Aline's heart sank.

"Where is my daughter?"

“Someone has adopted her."

“Who adopted her? I want my child back immediately. She's my child; how could you give her to someone else?"

The director finally composed herself.

Pushing up her thick-framed glasses, she explained slowly, "Miss

Hanson, truthfully, we should not have accepted your child when you brought her here, but you insisted on abandoning her! Furthermore, we both signed an agreement. According to its terms, if a suitable family is willing to adopt her, we have the authority to place her."

While explaining, the director retrieved the agreement.

Aline stared at the agreement in her hands.

She had indeed signed it.

But what did it matter? She had given birth to the child, and no one else had the right to keep her.

Aline defiantly tore the agreement to shreds.

With a bitter sneer, she declared, "I'll give you two million dollars!

Give me back my daughter!"

Margot, the director, silently watched as Aline tore the agreement apart in her desperation. Then she spoke softly.

"We are unable to get her back. She was adopted by a foreign couple. They left the country with her six months ago. Both of them are archaeologists, and currently, I don't know their whereabouts — whether they are in

Pendarid or Valwynne."

Pendarid, Valwynne...

Aline slumped back in her seat, crestfallen.

She stared at Margot with bloodshot eyes, her lips trembling as she said, "I'll sue you!"

Margot could only respond apologetically.

Once Aline had left, Margot made a phone call.