Ready to Rule: The Real Heiress Strikes Back novel Chapter 997

Just then, one of Connor’s guys walked in and said a little girl they’d rescued from the cruise ship wanted to meet the people who saved her. Connor looked up. “How old is she? Does she remember her family’s number?”

It wasn’t the first time Connor and Lydia had saved families like this. With Ansel’s help, all the people who’d been trafficked or tricked were finally on their way home.

“She’s maybe eight,” the man said. “She wants to see her rescuer before she goes back.”

Connor was surprised. He hadn’t expected a little girl to be so determined to say thank you.

Lydia’s eyes widened as if something clicked in her mind. “Bring her in, now.”

A few minutes later, a little girl with tangled hair and dirt smudged across her cheeks shuffled into the room. Lydia took one look at her and recognized her right away. This was the girl who’d always been at Luke’s side. The one he’d gone out of his way to protect.

Coco glanced nervously at Lydia lying on the hospital bed. She chewed her lip and whispered, “Miss… did you save us?”

Connor looked so serious that the girl flinched as soon as she saw him. Garrett was there too, and even though his face wasn’t as cold, he seemed weighed down by worry. So Coco focused on Lydia, the only one who looked gentle right now.

Lydia paused, watching her. “It wasn’t just me. Is there something you want to ask us?”

Coco’s eyes shimmered with tears. She twisted her hands together, looking lost. Lydia waited, giving her time. Finally, after a long moment, Coco said, “Do you… know Luke? Did he… is he gone?”

Her voice broke at the end, and her eyes turned red. She’d heard people talking last night during the rescue, whispering that a lot of people had died. She couldn’t find Luke anywhere. Fear twisted inside her. What if she never saw him again?

Coco’s face lit up with hope. She rushed to Lydia’s side, nodding hard. “Yes! Luke told me about you. He said his sister was beautiful and really smart. Lydia, I finally get to meet you.”

Coco pressed her face against the bed and started sobbing. It was like everything she’d been holding back finally burst out.

Lydia reached out and gently rubbed her little shoulders.

Sniffling, Coco looked up, wiped her eyes, and reached into her shirt. She pulled out a small scrap of cloth. It looked familiar, stained with something dark red.

“Lydia, Luke gave this to me when we were getting on the big ship. He said if I ever got to see you, I should give it to you.”