Chapter 240

Carissa pulled the child from Rafael’s arms and held him tightly to her chest. It was heartbreaking; the boy was nothing but skin and bones. A foul odor emanated from him—a mixture of decay, filth, and possibly old blood. His hair clung in matted clumps, adding to the stench.

Yet, Carissa embraced him as if he were the most precious treasure in the world, her tears streaming uncontrollably down her face.

The child, now in her arms, ceased his struggles. He lay still, like a broken doll, his tears streaking through the grime on his face, creating yellowish trails. Gone was the fierce resistance he had shown Rafael. Now, the boy seemed lifeless, his eyes staring blankly despite the tears.

Seeing this, Rafael’s long-held anxiety eased as he confirmed that the child was indeed of the Sinclair bloodline. It was a relief to know that a trace of the Sinclair family remained, though Rafael was puzzled about how Ryan had ended up in the hands of traffickers after escaping.

During the time he had been with Ryan, Rafael had tried in vain to glean any information from him. The child had been rendered mute by poison and was highly agitated, reacting violently to anyone who came near him. Initially, Ryan had responded when Rafael called his name, but as time went on, he seemed to lose recognition and remained unresponsive or frenzied.

Even the Beggar Guild investigation had yielded no clues about the child’s origins, possibly because the traffickers had hidden their tracks well.

After a long while, Carissa gently released Ryan, who clung desperately to her wrist. His long, dark nails dug into her skin, almost drawing blood. His gaze never left Carissa’s face. When he saw the slingshot, his tears flowed even more freely. His lips trembled as he tried to speak, but all that came out were incoherent sobs.

Carissa’s eyes were swollen from crying as her trembling hands gently touched the small wounds on Ryan’s face.

With a choked voice, she said to Rafael, “Your Highness, could you please get a set of clothes and shoes for him? Are there servants here? Have someone prepare hot water for him to bathe.”

“The clothes have already been bought, but he refused to change. I’ll have someone prepare hot water. You stay with him for a while,” the prince replied, his voice strained and eyes reddened.

Even after Rafael turned and left, Ryan continued to cling to Carissa’s hand. She carried the boy into the room, sat down in a chair, and took out a handkerchief to gently wipe his face.

Despite her own tears flowing freely, she spoke softly, “Ryan, it’s Aunt Carissa. I’m here; don’t be afraid. You don’t have to be afraid anymore.”

Upon hearing this, Ryan opened his mouth wide and cried silently. He cried so hard he struggled to catch his breath. His tears seemed endless, turning his face even more smeared. It was as if all his suffering and grievances from the past two years had finally found an outlet, and the tears wouldn’t stop.

Eventually, he cried himself into unconsciousness, collapsing in Carissa’s arms.

Fortunately, Rafael had already arranged for a physician to be on standby. The physician had initially tried to examine Ryan, but the child was uncooperative. After he was forcibly held down, they discovered that Ryan had been poisoned and had taken addictive drugs.

After the physician administered some acupuncture treatment, Ryan did not wake but began to snore softly. The exhausted boy had been sleeping fitfully and was now finally in a deep sleep. Even Rafael, with his exceptional skills, could barely endure such distress, and Ryan’s condition was far worse.

The physician assured Carissa that Ryan was only sleeping, which relieved her. She remained by his side, keeping vigil.

Rafael spoke softly beside her, “You’ve confirmed that it’s him. You should go eat something. I’ll stay here with him.”

Carissa shook her head, wiping her tears away. “I want to stay with him. I’m afraid he’ll be scared if he wakes up and doesn’t see me.”

“Alright. I’ll have someone bring you something to eat,” Rafael said, turning to leave.

He made arrangements for the physician to be settled in a nearby room, ensuring he was well taken care of. They would have to wait for Ryan to wake up and be bathed and dressed before a thorough examination could be conducted.

The child had truly suffered, but at least he was still alive.