“Daddy!”

Sun, Moon, and Star came down the stairs in a hurry.

“Do you have news about Mommy?”

“We’re very worried about her.”

“I miss her. She’s not in danger, right?”

The children looked at Abel with teary eyes.

Abel stretched out his arms and held all three of them in a gentle embrace.

He said in a soothing voice, “Don’t worry. I’ll definitely find Mommy. I’m sure she’ll come back to you guys safely soon.”

Those three children clung to Abel and snuggled close to him.

At the sight of them hugging each other and the kids depending on Abel, Benjamin felt a deep connection between the four of them.

I really think that Abel seems a lot more like the real father of Emmeline’s children.

As for Adrien… Perhaps Emmeline made a mistake about that?

Though Emmeline has told me that the Ryker family has gotten the paternity test done and proven Adrien to be the father previously.

Sigh… It makes me depressed just by thinking about it. Why does it have to be that frivolous playboy?

If Abel had turned out to be the father to Emmeline’s children, I would be willing to keep my distance from Emmeline and give their relationship my blessings.

I would watch over their family from the side and wish for nothing but their happiness.

It would be enough for me to know that she would live a happy, loving life with her family.

At dinnertime, both Abel and Benjamin could not find any appetite to eat. Those two just stared absently at the delicious food that Daisy had prepared. Even though they looked calm on the outside, both of them were immensely worried about Emmeline.

Inside room no. 9 of the living quarters reserved for the Canaries.

“Miss.” The maid said respectfully, “It’s time for the milk bath. Please take off your clothes.”

Emmeline simply blinked without saying anything.

She was currently known as Canary No. 9, and the owner of the Imperial Palace was prepping her as one of their products to sell her off.

If I can’t make it out of this place before the auction happens, I’ll end up becoming a random rich guy’s plaything.

I’ve thought about it, and it’s really not an easy task to escape this place in my current condition. I have basically zero strength in my body under the influence of the Vampire Dust. How do I even try to move out of this bed?!

“Miss, the masseuse is already waiting for you in the bathroom.” The maid tried to remind Emmeline again.

“I know. I know.” Emmeline tried to flip to her side. “I’m going now.”

“We should hurry, then.” The maid said, “Our master might get angry and scold us for being slow when he comes back.”

The man with the mask will be back soon?

The thought sent chills down Emmeline’s spine.

I don’t even want to spend another minute talking to that creepy guy.

“Lock the doors.” Emmeline hurriedly said, “If he’s here, tell him that I refuse to see him.”

“Do you think that you can defy our master’s orders?” The maid flashed her a mocking smile.

“I might not have any way of fighting him physically now, but I could choose to end my life and ruin whatever plans he had by capturing me!”

The maid tried to reason with Emmeline. “Miss, why would you choose to do that when our master had chosen you out of the nineteen Canaries we have at the moment?”

“Besides, it’s way better to stay by our master’s side than be sold to a random stranger. See. None of the previous Canaries were able to become the wives of those rich men…”

“…they were really used as men’s playthings. Or they were bought and offered to someone else as gifts.”

Emmeline’s heart sank as she listened to the maid’s words.

I can imagine the sad and tragic fates of the Canaries that were sold from the Imperial Palace, of course.

However, I will not bend and give in to that man’s wishes for as long as I am still breathing!

I will find a way to escape here, and I won’t give up, no matter what!

“You won’t be able to understand the situation I’m in anyway. Let’s hurry with the bath. I want to get it over with and rest,” Emmeline grumbled.

In the bathroom, the masseuse had prepared the milk bath. The maid helped Emmeline take off her clothes and supported her as she stepped into the bathtub.

Then, Emmeline immersed her body in the milky white bathwater that was adjusted to the right temperature, leaving only her head above the water.