Chapter 150: It Was Always Related to Her

Roxanne clearly heard Estella's childish voice above the splashing water. Stunned, she thought she'd misheard. Looking at Estella, her astonishment was evident.

Benny, equally stunned, stopped what he was doing, unmindful of the splashing water.

Estella, however, continued playing with the beluga whale, oblivious to their shocked expressions.

The staff finally ushered them back to their seats as the next segment began. Roxanne and the boys remained stunned, while Estella, calmly taking Roxanne's hand, sat down as if nothing unusual had occurred.

Lucian, noticing their dazed expressions, frowned. "What's wrong?" he asked.

Roxanne finally spoke, glancing at Estella. "Estella… she seemed to have spoken," she whispered. "Furthermore, she spoke fluently and has a lovely voice."

Lucian, surprised, looked at his daughter. "What did she say?"

Roxanne, still reeling from the shock of Estella's sudden speech, couldn't recall.

Archie interjected, "She said the beluga whale kissed her."

Benny, next to Archie, voiced his curiosity. "Isn't Essie mute?"

They had always assumed Estella was mute, having never heard her speak since they met her.

Lucian frowned. "When did I ever say Essie was mute?"

Archie and Benny exchanged glances.

Roxanne, confused, said, "Essie doesn't speak. You even provided a notepad for her to communicate."

Lucian sighed, a little helpless. "Estella was usually unwilling to speak because of her autism. Even I only hear a few words from her occasionally. Thankfully, she's willing to write."

Roxanne remembered Estella's reactions when her autism was triggered. Her heart ached for her daughter. Lucian looked conflicted.

Estella had been diagnosed with autism as a child. He could count on one hand the number of times she'd spoken. The last time was when she'd been anxious about Roxanne leaving.

If Roxanne and the boys were correct, Estella had spoken again, and both times it had been in Roxanne's presence. Could it be a special mother-daughter bond?

Lucian's eyes darkened. Turning to Estella, he asked gently, "Essie, did you have fun playing with the beluga whale?"

Estella smiled, dimples appearing on her cheeks. She nodded obediently but didn't speak.

Lucian frowned slightly but continued to coax her. "What did you play with the beluga whale? Can you tell me about it?"

Benny, having heard Estella speak for the first time, was eager to hear more. "Essie, tell me too! My beluga whale wouldn't listen to me. I bathed it, and it sprayed water all over Archie and me! How was yours so obedient?"

Overwhelmed by their questions, Estella's brow furrowed. She began searching Roxanne's bag for a pencil and paper.

Seeing this, Lucian frowned and stopped questioning her.

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