To spare my mother the heartache, my brother-in-law decided to raise the child as his own, keeping the truth from my mother. Given my mother's poor eyesight and the child's undeveloped features, the deception went unnoticed."

Brent's detailed account left Raegan speechless. She realized she was the child in the story.

Brent added, ‘ve shared everything with you, and I've not lied. I had vowed never to disclose this to my mother."

Brent's brother-in-law, Raegan's adoptive father, stood as a testament to the remaining decency in Brent's world. After the Loss of Brent's sister, Brent's brother-in-law had stepped up as a pillar for the family, enduring all challenges to ensure their well-being.

He was a beacon of kindness in a harsh world.

If not for a tragic accident that claimed his brother-in-law's Life, Brent mused, with such a decent man around him, he wouldn't have kept bad company like he did and gambling that led him astray.

Once Brent departed, Raegan found herself enveloped in the aftermath of the revelation, struggling to come to terms with the magnitude of the truth.

If Brent's story held any truth, it meant she hadn't merely gotten lost as a child but had been deliberately targeted by someone. The thought that a 6-year-old could provoke such malice seemed absurd.

Who could have wanted to harm her, and why?

The effort to piece together these thoughts made Raegan's head spin.

The blood clot in her brain hadn't completely resolved, and deep thinking triggered intense headaches.

Stefan, noticing her discomfort, quickly came to her aid, catching her in time.

Overcome with pain, Raegan slumped against his shoulder, appearing to those at a distance as if she was cradled in his embrace.

Not far from this scene, a sleek, dark luxury car was parked stealthily. Matteo, observing them from a short distance, wished he could have retracted what he had said.

Just earlier, Matteo had suggested they would be uncertain when Raegan would emerge if waiting by the roadside while waiting for Raegan in the parking lot seemed a wiser idea. Now, he regretted his words, given the scene unfolding before them.

Catching a glimpse of Mitchel's reaction through the rearview mirror and noticing his darkened face, Matteo tentatively asked, “Mr. Dixon, shall we..."

Mitchel cut him off abruptly, “That car is in the way. Ram it."

Matteo was taken aback. “Ah?

Mitchel, withdrawing his attention from the cradling duo, repeated firmly and clearly, "Ram it!"

Suddenly, loud horn sounds echoed around Raegan and Stefan.