Chapter 129: Child Traffickers

"Carie?!"

A gaunt, sallow-skinned middle-aged woman spotted the little girl in Camilla’s arms.

Though visibly relieved, her eyes burned with fury as she strode forward.

"How could you wander off like this?!

Your father and I have been worried sick looking for you!"

Behind her trailed a dark-faced man in a gray tunic, his face deeply lined.

When his gaze landed on Camilla, a lecherous glint flickered in his eyes—quickly masked by feigned concern.

Were these the child’s parents?

Doubt flashed in Camilla’s eyes.

If nothing else, there wasn’t the slightest resemblance between them and the girl.

"Come on, let’s go home with Mommy!"

The woman shot Camilla a hostile glare and grabbed the girl’s arm, trying to wrench her away.

The child trembled, clinging desperately to Camilla’s neck, shaking her head in mute terror.

"Let’s go."

Something sharp flickered in Camilla’s beautiful eyes as she decisively pushed the woman’s hand away.

At this moment, both of their expressions changed dramatically.

"You!

Why are you holding onto my daughter and refusing to let go?!"

The middle-aged woman’s face twisted with fury, her voice rising to a shrill pitch.

"Are you trying to snatch a child in broad daylight?!"

The sensitive accusation instantly drew a crowd of onlookers.

"Child snatcher?

Could she be a human trafficker?!"

"Good people, please hear us out," the middle-aged man pleaded with an exaggerated look of pitiful honesty, his eyes darting around the gathering crowd.

"Our daughter can’t speak.

We’ve borrowed money we can hardly afford to bring her to the capital’s best hospital for treatment—"

He rubbed at his dry eyes theatrically.

"And this woman took advantage of our distraction to steal our little girl! She’s clearly preying on us country folk!"

His wife chimed in tearfully, "We’re just poor villagers who scraped together every penny for our daughter’s medical care.

This wicked woman—"

"Don’t be so quick with your accusations," Camilla cut in coldly, her steely gaze cutting through the murmuring crowd to pin the couple where they stood.

"What proof do you have that she’s your daughter?"

Proof?

The middle-aged man froze momentarily.

"Yes, of course we have proof!"

A shrewd glint flashed in the woman’s eyes as she pulled out a pair of small black cloth shoes embroidered with delicate flowers from her bag.

"These are my daughter’s shoes!

You snatched her away before she could even put them on!"

The crowd glanced at the little girl’s bare feet, then turned their suspicious and hostile gazes toward Camilla.

"She really isn’t wearing any shoes."

"Such a pretty face—could she really be a child trafficker?"

Murmurs spread through the gathering.

"What does a pair of shoes prove?"

Camilla’s crimson lips parted slightly, her delicate face now icy with disdain.

"For all I know, you could’ve stolen her shoes just to muddy the waters."

"You—" The middle-aged woman’s brows furrowed deeper, her agitation growing as the crowd around them swelled.

"I remember now, the necklace!!"

The middle-aged man suddenly exclaimed.

"Carie has a silver necklace around her neck—we bought it for her when she was little.

Just take a look and you’ll see!"

Camilla glanced at the couple before gently pulling aside the collar of the little girl’s clothes.

There, nestled against her skin, was an intricately crafted silver necklace, adorned with carvings of various insects and beasts—utterly unique.

"See?!"

The middle-aged woman sneered, her face twisted with impatience, as she thrust her hand toward the child again.

"Now give me back my daughter!"

The onlookers quickly chimed in, their voices dripping with scorn.

"She really is a kidnapper!"

"Looks like a celebrity but does something so despicable—who would’ve thought?"

"Never judge a book by its cover."

"The little girl trembled violently, her small arms tightening around Camilla’s neck like a lifeline.

"In that case," Camilla said coolly, "why don’t you just call the police and have them arrest me?"

Camilla gently patted the little girl’s back while deftly evading the middle-aged woman’s grasping hands, her icy gaze sweeping over the onlookers.

"Wouldn’t it be safer to let the police handle this?"

Call the police?

Exactly!

Many in the crowd quickly caught on, pulling out their phones to dial emergency services.

At this, the middle-aged couple’s faces twisted in panic.

Just then, their eyes darted toward a van with its door wide open, parked mere steps away.

"You meddling little bitch—you asked for this!"

The man’s previously meek expression twisted into something vicious as he suddenly drew a dagger from his coat and lunged at Camilla.

Clearly.

He intended to snatch the child amid the chaos while Camilla was injured, then escaped in the waiting van.

The crowd gasped, stunned by the sudden turn of events.

Yet— *Clang!*

Before the blade could reach Camilla, a swift kick sent it clattering to the ground.

At the same moment, the man was pinned to the ground.

The middle-aged woman, sensing the situation had turned against her, spun around to flee—only to be instantly restrained, immobilized where she stood.

"Madam," the mercenary said, his expression icy as he turned to Camilla.

"What should we do with these two?"

A bone-chilling coldness flickered in Camilla’s eyes.

"Take them, along with the traffickers in that van, straight to the police station."

The onlookers, realizing they had misjudged Camilla, exchanged sheepish glances before dispersing awkwardly.

"Understood!"

The mercenary gave a curt nod and turned to leave.

"Wait—her too."

Camilla’s voice softened as she looked down at the little girl cradled in her arms.

"Take her to the police station as well. Find out where she’s from and have her family come to bring her home."

"Yes, ma’am!"

The mercenary reached out, ready to take the child from her arms.

The little girl clung tightly to Camilla’s neck, refusing to let go no matter what, her grape-like eyes brimming with tears.

That pitiful look instantly melted Camilla’s heart.

"Forget it, you go ahead and take them to the police station first," she said, glancing at the time, her beautiful eyes flickering with a mix of helplessness and tenderness.

"I’ll find a way to bring this little girl over later."

At that moment, Camilla had no idea how profoundly grateful she would soon be for this simple act of kindness.

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