Chapter 450 - NEGOTIATION: PART IV

Elizabeth knocked on the door to wait for the person inside to answer her. She stood patiently and quietly without knocking further. She knew that the person inside would open the door personally seeing she did not speak a word. 

It didn't take long for the door to be opened inside, standing in front of her was her father still wearing the same attire during dinner. She knew her father would be in the office seeing he has not come yet to visit her. 

"You're here?" Lord Knightley looked at his daughter with curiosity, but fear of the reason why she comes so late at night. 

"Am I not allowed to visit you?" Elizabeth asked with such a child-like manner. 

"Come in." 

As she stepped inside her father's familiar office, it brought memories of her childhood. She used to play in her father's office whilst he was working since his father preferred to watch over her. 

"Would you like something to drink?" 

"A glass of choco would do." 

A few minutes later, a male servant arrives with a tray of snacks, a cup of choco and tea. Whilst he was placing the food and drinks on the table, he could help it but peek towards Elizabeth from time to time who was busy scanning the different books in her father's office.

'The young miss really looks fine now.' 

The male servant quickly left without any words leaving the father and daughter alone. 

Elizabeth returned to the seating area and started drinking her hot choco. She sighs in relief for its taste has not changed at all. "I sure missed this." 

"I guess you have." He answered, knowing his daughter must have known that truth from Jackie, and that she has been missing for years. With the fact she was in danger, he expected her life back then would have been terrible and such a drink, of course she wouldn't have drank which made him upset just thinking about it. 

"If you like, we can go to Swiss and have some hot choco there." 

"Hmm, it's fine." Elizabeth shook her head and rejected her father's idea of going to another country just for hot choco. "Instead, I have another reason why I wish to speak to you daddy." 

"I have a feeling you came not for the hot chocolate." 

"Daddy, what am I about to ask might hurt you but I hope you can still trust me on my decision. So please, let me go back to China with grandpa tomorrow." 

As if an asteroid just crashed outside his office, Lord Knightley looked puzzled and could not respond to his daughter's request right away. Instead, he went and asked her: "Before that, tell me, where have you been all this time?"

"To be frank, I don't know..." Elizabeth's expression showed she was telling the truth. She looked bothered and upset by the fact she couldn't remember where she'd been all this time. 

"Can you tell me at least what you remember?" Lord Knightley didn't question her further of her whereabouts and ask something different instead. 

"I thought I was in China all this time. I don't even recall the reason why I ran away, but one thing is for sure, I was looking for someone that what I thought but after hearing Jackie's side of the story. I guess I was not looking for someone but instead I ran away with someone." 

Lord Knightley stayed silent for what his daughter said made sense. She did run away, but he didn't feel like it was the time to mention that to her. But, he was unsure if what he was thinking could be the reason why she did run away. 

"I might have mentioned his name before, but the person I ran away with was named Yun Shen, but I fear that he does not exist seeing the memories I have with him and Jackie does not exist at all. Since Jackie does not seem to know him nor did I spend time with him at all." 

"And, how about this Mr Feng?" Lord Knightley inquired of the other person she mentioned before. "You mentioned whether his family has found out of his death." 

Elizabeth has this bitter yet sorrowful smile on her face. "To tell you the truth daddy, I don't even know if that part is true as well. But, before I lost consciousness and before I woke up. I had this dream or memory of my past life. Back then, Feng Xiaotong saved me. And the rest, well... Yun Shen too died and I thought I did as well."

"So, your saying you all died?" He repeated her words to confirm the truth. 

"Well, seeing I am seated in front of you, I guess that part of my memory must be a dream only."

"Then, how about little Athy, who is she?" Lord Knightley asked about the last person she kept on mentioned. She even mentioned the girl's name during dinner. 

"Who?" 

Lord Knightley was in disbelief when he saw the confusion on his daughter's face. She has mentioned the name so many times now, yet she herself does not even know who that person is. He realizes that this person must really be someone important to her, but her current state of mind can't recall who exactly this person is. "Never mind, I must have misspoke." He said, thinking it best not to mention the person's name again. 

"So, will you allow me to return to China?" 

"Why must you go back when you yourself know that that person does not exist?" 

Tears soon drip down Elizabeth's face. They were small but filled with pain and meaning, "Daddy, I don't know why but I feel like something important has been taken away from me. Before the time I thought I died, I was searching for something." 

Seeing the tears in his daughter's face just proves this man's value. He now realizes that this man must be someone very close to Elizabeth. "You mean, they took Yun Shen from you?" 

"No, no, they didn't take Yun Shen but they took something much more important, but I don't know what it is. Which is why I hope to find Yun Shen and hopefully find out what they took from me?" 

Lord Knightley looked bothered about the situation. He went around and sat next to his daughter to comfort her. He fears that the outside word will just bring her more harmful memories. But, keeping her lock up will also bring those memories back. He has a solution for every business problem that he comes face with, but when it comes to his daughter's well being, it was the toughest of them all. 

Lord Knightley pushed his daughter away from his embrace to face her. He looked seriously at her and asked, "Lizzy, must you really go? I can have people look for them. You can trust me. I know you do not, but I am your father and only wish for the best for you."

"I'm sorry daddy." Elizabeth cried much more and her tears became much larger. 

Lord Knightley sighs, he clearly can't win against his daughter. In the end, he had no choice but to open the cage again and set her free.