Leonel hesitated for a moment but then followed her.
They arrived at the ICU, and after getting permission from the doctor, they opened the door and went in.
In the quiet room, the only sound was the steady beeping of the medical machines.
Leonel went to Madison’s bed and knelt beside her. “Mom, Mom, it’s me, Leonel. I’m here,” he said softly.
But Madison didn’t respond.
Leonel’s face was filled with dread as he turned to Bianca. “Bianc, why isn’t she waking up? What did the doctor say? When will she wake up?”
Bianca felt a sharp pain in her heart and a bitter taste in her throat.
Bianca placed a supportive hand on Leonel’s shoulder. “Leonel, the doctor said she might stay in a vegetative state.”
“What?!” Leonel’s legs gave out, and he nearly fell, but Bianca caught him.
“This can’t be true… How could this happen?” Leonel said, his voice trembling and tears welling up. “Why was the apartment on fire?”
Bianca took a deep breath, and her expression turned serious. “I think someone might have started the fire on purpose.”
“Who? Who would do this?” Leonel demanded; his anger and pain were visible. “I won’t let them get away with this!”
“We don’t know everything yet, but I have a plan. Leonel, let’s find out who did this and get justice for Mom!” Bianca’s eyes hardened as her desire for revenge grew.
Feeling encouraged by Bianca’s strong attitude, Leonel began to relax. He nodded and said, “Okay!”
Bianca then suggested, “We should go to the domestic service company.”
On the way, Bianca told Leonel everything she knew from the police. She suspected that a female house cleaner might be involved in the fire.
The motive behind the actions was still unclear.
When they arrived at the domestic service company, Bianca explained why they were there.
The manager greeted them warmly and said, “I’m sorry, but Marisa, the employee you’re asking about, resigned this morning and has already left our company.”
“Resigned?” Leonel scoffed, sounding doubtful. “Seems like someone’s trying to cover something up.”
The manager, defending Marisa, said calmly, “That’s not fair. Marisa has always been dedicated and respectful. She’s well-liked here and does her job well. Ms. Lopez chose her because of her strong work ethic.”
Leonel laughed dismissively. “Of course, it’s always the seemingly nice ones who have hidden agendas!”
Bianca, sensing the growing tension, gently pulled her brother aside and turned to the manager with a polite smile. “So, why did Marisa really leave?”
The manager responded, noting Bianca’s calm approach, “She left to take her sick son to another city for medical treatment.”
“Medical treatment?” Bianca’s eyebrows knitted together, sensing something significant.
“Yes,” the manager confirmed. “Marisa has been taking on tough jobs because her son is very ill. She’s been working hard to pay for his treatment.”
Leonel’s fists clenched in frustration. “So it’s all about money for her!”
“But the police said nothing was stolen,” Bianca pointed out, still deep in thought. Then, an idea struck her. “We can’t let her get away!”
Without wasting any time, they rushed to the police station to report that Marisa was leaving Edenfield.
Based on Bianca’s tip, the police decided to question Marisa again. When they found out she was about to fly out, they checked the flight records and saw her flight was leaving in an hour.
Before the police could act, Leonel and Bianca were already speeding toward the airport.
At the airport, Marisa was holding a weak three-year-old boy in her arms, clearly distressed. She stood in a corner, clutching her boarding pass. A woman in a black windbreaker and hat approached her.
It was Stacey.
Stacey handed Marisa a large, heavy bag, her expression intense. “Take this $500, 000 and leave for good. Remember, you chose this,” she said firmly.
Marisa felt the bag’s weight tugging at her shoulder. She glanced at Stacey and noticed several men in black searching nearby.
A shiver ran through her, and her face went pale.
After a moment of silence, Marisa looked up at Stacey, her face full of regret. “What if I change my mind? Will you still keep your promise?”
Stacey, surprised, looked into Marisa’s eyes and then gave a reassuring smile. “Absolutely.”
Marisa’s lips trembled, and tears fell to the floor as she gently stroked the sleeping child in her arms.
“Are you sure about this?” Stacey’s voice carried a hint of doubt.
Marisa, with tears brimming in her eyes, answered shakily, “Leaving isn’t an option for me. The money barely covers his medical bills for a year. How can I keep coming up with that kind of money? Poverty is the hardest battle to fight.”
Stacey, growing more anxious, urged, “We need to hurry. The police could arrive any minute!”
After a brief pause, Marisa, tears streaming down her face, handed the bag and her child to Stacey. “Please, you have to save him. If anything happens to him, I’ll never forgive you, even in death.”
Stacey glanced at her and snorted. “Calm down, I’ve already promised.”
She adjusted her hat and quickly walked off, holding the little boy carefully.
Marisa, feeling dazed, dropped her suitcase and wandered out of the airport.
Outside, she stumbled to the curb. Suddenly, a group of men in black spotted her.
“Hey, stop right there!”
Marisa tripped and crashed into the car just as the man in black shouted.
With a loud bang, the car’s window broke. The jolt threw Bianca and Leonel forward, their seatbelts yanking them back.
Bianca’s head was pounding, and she felt dizzy. She tried to steady herself, shaking her head.
She got out of the car and rushed to the front, stunned by what she saw.
Sitting in the driver’s seat, Leonel was gripping the wheel tightly. He looked pale and scared.
He had accidentally hit someone!
But that person had purposely thrown herself in front of his car.
Police sirens were now wailing in the distance, getting closer to the crash site.
The officers got out of their car, ready to question Bianca. They were clearly stunned to see her. Then they saw Marisa on the ground, bleeding heavily.
“Bianca, what happened here? Did you do this?”
The police wondered if Bianca might have attacked Marisa out of revenge, even though Marisa hadn’t been convicted of anything. Could Bianca have acted so impulsively?
Bianca was confused and panicked. “No, she ran into the car on her own.”
The police called for an ambulance and began evaluating the scene. One officer, who had been questioning Bianca, stood in front of her and asked, “Do you know her?”
Bianca shook her head.