CHAPTER 432: CHAPTER 432: LOCKERS

But soon they encountered a problem... There were three lockers. One in Milo’s, one in Han’s and one in Lovely’s room

After calling the master key makers, they bribed him and got him to make the key.

However, the master key maker warned them that even after opening the lockers, they might encounter a dialpad locker.

Hence, when he left, Aurora started to think about her backup plan and came up with an idea.

"Place these cameras in locations visible from multiple angles," Aurora instructed, her tone calm but precise. She had brought these cameras as extra help... just in case. And now they are proving to be useful!

"However, make sure everything is captured from the right angle."

Everyone nodded in unison. The siblings picked up a handful of tiny cameras and began planting them carefully in different corners and crevices.

Each placement was deliberate and measured, and every lens was positioned to catch even the slightest movement from a different perspective.

Soon, the task was done. Aurora, Lucas, Adriana, Theodore, and Olivia exchanged brief looks of acknowledgment before quietly exiting the apartment.

As they stepped out into the cool night, Aurora’s mind immediately drifted to the others, Hans, Milo, and Lovely. They must be waiting for my response by now, she thought, her expression unreadable.

She knew the trio had been instructed to wait separately, each stationed in different warehouses around the city. It was a precaution, a necessary one.

And indeed, at that very moment, the three were waiting anxiously in their respective warehouses, each sitting tensely under flickering lights.

Fear clung to them like a second skin. None of them dared to contact the police.

They were too afraid, not only of the mysterious group they were dealing with but also of the potential consequences if the other party possessed any form of blackmail material against them.

Time passed agonizingly slowly. Seconds felt like minutes, and minutes stretched into hours.

They waited and waited, their nerves fraying with each tick of the clock.

Just when they began to wonder if they had fallen into a trap or some elaborate scam, each of them received a message, at slightly different times, all bearing the same short instruction:

"Leave the warehouse. There’s an emergency. The meeting is postponed."

For a long moment, none of them moved. Then, as the meaning sank in, they each released a deep sigh of relief.

Shoulders slumped, hearts steadied. Without exchanging a single word with anyone, all three left their respective hideouts like thieves escaping the night.

Each returned home quietly, pretending as if nothing unusual had happened.

Had they checked each other’s homes that night, they would have realized that not all of them had made it back. Two among them were missing, but ignorance, for now, was their shield.

Back in the apartment, Aurora and her siblings sank onto the couch.

The silence that followed was heavy. They exchanged glances that said more than words ever could. Then, together, they sighed.

"This adventure..." Theodore muttered, rubbing his forehead. "It’s thrilling, but..."

"...also terrifying," Olivia finished softly, her hands folded tightly in her lap.

Aurora nodded.

"The next attempt might be our last chance. If we fail again, Hans, Lovely, and Milo will start suspecting something. They’re not fools."

Lucas leaned against the wall, deep in thought. "Then we can’t afford any mistakes. Not next time."

They all fell quiet. The more they thought about it, the more unease grew in their hearts. Each of them understood what was at stake.

One wrong move, one careless slip, and the entire plan would crumble.

After a long pause, Adriana forced a small smile.

"Let’s think positively. We’ll make it work. By the next attempt, we’ll break that locker completely."

Her optimism, though fragile, brought a flicker of warmth to the tense atmosphere. Aurora smiled faintly. "You’re right. Let’s prepare for the best."

The next morning.

Emily woke up earlier than usual, her heart fluttering with anticipation. Today was the day.

The day she had been waiting for over a month.

For weeks, she had pondered over Aurora’s suggestion to adopt a child instead of pursuing other complicated methods of becoming a mother.

The idea had felt foreign at first, but over time, it had grown in her heart like a gentle light.

Eventually, Emily had decided that adoption wasn’t just a good idea; it was the right one.

Today, she would visit the orphanage and finally adopt the child who had captured her heart.

Her car pulled into the small orphanage on the outskirts of the city.

The building was old but well-kept, with faded murals of smiling children painted on the walls. As she stepped out, memories and emotions rushed through her all at once.

For weeks she had visited this place, spending hours with the children, talking, laughing, and trying to understand them. But one boy stood out, a quiet, reserved child named Mervick.

He didn’t play with the others. He didn’t speak much. He often sat in the corner, reading a book too advanced for his age.

’He reminds me of myself when I was young,’ Emily thought with a wistful smile. ’Always lost in books, trying to escape into stories where things made sense.’

She also couldn’t ignore the strange coincidence: Mervick had been born on the very same day that had once been her expected delivery date, the day she was supposed to hold her own child.

That uncanny connection had touched her deeply. To her, it felt as though fate was weaving something quietly meaningful.

When she entered the orphanage, she saw children laughing and chasing each other in the courtyard.

And there, as always, was Mervick, sitting under a tree with a book open on his knees. When he noticed her, his small hands froze.

Then, as though afraid of being seen, he quickly buried his face back in the pages.

Emily’s lips softened into a smile. That quiet little habit of his, the way he hid from the world... only made her heart ache more.

She walked inside to meet the dean. The woman was elderly, with stern eyes and gray hair tied in a bun. "You wish to adopt Mervick?" she asked, frowning slightly.

"Yes," Emily replied calmly. "I’ve made up my mind."

The dean sighed.

"Miss Emily, that child has a heart condition. His medical expenses are... considerable. Perhaps you should think twice. You’re young; there are many healthier children who would love to have a mother."

Her tone wasn’t cruel, but it carried a hint of doubt and perhaps a trace of pity.

’She doesn’t think I can handle it,’ Emily realized. ’She thinks I’m just another woman chasing motherhood to fill a void.’

"I understand the risks," Emily said firmly. "And I’m not worried about the expenses. I have more than enough means to take care of him."

The dean raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "Many say that, Miss Emily. But..."

Emily handed over her documents before the woman could finish. The dean’s eyes scanned the papers, and suddenly her expression changed. Her eyes widened slightly in disbelief.

"You... you have a net worth of over six million dollars?"

Emily smiled faintly. "Does that satisfy your concerns?"

The dean blinked, clearly taken aback. All this time, she had assumed Emily was just a modest woman doing community work, perhaps even a volunteer.

But now she realized she had gravely underestimated her.

’So she was testing the children before deciding,’ the dean thought, a pang of regret flickering through her. ’If only I had shown her the best ones earlier...’

Still, there was no changing Emily’s decision now. The dean gave a small nod.

"Very well. If you’ve truly made up your mind... I’ll prepare the documents."

Before they left the office, she couldn’t help but mutter, "Mervick is... difficult. He doesn’t talk much. He’s not like the others."

Emily’s eyes softened. "That’s exactly why I want him."

When they approached Mervick, the boy didn’t look up at first. His frail body seemed almost swallowed by the large sweater he wore. His thin fingers clutched the pages of the book tightly.

"Mervick," the dean said curtly, "someone wishes to meet you."

The boy hesitated, then slowly lifted his gaze. His wide brown eyes met Emily’s gentle smile. But almost immediately, he lowered his head again.

The dean frowned. So timid... so withdrawn. Truly, not the kind to be adopted.

But Emily didn’t mind. She crouched down so that she was at his eye level. Her voice was soft, carrying both warmth and certainty.

"Mervick," she said quietly, "I’m here to adopt you. Would you like to come home with me?"

The boy froze. The words didn’t seem to register at first. Slowly, he looked up, his eyes glassy with disbelief.

Behind his small glasses, there was a flicker... of hope, of fear, and of something deeper.

He whispered, "I... I’m just a burden."

Emily’s breath caught. "Who told you that?"

"No one," he murmured, clutching his book tighter. "It’s what I think. You would need to have at least $10,000 in your account per month to raise me... I have a heart condition..."