Chapter 2274


    Darcie looked away and asked, "Is there power downstairs?"


    Someone replied, "Yes, it seems only our floor is affected."


    Darcie nced at the surveince camera above and said calmly, "Call someone to check it out.


    Everyone else, go back to your workstations."


    She then looked at Jaylene. "You should go too. Don''t forget to review the materials I gave you. I''ll be


    testing you."


    Jaylene pouted and said softly, "I know, Mom."


    After everyone left, Darcie nced around and pursed her lips before heading to the stairwell.


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    The stairwell had no windows, and there was a faint smell of smoke. The sensor light didn’t turn on,


    leaving the area dimly lit. As soon as Darcie entered, she saw someone standing against the wall on


    the stairs, holding a cigarette.


    She closed the stairwell door and hissed, "This is thepany. Are you out of your mind?"


    "If I didn''t, the cameras would have caught me. How would you exin that?" The man''s voice was


    deep and raspy, tinged with sarcasm.


    Darcie''s face darkened. "You came here on your own. Did you think to inform me?"


    The man’s voice was hoarse. "I just wanted to see my daughter."


    Darcie was furious, her voice low but filled with anger. "Didn’t I send you videos of her? Didn''t I give


    you photos? Do you realize your current situation?"


    "Photos and videos aren''t the same as seeing her in person. I want to hear her voice, see her face. Is


    that too much to ask?"


    "Yes, it is! Do you understand your current situation?"


    In the dim light, the man''s expression was unclear, but his body trembled at her words. "Darcie, now


    that you''ve got what you wanted, do you find my presence unnecessary? If it wasn’t for you and our


    child, do you think I''d be in this situation? Have I everined? I''ve sacrificed everything, and now I


    just want to be close to my daughter. Is that too much to ask?"


    Darcie''s expression wavered, and as she looked at the man’s gloomy face, she gradually calmed


    down, her tone softening.


    ''That''s not what I meant. I''m afraid of you being discovered, afraid that all our years of nning will be


    ruined and that Jaylene will be destroyed. I know you love her and miss her. Your eyes show it


    whenever you see her. I''m just worried you might slip and say something that would reveal the truth to


    her."


    Seeing the man remain silent, Darcie''s tone softened further. "Jaylene is like you when you were


    young, pure-hearted and unguarded. She’s been raised by Wenham, believing he''s her father. If she


    finds out her real father is someone who came back from the dead, she won''t be able to handle it."


    The man didn''t respond for a long time. Finally, he said, "You never intended for her to know me, did


    you?"


    Darcie pressed her lips together. "I did, but can you? The money you exchanged your life for was only


    enough for me to buy the shares Freesia Hall sold to me. When I was pregnant, I couldn''t afford proper


    nutrition, and after she was born, I couldn’t even produce milk. Poor Jaylene was weak and sickly from


    birth. Where were you then? Don''t think your sacrifice entitles you to drag US down. I didn''t force you; it


    was your inability to provide for us!


    "Look at Jaylene''s life now. She''s a Saun family heiress, treated with the utmost respect. Wenham


    loves her like his own daughter. She''s well- educated, aplished in every way, andmands


    respect just by standing there. You im to want to recognize her, but can you give her this life? You


    would only be a stain on her existence!"


    The man’s face turned pale. He took a long drag from his cigarette, coughing violently from inhaling too


    quickly. The sound echoed in the empty stairwell.


    Darcie handed him a tissue and waited for him to calm down. "You can watch her and stay close, but


    that’s it. Don''t ruin her life."