Chapter 3 Lauren's Maid
Jasper could barely keep his excitement in check. He tried to soften his voice and gently held Lauren in his arms. "Hey, where's your mom? Where'd she go?"
"Where did mommy go?" Lauren tilted her head and blinked. "Lauren doesn't know!"
Jasper took a deep breath. "Good kids shouldn't lie, especially not to their daddy, got it?"
"But Lauren really doesn't know. Does daddy want a good kid to lie?"
Jasper paused for a moment. "Alright then, what do you know?"
Lauren flashed a sweet smile. "I know not to lie."
Nearby, the CEO's assistant, Ryan, was trying his best to blend into the wall, hoping to go unnoticed. 'Is the boss getting played by a six-year-old?' he thought.
Jasper suddenly shot him a cold look, asking, "How's the investigation going?"
Ryan immediately straightened up. "The Information Security Department found that the surveillance system around the company was hacked this morning. The footage was damaged, and all previous recordings were deleted, and..."
Jasper frowned. "And what?"
"The hacker left a message in the system." Ryan watched Jasper's expression, unsure if he should read it out loud.
"Just spit it out. I don't pay you to play guessing games."
Ryan gritted his teeth, closed his eyes, and nervously read out, "Scumbag!"
Originally, it seemed that the hacker attack and Lauren's appearance were connected, but now it seemed clear this was no coincidence. But who could have done this?
Lauren, who had been smiling, got upset when she saw Jasper staring at her without speaking. She put her stuffed bear aside, her cute face puffing up. "Daddy, I don't want to stay here anymore!"
Jasper took a deep breath and waved Ryan over. "Ryan, take Lauren back to the villa and make sure the servants take good care of her."
Lauren got even angrier, raising her little fist to lightly hit Jasper's chest. "I'm Princess Lauren, not just Lauren! I don't want anyone else to take care of me. I don't want it. The TV said many servants secretly bully the kids at home. I don't want to be bullied!"
Jasper, having no clue how to handle kids, held the soft little girl, feeling a bit helpless. "Then what do you want?"
"I want to choose myself!"
Jasper had no choice but to put her down. "Fine, whatever you want. Ryan, take her back."
Ryan glanced at Jasper, then at the little girl on the floor who looked almost exactly like Jasper, and sighed quietly. "I'll leave the investigation results here."
"Okay," Jasper responded.
However, less than half an hour later, Ryan called again, his voice helpless and pitiful, "Mr. Foster, the little princess isn't happy with any of the servants at the villa and wants replacements."
Jasper rubbed his temples. In the past half hour, he had personally checked the surveillance footage, not just nearby but even in the surrounding neighborhoods he had access to. It seemed like Lauren's presence had been deliberately erased, leaving no trace.
He couldn't figure out the intentions of the person behind this, nor could he determine why Lauren had been sent to him. But she was his and Adeline's daughter.
Could Adeline be behind all this? She didn't show up herself but sent Lauren instead. What was she trying to do?
Jasper's voice turned cold. "Then hire new ones until she's satisfied. And also," he frowned, "don't let her leave the villa alone."
Ryan was momentarily stunned but quickly got the message and responded seriously, "Understood."
He glanced back at the beautiful and noble Lauren beside him, sighing inwardly. Jasper was cold to everyone, but he seemed to grant Lauren's every wish. Having worked with Jasper for five years, Ryan thought this must be what they call a "Daughter Devotee."
Adeline was still a bit dazed when she arrived at Blue Bay.
Probably because Ryan had informed them in advance, a servant came to guide her as soon as she got out of the car. Adeline thanked them and quietly followed.
The sunlight was just right, warm and comforting on her skin. Adeline squinted her eyes, unable to resist looking around carefully.
It seemed like time had stopped everything in the villa in the past. The flowers and leaves were still lush, the decor and furniture were as she remembered, only the growth of the trees marked the six years she hadn't seen.
Thinking of this, she softly asked, "Um, can I ask who the little princess is?"
The servant was taken aback, their voice trembling slightly. "She's Mr. Jasper Foster's daughter."
Adeline was stunned, feeling a surge of emotions almost overwhelming her.
Jasper's daughter? To the world, Jasper's wife, Adeline, had died in a car accident six years ago. In truth, she had actually been away from Jasper for six entire years.
Six years—how many such years does one have in a lifetime? Jasper had already betrayed her back then, so it seemed only natural that he would have a child now.
But Adeline still felt a mix of emotions she couldn't quite identify—was it sadness or anger? As she walked into the living room, she caught a glimpse of herself in the glass reflection.
She was beautiful, as if sculpted by God himself. After top-tier plastic surgeons had transformed her, everything about Adeline Collins had been left behind in that failed marriage. She had abandoned her surname, leaving only the name Adeline.
In her daze, she heard someone calling, "Little princess, the person you asked for is here!"
Adeline had been curious about this mysterious little princess and looked in the direction of the voice.
A fluffy little head popped up from behind the sofa, followed by a pretty little girl in a pink princess dress. She was holding a stuffed bear and smiled at Adeline.
Adeline was instantly stunned. The little princess of Blue Bay was Lauren?