Chapter 301

As Emma's phone couldn't be reached, Vanessa didn't know if something had happened to the Landon family or if Emma intended to leave this matter to her. Either way, she had to go to Lakina.

Now that Sebastian and Isabella had found their way here, she absolutely couldn't sit idly by. Vanessa needed Emma to arrange for her and Sweetie to leave, preferably to go abroad. Once they were out of the country, Isabella and Sebastian would never find their child Sweetie again!

As long as Vanessa boarded the cruise ship, she could smoothly get to Lakina. Once in Lakina, meeting Emma would mean she had nothing to worry about.

But just as Vanessa was about to go through security, the items in her backpack suddenly started to stir, and faint sounds could be heard through the thick canvas.

Vanessa nervously took off her backpack, held it in her arms, and walked quickly inside.

The security officer reached out to stop her. "Please pass your bag through the scanner again."

Vanessa shook her head. "There's nothing in my bag, just some daily necessities. Can I skip the security check?"

The security officer said, "It's the rule. You just need to put the bag on the scanner, and the machine will automatically identify it."

The security officer led Vanessa over. "Please give me your bag."

The stuff in the bag were moving more vigorously.

Vanessa's face turned slightly pale. After a moment of hesitation, she suddenly said, "I'm not boarding the ship."

Then, under the puzzled gaze of the security officer, Vanessa turned to leave, quickly disappearing into the crowd.

In the restroom, Vanessa unzipped the backpack and took out Sweetie.

Sweetie's mouth was taped shut, and she could only breathe through her nose. Having been in the backpack for a long time, her breathing was somewhat labored, and her little nose was red from being squeezed. When Sweetie was taken out, she struggled with all her limbs, crying and trembling all over. Since her mouth was blocked and she couldn't cry out loud, her little face turned somewhat purple from holding back her cries.

"If it weren't for you, I'd be on that ship by now. How dare you cry?" Vanessa vented all her anger on the young Sweetie, pinching her hard several times.

Sweetie shivered, her cries intensifying, her breathing rapid, and her little face turning an even deeper shade of purple.

Vanessa gritted her teeth and threatened, "If you dare cry again, I'll throw you into the sea to feed the sharks!"

The young Sweetie couldn't understand her words. She was driven by her body's instincts and she kept crying.

"Stop crying! Stop it!" Vanessa hissed, pinching Sweetie repeatedly. "I told you to stop crying, didn't you hear me?"

Just then, someone knocked on the stall door from outside and asked, "Lady, do you need help?"

Vanessa quickly covered Sweetie's mouth and nose. "No need."

Sweetie's cries came out intermittently, and the person outside was still worried. "Are you sure you don't need help? Your child sounds like she is crying very hard."

Afraid of arousing suspicion if she stayed any longer, Vanessa simply tore off the tape from Sweetie's mouth and opened the stall door to leave.

Several women were standing outside. When they saw her come out, they all stepped aside, looking at Vanessa with strange expressions.

"My child is sick. That's why she's crying," Vanessa explained, then hurriedly left with Sweetie in her arms.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

During these three days, Peter commuted between his company and home every day, with no abnormalities.

During the day, he worked in a daze at the company, and at night, he returned to the cold and empty home. If it weren't for the wedding photo of him and Vanessa on the wall and Vanessa and Sweetie's apparel in the closet, Peter would have thought that everything he had experienced recently was just a dream.

After dinner, Peter went to bed early.

In the middle of the night, an urgent phone ring woke him up.

At first, Peter thought he was dreaming. The phone rang for half a minute before he suddenly woke up, turned on the bedside lamp, and grabbed his phone.

The name "Vanessa" flashing on the screen made him ecstatic. He hurriedly pressed the answer button. "Hello, Vanessa, you finally called me! Where are you now? How's the baby?"

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end, then Vanessa's voice came through, "Peter, will you help me?"

Peter gripped the phone tightly. "Tell me."

Vanessa said, "I'm in the underground parking lot right now. Bring me some cash. I need twenty thousand dollars!"

Peter was stunned. "Don't you still have money in your account?"

The money Emma had given her still had hundreds of thousands of dollars left. Vanessa couldn't have spent it all in such a short time.

Vanessa lowered her voice. "I can't use my card or phone right now. I need cash!"

"Why?" Peter felt uneasy. "Vanessa, what are you afraid of? Could it be true what they said, that the baby was stolen by you?"

"Stop bothering!" Vanessa grew impatient. "I'll give you ten minutes. Bring the money over in ten minutes!"

With that, Vanessa hung up the phone.

Peter didn't delay. He put on a coat and went out.

There was an ATM outside the community. Peter withdrew the money, looked around, and took the elevator to the second basement level of the parking lot.

The garage was silent and empty in the middle of the night. Peter's footsteps echoed hollowly in the vast, empty space. As he walked to a corridor door, he saw a figure flash by.

"Vanessa?" Peter called out in a low voice, but there was no response.

Peter hesitated for a moment, then walked over.

As soon as he reached the corridor door, a hand pulled him inside.

Peter looked closely and showed joy. "Vanessa!"

Vanessa was in no mood for conversation, only asking, "Where's the money?"

Peter handed her the money bag. Vanessa took it, unzipped it, and glanced inside.

Peter asked, "Where have you been these past few days? Why didn't you call me? Did you see the messages I sent you? Where's the baby?"

"Are you done?" Vanessa interrupted him, zipping up the bag. "Thanks."

With that, she turned to leave.

Peter grabbed her arm. "Vanessa."

Vanessa turned back, her brows furrowed, always warily looking around. "What else?"

Peter asked, "Vanessa, is that child really yours?"

Peter was an honest man. From dating Vanessa to marrying her, he always listened to her. Whatever Vanessa said, he never questioned it and always followed her wishes.

This was the first time he'd ever doubted her.

Vanessa shook off his hand. "Of course, it's my child!"

Peter paused, then said, "Vanessa, I believe you."

Vanessa was slightly stunned when she heard this. She looked at Peter and said, "Peter,I'm leaving."

Peter seemed unfazed by the revelation, his voice calm as he asked, "Where to?"

Vanessa suddenly felt a bit uncomfortable. "Peter, let's get a divorce."