Caught In His Embrace: A Second Chance Romance

Sienna didn't quite understand why the nurse would ask such a question. "Isn't he in his room?" she asked.

Earlier, Conner had indeed been there, but he had already returned.

Besides, he should be asleep at this late hour.

"No, he isn't." The nurse shook her head. During her rounds, she had noticed that Conner's inpatient room was empty, which was why she had come to ask.

"What's wrong?" The soft sound of footsteps brushed against the floor as Josiah, alerted by the commotion, stepped out of the room.

Sienna turned to Josiah, a faint unease creeping into her voice.

"The nurse says Conner isn't in his inpatient room. It's so late now..."

"Don't panic just yet." Josiah lowered his gaze to look at Sienna.

"Have you tried calling Conner's phone?"

"Not yet," the nurse answered. "As soon as I realized he wasn't in his inpatient room, I figured you were all together, so I came here first."

"I'll call him now." Sienna hurried back into the room, grabbed her phone, and quickly dialed Conner's number.

However, all Sienna got was, "The number you dialed is temporarily unavailable."

Sienna furrowed her brows, her face turning a shade paler. "I can't get through." Something felt off.

Josiah's brows creased as he reassured Sienna, "Maybe his phone just ran out of battery. Don't scare yourself." After a brief pause, he asked, "Do you have any way of contacting the Fischer family?"

"The Fischer family?" Sienna asked.

"Yes." Josiah nodded. "At this hour, where else could Conner have gone? Call them. Maybe his family knows something."

"I'll call Larry." Sienna hurriedly unlocked her phone and dialed Larry's number. "Hello."

The ringtone droned on for a long while before the call was finally picked up. Larry's voice carried a hint of surprise and delight.

"Sienna? Is that you?"

Sienna had no patience for pleasantries. "Did Conner go home?"

she asked directly.

"Conner?" Larry seemed taken aback at the other end of the line.

"Didn't he go to the hospital today?"

Larry knew about Conner's intention to donate bone marrow to Joyce. He also knew about Tanias disapproval.

It wasn't in Larry's place to take a side in their dispute. However, in the end, Conner had still gone to the hospital. "Conner, he." Larry sounded hesitant.

"Pass me the phone, Sienna." Josiah took the phone from Sienna's trembling hand and spoke firmly. "Prof. Fischer, Conner is no longer at the hospital, and his phone is unreachable. If he's not at home, do you have any idea where he might be?"

"What?" Larry's mind went blank. "Conner is missing?"

"Yes, we haven't been able to reach him," Sienna replied.

"What happened?" A sharp female voice rang from the other end of the line- undoubtedly Tania.

Flustered, Larry quickly explained, "Conner is missing-he's not in the hospital."

"What?" Tania exploded in fury, her voice filled with venom.

"Sienna, you're a born harbinger of misfortune! If anything happens to Conner, I won't let you off."

"Prof. Fischer," Josiah, unwilling to listen to Tania's tirade, frowned and interjected, "If you get any news about Conner, please inform Sienna."

Josiah then hung up the call. He lowered his gaze and met Sienna's eyes-her expression a mix of despair and anxiousness.

"Conner isn't home... Then where would he have gone?" Sienna felt her heart plummet, her face draining of all color.

Josiah's heart ached at the sight of Sienna's pallid complexion. He couldn't help but think of the words 'harbinger of misfortune.' His heart clenched as he reached out to hold her hand.

Then, Josiah guided Sienna to sit down, his gaze lingering on the cinnabar rosary around her wrist. Swallowing the bitterness rising in his throat, he said, "Don't overthink. The most important thing right now is finding Conner."

"I know." Sienna nodded, striving to maintain her composure as she withdrew her hand from Josiah's grasp.

The sudden emptiness in Josiah's palm made his gaze darken. He stood up and turned to the nurse. "There are surveillance cameras in the ward. Pull up the surveillance footage."

"We'll have to contact the security department for that," the nurse replied.

"Then contact them," Josiah demanded.

"Understood," the nurse answered. A

patient vanishing from a VIP

inpatient room without a trace, completely out of contact-this was a major oversight on the hospital's part, The nurse immediately relayed the request, and the security department quickly retrieved the surveillance footage.

On the screen, Conner could be seen walking out of the ward on his own. Beneath his coat, he still wore the hospital's patient uniform.

"There-he left the hospital," someone pointed out. In the next frame, Conner stepped out through the hospital's main entrance and got into a car.

"Pause." Josiah pointed at the screen. "Can you zoom in on that car?" "Yes, give me a moment," a member of the security department answered. The image of the car was enlarged, revealing the license plate.

Josiah cast a glance at Zach, who immediately understood and said, "I'll track it down right away." With the license plate, it didn't take long to trace the owner. When Zach returned, he brought unsettling news. "Mr. Flynn, the car belongs to Tania Fischer," he said.

"Hers?" Upon hearing that, Sienna shot up from the couch. "She must've taken Conner." That meant the phone call earlier had all been an act.

"She's trying to stop Conner from donating bone marrow to Joyce,"

Sienna said. The realization struck like a bolt of lightning- everything made perfect sense now.

Josiah closed his eyes in frustration. It was his mistake-he had underestimated Tania. He had been so focused on preventing Tania from targeting Sienna that he failed to consider she might go after her own son instead.

A wave of despair washed over Sienna, her face paled as she shook her head in disbelief. "Tania's hidden Conner away. Joyce's surgery can't happen as planned now." Her voice trembled, cracking with emotion.noveldrama

Sienna thought, 'Why is fate so cruel to Joyce? How many times had we been so close-so painfully close-only to have hope snatched away at the very last moment?" "I have to go to the Fischer residence." Sienna abruptly turned and strode toward the inpatient room door.

"Sienna," Josiah called out then shot a glance at Zach. "Stay here.

Call the nurse and keep watch over Joyce."

"Understood, Mr. Flynn," Zach replied.

Josiah rushed out after Sienna, accompanying her as they sped toward the

Fischer residence.

The grand gates of the Fischer residence stood tightly shut.

Before the car had even come to a full stop, Sienna had already flung open the

door and leaped out, pressing the doorbell in rapid succession.

After a long while, someone finally answered the door, "Who is it at this late hour?" It was Tania, who was even yawning.

Sienna sneered inwardly, 'She still has the mind to sleep? If Conner had truly

gone missing, there's no way Tania could rest so easily.

She has to be hiding him-there's no doubt about it!

"It's me. Open the door," Sienna demanded.

"Sienna?" Tania sounded puzzled. She peered at the screen from inside, instantly more awake. However, she refused to open the door and sneered, "What are you doing here? You're not welcome."

"Tania, open the door. Where are you hiding Conner?" Sienna asked. "Conner? What do you mean hide? I have no idea what you're talking about. Now get lost before I call security." Tania cut off the intercom without another word. "Tania," Sienna shouted, burning with impatience. Without stopping, she rang the doorbell again.

"You're insufferable. I'm calling security," Tania threatened.

"Who is it?" Larry suddenly appeared and asked. "It's.. Sienna?"

"Larry, don't you dare open that door," Tania hissed.

"Don't tell me what to do. Sienna is my child too." Larry ignored Tania's protest

and unlocked the door. The moment the lock clicked open, Sienna barged in. "Sienna." Josiah followed closely behind Sienna. "Slow down, watch your step."