Chapter 12
After discovering Aria’s phone was disconnected, Maxwell mobilized all his connections, practically
turning the entire city upside down, yet still found no trace of her.
His eyes were filled with exhaustion and anxiety, each fruitless search cutting into his heart like a
knife.
Mr. and Mrs. Pierce and Connor were equally frantic, keeping vigil by the phone day and night, desperately hoping for news of Aria.
Mrs. Pierce’s face was constantly streaked with tears as she blamed herself: “It’s all our fault. We
drove Aria away. If only we had discovered Serena’s schemes earlier, if only we’d been kinder to
Aria, she wouldn’t have left us.”
Mr. Pierce’s face was etched with remorse. His back seemed to have hunched overnight, his once
confident demeanor completely gone, leaving only a haggard old man worried sick about his
daughter.
Connor darted around like a headless chicken, asking everyone he met if they’d seen Aria, but
always receiving the same disappointing answer.
As time passed, everyone’s anxiety worsened, pushing them to the brink of despair.
Maxwell began expanding the search area. If she couldn’t be found in the city, he’d search the country. If not in the country, he’d search the entire world.
Mr. and Mrs. Pierce plastered Aria’s photos throughout the streets, hoping some kind soul would provide a lead.
Connor posted countless messages online seeking Aria, detailing her appearance and the circumstances of her disappearance, but his efforts sank like a stone in water.
One day, a private investigator called, claiming to have spotted a girl resembling Aria in a remote
town.
Maxwell immediately drove there, his heart racing with both hope and fear of disappointment.
When he reached the town and found the address provided by the investigator, it turned out to be a misunderstanding.
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A Walking Blood Bag? No. I’m Global Heiress
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Chapter 12
The girl merely had a similar silhouette to Aria. When she turned around, Maxwell’s heart
plummeted.
When he returned home, the Pierce family saw his dejected expression, and their last shred of hope
shattered.
Mrs. Pierce collapsed to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably.
Mr. Pierce sat silently nearby, head in his hands, tears falling between his fingers.
Connor punched the wall in frustration, his knuckles bleeding as he shouted: “Aria, where are you? Why are you punishing us like this?”
Just when everyone was about to give up, Maxwell suddenly remembered Aria once saying her greatest dream was to live in an isolated place where she could paint freely and live a peaceful life.
A thought flashed through his mind–could she have gone to a remote island?
Maxwell immediately regained his determination and began investigating isolated islands. After an arduous search, he finally discovered some clues on a secluded island.
He and the Pierce family rushed there without delay.
When they set foot on the island and saw its beautiful, tranquil scenery, their hearts filled with hope.
They searched everywhere for Aria. Maxwell’s heartbeat thundered in his ears, his palms slick with
sweat.
Finally, beneath a grove of palm trees, they spotted a familiar silhouette.
The figure was deeply focused on painting, as if nothing else in the world mattered.
Maxwell slowly approached, his voice trembling: “Aria…”
Aria’s body tensed slightly. She turned around slowly, surprise flickering in her eyes when she saw the Pierce family and Maxwell, but quickly returned to a composed expression.
“How did you find me?” Her voice was soft, yet perfectly clear in the quiet of the island.
Mrs. Pierce couldn’t hold back anymore. She rushed forward, embracing Aria tightly as she broke down sobbing: “Aria, I’m so sorry. I was wrong. We’ve been searching for you desperately!”
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