Chapter 316
At the Blackwood estate, Dominic hadn't slept a single minute all night.
Logically, Sophia's mental condition had shown significant improvement recently.
She'd even managed to memorize Dominic's entire phone number by heart.
There was absolutely no reason for her to spend the entire night hiding outside alone. The previous evening, Dominic had stationed several of his most trusted men around Mooncrest Manor.
Not a single update had come through, meaning Sophia remained missing.
Though the temperatures were milder than during the holiday season, wandering the streets all night could still give her a terrible cold.
Where on earth could Sophia be hiding?
Had some kind stranger taken her in?
Dominic paced restlessly.
Sophia had attempted to escape before her first scheduled surgery.
Since her cognitive abilities had improved, Dominic assumed her emotional resilience would have strengthened as well.
He'd painstakingly explained the necessity of the procedure to her countless times, believing she'd understood at least partially.
Who could have predicted she'd still resist so vehemently?
If he'd known this would be the outcome, perhaps he wouldn't have pushed so hard for the surgery.
But how could he bear to see her remain intellectually impaired her whole life?
What if he died before her?
Who would protect his vulnerable sister then?
The mere thought of Sophia being mistreated made Dominic's blood boil.
Such a scenario was completely unacceptable to him.
In Dominic's worldview, humanity divided into two distinct categories.
Ordinary people formed the first group, while he and Sophia comprised the second.
Dominic drove to Mooncrest Manor and combed through every possible hiding spot once more.
Later, he visited the neighborhood's security center to review all vehicle entry and exit records.
By two in the afternoon, Dominic's bloodshot eyes caught a familiar luxury car leaving the underground garage in the surveillance footage.
His fingers froze on the mouse, pausing the video abruptly.
"Isn't that Evelyn's vehicle?" he muttered, then checked the timestamp before adding, "Where was she going at half past ten at night?"
The security personnel nearby exchanged confused glances.
Weren't they supposed to be searching for Sophia Blackwood?
Why was he suddenly focused on Evelyn Thorne?
Dominic pulled out his phone and dialed Evelyn's number without hesitation.
When Evelyn's phone rang at Mooncrest Manor, both children immediately perked up their ears.
Since Evelyn wasn't home, they'd skipped school that day.
Henry had initially intended to take Lily to their classes.
As the older brother, he felt responsible for setting a good example.
But Lily had cleverly used Henry's own reluctance to attend school that day to change his mind.
Ultimately, Henry went to school briefly just to inform their teachers that Lily was ill and he needed to stay home to care for her.
The teachers accepted their excuse without question.
Now, the ringing phone sent waves of panic through the children.
"Isn't that Daddy's name on the screen?"
Lily couldn't read many words yet, but she recognized "Dominic Blackwood" perfectly.
"Why's he calling Mommy?" Henry wondered aloud before decisively rejecting the call.
"Don't you want to know why he called? I do! Let's answer if he calls again!" Lily protested with a pout.
"Don't be silly. He won't talk if he doesn't hear Mommy's voice!" Henry countered, then promptly blocked Dominic's number to prevent further disturbances.
Back at the security center, Dominic stared at his rejected call with utter bewilderment.
Even though they were divorced, was it necessary for Evelyn to refuse his calls so blatantly?
Just as he prepared to redial, his phone rang unexpectedly.
The caller ID showed Zoe Montgomery, but an unfamiliar voice came through.
"Mr. Blackwood? Dr. Montgomery asked me to update you," the woman said professionally. "She's currently in surgery with Sophia. The procedure should conclude within the hour."