He sighed happily then called out to the driver and gave him his car keys. "Take her home," he muttered and the driver quickly nodded.
Clara sighed in relief and hurriedly followed the driver as Carl followed them then carefully dropped the baby in the back seat.
He smiled at the girl who was already inside the car then closed the door and walked back to the house. He needed to confirm first.
Zach, Mira, and Lucy who had witnessed the scene stood still in shock.
"Did she sleep here?" Zach muttered in astonishment while his eyes widened with excitement and Mira nodded with a chuckle.
That is a very good start. However, it is not the most important thing right now.
"Lucy, did you say Mum and Father are also inside?"
"Yes, why are they here so early."
They turned to the girl who had also broken out of her shock and asked simultaneously.
"Yeah, I think they have something to inform Big brother. Let's go." Lucy nodded then grabbed Mira's hand and they walked inside the house whose door was left open.
** Inside The Living Room **
Carl sat in front of the couple and sighed inside after glancing at his stepmother who was still sobbing. So that was the reason why she wanted to see him.
"Son, where did she go? Please bring her back... It is really Pearl, it is her... She looks exactly like my sister... See?" The woman carefully brought out an old photo from her bag and quickly handed it to him. "I'm so sorry." She continued sobbing while her husband patted her back.
Taking the photo from her hand, Carl's eyes widened slightly as he stared into it. There were two girls in it, around eighteen to twenty years. The first one who he made out to be his stepmother, looked slightly older, and the second one. 'Clara.' She looks exactly like Clara. His heart swelled with happiness and a chuckle escaped his lips. Now, everything makes sense, after remembering what her sister had told him in the province.
"But how is this possible? Didn't she die?" His father cut him out of his thoughts with a slight frown, remembering the baby's dead body. "They could just look alike right?"
"Who are you talking about? Who looks like who?" Zach suddenly asked as he walked inside the living room together with Mira and Lucy who were already sitting on the couch.
"Clara," Carl replied and gave him the photo with a chuckle then turned to his father and started answering his question.
"She did not die." He shook his head and continued narrating to them how he had recovered the memories and how the two men had appeared in front of him with the other one holding a dead baby that they swapped with the baby in his hands. And how he was hypnotized after that.
Everyone in the room silently listened to him in shock, except Zach who had already known and was still staring wildly at the photo.
"See?... I told you, she's really my Pearl." The woman turned to her husband with teary eyes and the man slowly nodded.
"But the dead baby looks exactly like Pearl." He turned to his son with furrowed brows. As he remembered that they did not only looked alike but wore the same kind of clothes.
"Yes." Carl nodded and sighed heavily. He was also confused about that and knew that those men were the only ones that have answers to it.
"But sister-in-law has parents," Zach finally muttered after getting out of his shock and Mira nodded rapidly.
"Yes, Big brother... She also has a sister," she seconded while staring in shock at the picture in her boyfriend's hands.
Carl shook his head and patiently explained to them what Lily had told him in the province. "She's not her blood sister."
Mira was shocked again and she instantly covered her mouth with a gasp. "Th...then, Is Clara related to Jack?" She stammered with widened eyes.
"Yes dear," The older woman answered her with a nod. By then her tears had stopped falling and she was smiling happily. "She's Jack's cousin."
"Then, does she perhaps knows those people that took her away?" His father pondered. And wondered why they would took her away.
"Yes, Big bro... those mysterious men, sister-in-law would surely know who they are right?" Zach asked excitedly and Carl frowned.
It may be possible. He nodded, then said, "You should continue searching for them."
"Big bro, Big bro... Does that mean sister-in-law is my cousin?" Lucy who had been silent all along jumped in excitement after snatching the photo from her brother.
Although she had never heard about her dead Aunty or even saw her picture until today. The person in this picture really looks like sister-in-law.
Carl stared into his sister's eyes for some seconds and suddenly chuckled. "Yes, she's your cousin," he replied softly and ruffled her hair and the girl giggled. 'Wow... This is so perfect.'
"Hehe, now that I think about it, Little cat also has the same large eyes as sister-in-law." Zach chuckled and was about to ruffle the girl's hair when she instantly shoved his hand away with a glare.
Mira who had still not gotten out of her shock finally stood up then sat back again. "Does Clara know about it?" She asked urgently, still trying to come to terms with this sudden news and Carl shook his head.
"She doesn't know," he replied and sighed inside and continued after some seconds.
"Father, Mum... Please let's keep this a secret until we found out who those men are... I think there's a reason why they took her away."
Carl stared at everyone's expression and watched as a tear streamed down on his stepmother's face.
"But Son, I need to inform father... poor child__" she burst into tears and her husband sighed heavily.
"It's alright Grace... Don't worry, you can tell him when everything is over," he cajoled her softly while patting her shoulders then turned his gaze to Carl and slowly nodded.