The Fake Heiress Turns Out to Be a True Tycoon!

The woman’s words instantly ignited a commotion among the police officers and civilians in the administrative hall.

"That’s a trafficker! This method is exactly like the ones shown on TV!"

"Nowadays, traffickers are great actors. That cop must be fake too!"

"Where did your child go missing? You need to chase down that van quickly."

The civilians nearby chimed in noisily, while the officers on-site gestured for them to quiet down and began collecting detailed information about the location, time, and the license plate of the van.

The woman’s face was filled with anguish; surrounded by the clamor, she had completely lost her ability to think, repeatedly pleading for the officers to find her child as quickly as possible.

Seeing this, the officer realized they needed to calm her down first. He began guiding her into a private room, but just as they began to move, a clear chant suddenly emerged from the crowd.

"...Let the mind be calm, the breath steady; see my unified spirit; let the heart align, let the breath follow..."

Gregory Xander, forming a spell with his fingers, quickly approached the woman while chanting and stepped directly in front of the officers and her, blocking their way.

"Let tranquility envelop me, remain unfazed by chaos; free of delusion, free of anger; free from desire, free from seeking; let go, relinquish, dissolve the self."

Everyone present was left dumbfounded, including the officer supporting the woman, whose expression darkened instantly.

Just as he was about to scold Gregory for obstructing the process, Gregory finished the last words of the chant and swiftly pointed his spell-bound fingers at the woman’s brow.

All eyes watched as the woman, who had been spiraling into despair and chaos, supported by two officers, slowly calmed down.

Seizing the opportunity, Gregory repeated the questions the officers had asked earlier. This time, the woman answered without hesitation,

"On Peace Street... around ten... ten minutes ago."

She paused, seemingly digging further into her memories, then provided the model and license plate number of the van.

The officers helping the woman eyed Gregory with astonishment, exchanging glances that revealed their disbelief.

Meanwhile, another officer at a computer had already contacted the traffic team and pulled up surveillance footage from the specified time and location.

"Found it! Thirteen minutes ago, the van was heading toward Old Street."

Officers quickly mobilized search teams to intercept the vehicle, while the woman anxiously watched the ongoing efforts. Although still restless, she was clearly no longer in utter despair.

Ariel Zimmerman couldn’t resist inching closer to Gregory Xander, blurting out the question on every viewer’s mind during the live stream,

"Senior Brother Xander, what spell did you just use?"

Caught off guard by Ariel’s sudden proximity, Gregory instinctively stepped half a step back and responded,

"It was the Calming Incantation. When someone undergoes a severe trauma, they’re often unable to think clearly. This helps them regain composure and their ability to process rational thoughts."

Viewers in the live stream seemed eager to learn, expressing their fascination through comments.

[Senior Brother Xander might be old-fashioned, but he’s so reliable.]

[I realize I love hearing Senior Brother Xander recite spells. I’ve replayed the Golden Light Spell from last time over and over!]

["Inspiration" is seriously teaching me life-saving tricks I never knew!]

[Traffickers deserve to die. Hope the police catch them at once.]

[This mother is so irresponsible! Her kid got snatched and all she does is cry? She can’t even give useful information!]

[It’s normal for her to be in shock. Losing a child isn’t something anyone can handle.]

[They say a mother can rise to any occasion—but I don’t see that in her. Crying doesn’t solve problems, does it?]

[You’re only saying this because it hasn’t happened to you. Maybe learn to stay compassionate.]

As the debate in the live stream spiraled, Ariel Zimmerman quickly intervened, explaining to viewers that they should show some empathy toward this mother’s distress.

Gregory, having listened for a while, suddenly spoke,

"Because this isn’t the first child she’s lost."

His words silenced the live stream’s chat momentarily, as well as the people overhearing in the administrative hall. Even Ariel turned to him, trying to confirm what he meant with her gaze.

Gregory elaborated gravely,

"The fortune of her children indicates she had an older daughter who passed away young. This is her second child."

Instantly, an unspoken understanding spread across the room and the live stream. They began to grasp the depth behind the mother’s earlier breakdown.

She had already lost one daughter. If she were to lose this second one, no mother could endure it.

It wasn’t that she couldn’t be strong.

But nobody could remain strong forever.

She had already pulled herself out of the abyss of despair once before, but she might never be able to do so again.

Everyone hesitated even to imagine what would happen to this mother if her child couldn’t be found.

Would she be consumed by lifelong guilt and regret? Or...

A nearby policewoman, her eyes reddened, buried her face in her work, meticulously reviewing the surveillance footage sent by the traffic department, hoping to find more traces of the traffickers.

Soon, the police managed to determine the van’s route and sent officers from the nearest precincts to intercept it.

Unable to help in any substantial way, Ariel looked toward Gregory, about to ask whether he could divine if the child would safely return.

Suddenly, an elderly woman burst into the administrative hall.

She had a sharp, severe demeanor, her expression harsh as she scanned the room briefly and then rushed straight up to the mother. Without warning, she slapped the woman and began shouting hysterically,

"What sin have we in the Clark Family committed to end up with an unworthy daughter-in-law like you? Can’t even take care of a child! How dare you cry?!"

The elderly woman continued to curse, even raising her hand for another strike. The officers quickly intervened, blocking her.

"Ma’am, please calm down!"

"Why should I calm down?! My granddaughter has been kidnapped! My granddaughter! We already lost one before, and now this one is gone too. If she’s not found, I won’t survive! Ahhhh!"

As she wailed, the elderly woman collapsed to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably.

The mother, after taking the slap, dared not retaliate. Her previously calm demeanor now crumbled again into guilt-ridden despair,

"It’s my fault... I wasn’t there to protect her... I should have been taken with her, I—I..." she sobbed weakly.

Chaos filled the room as the elderly woman abruptly got back on her feet and pointed her finger at the mother, yelling,

"I told you to let me take care of the child, but you insisted on doing it yourself! Now look what’s happened—you let her get taken! You’re nothing but a bringer of misfortune! I’m telling you, even if the child is rescued, I’ll make sure my son divorces you!"

The old woman ranted viciously. Though everyone sympathized with her situation, they couldn’t intervene too harshly. Emboldened, she lunged for her daughter-in-law again.

At the height of the chaos, Gregory Xander suddenly stepped forward, positioning himself protectively in front of the mother and grabbing the elderly woman’s wrist.

His gaze cut sharply into hers as he spoke words that rendered the entire room frozen in shock,

"You carry death on you."

He continued,

"Your first granddaughter—she was killed by you, wasn’t she?"