Chapter 8
Chapter 8
Esther pulled out her phone to call Jasper from the cab’s backseat. “Jasper, it’s me. My daughters are
in Sunflower Welfare.” Jasper arched his brow and asked, “How do you know?” Esther told him about
how she and Felix had worked together, and Jasper asked with a frown, “Esther, do you fully believe
what a child says? Aren’t you afraid that it’s a trap?” “I can’t care as much now. Even if there’s only a
sliver of a chance, I want to give it a go.” Jasper replied, “Alright, we’ll meet at the welfare home later.”
“Okay.” Esther had lost her freedom behind bars for five years. Now that she sat in the backseat of the
cab, she appreciated the bright neon lights of the city at night. The cool breeze kissed her face, and
she took a deep breath before smiling genuinely. This was the smell of freedom. The map showed that
Sunflower Welfare was on the other side of the city. Even though it was not peak hours, the roads were
still congested. The experienced cab driver ended up stuck on the overpass a kilometer away from the
welfare home. “Mister, may I know how long till we’re there?” The cab driver swiped the navigation app
and pointed at the red route. “At least 20 minutes with how we’re currently stuck.” “Isn’t it just one
kilometer?” Esther asked anxiously. “From the map, it is only one kilometer, but we can’t turn left right
away after the overpass. We have to go up front and make a U-turn at the junction. You saw it too.
They’re building a subway here…” Esther paid for the sum on the meter. “Mister, I’ve paid you. Please
unlock the door. I’ll get off now.” The cab driver agreed easily. “Watch out for the cars, miss.” Esther
saw Sunflower Welfare once she got out of the car. With her bag, she ran toward where her daughters
were at. The night breeze swept her hair, and her heart thumped. Just as she ran off the overpass, an
ambulance sped past her, its siren blaring. Her shoes did not fit. Despite that, she was eager to meet
her daughters, so she ran so fast that her heart felt like it was leaping out of her throat. Impatient
drivers were honking in a frenzy as they were stuck in the congestion. The loud honks drowned the
ringing of Esther’s phone in her purse. In the end, she held her flats in her hands and ran for Sunflower
Welfare with some stumbling. When she dropped her shoes to wear them again, a luxurious Bentley
car stopped beside her. Jasper, who was in a suit, got out from the back and caringly helped Esther to
the car’s backseat when he saw the blood on her feet. The affluent heir slowly crouched down and
attentively picked up Esther’s foot to wipe the blood off with his handkerchief. “Esther, this is your first
time meeting the girls. You have to leave them with a good impression.” Esther looked at Jasper’s hair
and pulled her foot back in embarrassment. “I can do it myself.” “I’ll do it. Tidy your hair so that we can
meet them sooner.” Jasper placed Esther’s feet on his knees and wiped the blood off softly until they
were all clean. After he saw the blisters on her toes and heels, he asked with a frown, “Esther, the
shoes don’t fit?” “I wear shoes of size 37 now.” Esther did wear size 36 before she was pregnant, but
her shoe size went up a notch after she gave birth. The shoes Jasper had sent over were size 36.
Esther could still fit in them if she squeezed her feet in. It was just that the shoes were too small and
gave her blisters. Jasper paused before he said apologetically, “Sorry, I thought you were still wearing
size 36. Hold on. I’ll get my assistant to bring a new pair.” “Jasper, it’s fine. I’d like to see the kids first.”
Jasper could only agree weakly. “Alright.” At the same time, he texted his assistant to send size 37
shoes over. Esther stood wearing the relatively small shoes. Her feet still hurt. Compared to the joy of
meeting her daughter soon, though, the pain was nothing. “Jasper, let’s go in.” Jasper put out a hand to
help Esther, who was not walking quite well into Sunflower Welfare slowly. When the security guards
saw how they were dressed and the outstanding aura they exuded, they thought they were a couple
who came here to adopt a child. They greeted them warmly. “Are you two here to adopt a child?
Children here are very well behaved…” “I’m here to make a donation.” The guard beamed at them
upon hearing what Jasper said. “Hold on. I’ll let the director know right now.” Sunflower Welfare was a
charity project, but there were plenty of orphans, most of whom were terminally ill. Although the
financial and management situation was not the worst, it was not easy. The security guard made a call,
and Camila Jenner welcomed Jasper and Esther to the guest lounge personally. Camila praised them.
“You two make a great pair. I thank you for your kindness on behalf of the children here.” Jasper placed
a check of $150,000 in front of Camila. “Madam Jenner, a pair of twin girls were sent over in August
five years ago, correct?” Camila’s expression looked unnatural for a moment before she pushed some
stray hair away and answered with reservation, “I wasn’t the director yet five years ago, so I’m not too
sure about the particular situation.” Esther opened her purse with shaky hands and took out Pixie and
Tinkerbell’s photo to place it in front of her. “Madam Jenner, can I see them?” Camila picked up the
photo and took a closer look after putting on her glasses. “This is Pixie and Tinkerbell. Who are you to
them?” “I’m their mother,” Esther admitted eagerly. Camila put down the photo and scanned Esther
judgingly for a few seconds before saying gently, “I can see that you’re quite well-to-do. Why did you
abandon your daughters?” Esther’s heart ached. She had delivered prematurely in prison five years
ago. The doctor had said back then that it was critical as her premature labor caused an amniotic fluid
embolism. The doctor had done their best and only managed to save the mother. She had not even
gotten to see her babies when they were taken away. All these years, Esther had been under the
impression that her children were no longer around. If Bradley and Liliane’s son, Felix, did not need her
bone marrow, she guessed that a cruel man like Bradley would permanently punish her by separating
her and her children. “They were born in prison.” Camila actually did not ask further after hearing this.
She just asked, “Are you here to bring them back from the home?” “Yes.” Esther wanted to take her
kids back. She wanted to compensate for the five years she owed them. “According to the procedure,
we can’t let you take them away for the time being. After all, we can’t just believe what you said. I think
we’ll get the officials tomorrow as witnesses and do a maternity test with you and the kids. Once we
confirm that you’re their mother, we’ll further discuss it.” Esther understood Camila’s considerations and
worries, so she naturally agreed. “Can I see them now?” Camila checked the time on her watch. Before
she could answer, Jasper pushed a bank card to her. She kept the check and the bank card and got up
to take them to the lobby outside the office. There were children reading books in twos and threes.
Esther looked over and spotted the girl crying in the corner at first glance.