Chapter 186

Melody Summers frowned as she watched Nina Summers, who stood with her head bowed, looking as if she was on the verge of tears.

Back on the second basement level of The Crestview Hotel, she had vaguely overheard parts of a conversation between Joelle Lawson and Nina Summers.

Joelle Lawson had repeatedly mentioned "your dad’s new wife and kid" to Nina Summers, so Melody had pieced together a rough idea of Nina’s current family situation—

Mindy Walsh was gone. Caleb Summers had remarried and had a new child, so he barely paid any attention to Nina Summers anymore.

Melody Summers glanced outside. The sky was inky black. It was indeed too dangerous to let Nina Summers go home by herself at this hour...

With that thought, Melody Summers sighed in resignation and said, "Fine... I’ll take you home."

Nina Summers let out a sigh of relief. At the same time, a deep sense of guilt washed over her. She couldn’t believe that even after she had tricked Melody Summers into a dangerous situation, Melody would still help her...

At that thought, tears finally streamed from Nina Summers’s eyes.

She stepped forward and clutched the hem of Melody Summers’s shirt, her face flushed crimson. Wiping her tears, she lowered her head and whispered, "Thank you, cousin. I’m sorry. I’m really, really sorry. It was all my fault before..."

Seeing her like this, Melody Summers patted her shoulder with a sense of resignation and comforted her softly, "It’s alright. It’s all in the past. Let’s not bring it up again."

As the two of them walked out the front door of the police station, Winnie Summers and Colin Summers were already waiting outside.

Seeing Melody Summers emerge, they both rushed forward. Winnie Summers pulled Melody into a tight hug and said, her voice laced with lingering fear, "You silly girl, how could you run off to such a dangerous place by yourself again? When I got the call from Officer Rhodes today, you nearly scared me to death!"

Melody Summers smiled and reassured her, "Mom, I’m fine. The police said I was a big help, thanks to the lead I gave them."

Colin Summers nodded. "As long as you’re okay. You scared the whole family. Come on, let’s go home! I’ll whip up some of my specialties tonight to help you settle your nerves!"

Watching Winnie and Colin Summers dote on Melody, Nina Summers stood off to the side by herself, feeling lost and out of place.

Melody Summers wriggled out of Winnie’s embrace and pointed to Nina. "Mom, Uncle, let’s take Nina Walsh home first."

Only then did Colin and Winnie notice Nina Summers standing awkwardly to the side.

Earlier, when Roman Rhodes had called the Summers family, he’d only said that Melody had gone to The Crestview Hotel to meet the runaway Nina Summers, where she had unintentionally stumbled upon the kidnapping plot and helped the police dismantle the entire criminal operation.

So Colin and Winnie weren’t surprised to see Nina Summers there.

Colin Summers snorted, clearly displeased. "And where’s Caleb Summers? What’s he doing? Has he completely abandoned his own daughter?"

Nina Summers froze at his words, and her eyes began to redden again. She lowered her head, not daring to speak.

Melody quietly pulled Colin and Winnie aside to explain. "Mindy Walsh is dead. Caleb Summers remarried, and his new wife gave him a son, so he doesn’t pay much attention to Nina Walsh anymore..."

Colin and Winnie were stunned. Mindy Walsh was dead!

The Summers family had just seen Mindy Walsh last year. They couldn’t believe that someone so full of life could be gone in just a few short months.

No wonder Nina Summers ran away from home. In just a single year, Caleb Summers’s household had been turned upside down...

It was dark out, and they both knew they couldn’t just leave Nina Summers there by herself. Winnie Summers sighed, casting a pitying glance at Nina. "Come on, Nina," she said. "We’ll take you home."

Nina Summers quietly thanked Winnie and followed Melody into the car with her head lowered.

Once they were settled in the car, Winnie eagerly produced a thermos filled with fragrant, creamy lotus seed congee.

The aroma of the lotus seed congee instantly filled the car, and Nina Summers couldn’t help but swallow.

Winnie first poured a bowl for Melody, her expression full of concern. "You silly girl, you ran off right after lunch. You must be starving after everything that’s happened. Here, have some congee to tide you over. Don’t go hungry."

As Melody took the bowl and began to sip at the congee, Winnie found a disposable paper cup, poured some for Nina Summers, and handed it to her.

She said softly, "You must be hungry too, Nina. Have some lotus seed congee. Grandma made it. Give it a try and see if you like it."

Nina Summers froze for a moment, then accepted it gratefully.

For the past few days, she had eaten nothing but sand vine cakes, and her stomach had long since gone numb with hunger.

Now, holding the warm congee, her numb stomach reawakened with a vengeance. A searing hunger pang struck, and Nina Summers quickly gulped down the congee.

The fragrance of lotus seeds mingled with the soft, gelatinous silver ear fungus. Nina felt like she hadn’t eaten anything this delicious in a very long time.

Seeing Nina finish the cup in a few large gulps, Winnie poured her another, which Nina also downed ravenously.

Just like that, almost the entire thermos of lotus seed congee ended up in Nina Summers’s stomach.

After finishing the congee, Nina Summers rubbed her round belly and said shyly in a low voice, "Thank you, Auntie."

Winnie Summers smiled gently, sighing to herself. ’Compared to last year, Nina is visibly thinner. It’s obvious she hasn’t been doing well since Caleb remarried.’

Soon, the car pulled up to the main gate of Nina Summers’s residential community.

After Colin parked the car, Nina opened the door with a trembling hand. Staring out into the pitch-black night, she hesitated, not daring to step out.

The memory of her kidnapping flashed through her mind, and now she was terrified of walking alone in the dark...

Seeing her hesitation, Melody said, "We’ll walk you up."

Colin and Winnie nodded in agreement. "That’s right. It’s pitch black, and your community doesn’t even have its lights on. We wouldn’t feel right letting you go home alone. We’ll take you."

Nina’s eyes reddened again. She looked at the three of them, then lowered her head and said in a small, choked voice, "Thank you, cousin... Thank you, Auntie, Uncle."

The four of them got out of the car. Colin switched on the high-powered flashlight Melody had bought earlier, and together they walked Nina toward her apartment.

Melody observed their surroundings as they walked. Caleb Summers had clearly done well for himself over the years. This was a high-end community with expensive-looking properties, and they passed several patrolling security guards on the way.

If Nina hadn’t run away from home and left the safety of the community, she likely would never have been kidnapped.

Soon, they arrived at the door to Nina’s home. After they knocked, the door was opened by a young woman Melody didn’t recognize.

Zoe Kane opened the door, her eyes landing first on Nina Summers standing in the doorway.

She froze for a second before a weary smile appeared on her face. "Well, well, you’re finally back. Honestly, a girl your age, still throwing tantrums and running away from home. You really gave your father a scare! When he gets back, make sure you give him a proper apology."

Nina bit her lower lip and stared at her coldly, saying nothing.

She had narrowly escaped with her life, only to return home to cold, cutting words instead of comfort or concern.

Zoe Kane paid Nina no further mind. Her gaze shifted to the three people standing behind her. "And you are...?" she asked, a hint of confusion in her voice.

Colin spoke up. "We’re Nina’s aunt and uncle."

Winnie, however, frowned slightly. "Nina has been through a lot these past few days. Now that she’s finally home, you shouldn’t be too hard on her."

At these words, Zoe Kane subtly sized Winnie up from head to toe.

She had only been married for a year and had been too busy trying to secure Caleb Summers’s affection and giving him a child to have time to get to know his relatives.

Now, seeing Winnie and Colin Summers—dressed so neatly in their fine coats, with healthy, rosy complexions—she could tell at a glance that they were well-off.

’To be living so comfortably during a year of cataclysm,’ Zoe Kane concluded, ’these two relatives of Caleb’s must be either rich or powerful!’

With that, Zoe Kane’s expression shifted to a warm, friendly smile. She turned to the side, gesturing for them to enter. "Oh, so you’re his family! Please, come in and have a seat! Our son, Chester, wasn’t feeling well today, so Caleb drove him to the hospital. He’s not home at the moment, but you’re welcome to wait for him!"

Winnie shook her head. "We were just dropping Nina off. We won’t come in."

Winnie then turned to Nina. "Get some rest, Nina. We’ll be going now."

Nina nodded. Then, under Zoe Kane’s puzzled gaze, Melody and her family turned and left.