened.”
Hanson inhaled sharply, his emotions flipping.
The Lewis brothers all cast a glance towards the nearby sea cliffs and saw a tall, slender middle–aged woman standing at the edge, her figure emanating loneliness.
“Mom…” Hanson’s heart shot into his throat as he dashed towards the cliffs.
His family might look shiny and perfect on the outside, but underneath it was like a stagnant pond – deep and unknowable.
Mrs. Lewis, once a proud woman, had been through hell and back after learning her daughter had been switched at birth. Not only did she endure the agony of losing her daughter, but she also faced the heartbreak of her husband’s infidelity and the public taunts of the other woman.
Ever since that year, Hanson’s mother had sunk into a deep depression.
If it weren’t for the resolve to find her missing daughter, she might have given up long ago.
“Mommy…” Liam wouldn’t let go of Kristin.
He needed to be examined by the doctor, but he’d burst into tears at the slightest touch.
Seeing the Lewis clan sprinting away, Kristin shot Rhett a cautious glance.
“Let’s go check it out,” she suggested.
At this point, Rhett just wanted to give this little octopus back to the Lewis family.
