14 A meeting by chance.

"Are you my father, Sir?" Aurora suddenly asked, a glint of excitement shimmering in her dark eyes, much to the shock of the waitress who stood by, looking on helplessly.

Baffled, the waitress furrowed her brow. What could this young girl possibly mean by asking a near stranger if he was her father? Weren't the two adults she had been with her parents?

"Well, I could be your dad if a DNA test confirms it," Allen replied with a charming grin that highlighted his sharp features, attempting to humor the little girl. Being inexperienced in interacting with children, he struggled to find the right way to speak with her.

"What is D-N-A, sir?" Aurora asked with curiosity, tilting her head slightly to the right, and Allen couldn't help but be amused by her innocence. He knelt down briefly to her eye level.

"DNA is like a recipe book for living things. It contains instructions in the form of a code that determines how an organism looks and functions..." Allen explained, pausing as he realized the little girl was confused and didn't grasp his explanation. He simply smiled and affectionately tousled her hair.

"But sir, if it's a cookbook, how does it prove whether you're my daddy or not?"

Allen chuckled.

"Well, if I really am your daddy, a DNA test will confirm it."

Aurora shyly smiled in response.

"Oh... Let us go for D-N-A…" she demanded with excitement. Aurora was eager to go right away and not waste another minute standing around. She had completely forgotten about Maureen and Ryan, her mother's friends, and appeared enchanted by this charming stranger. He seemed so kind.

The waitress quickly regained her composure and tried to gently guide Aurora away. She knew it was not safe for the young girl to be so insistent on following a stranger without proper supervision.

"Wait..." Allen called out as they started to leave. Aurora was already struggling to break free from the waitress's grasp.

"I mean no harm, but if she really wants to come with me, I don't mind," Allen reassured, causing the waitress to look at him helplessly. His imposing bodyguards made her feel defenseless.

"I... I apologize, Sir, but I can't do that. Her guardians entrusted her to my care. I must take her back to them now... I'm certain they would be concerned if they didn't see her," the waitress tried to explain.

"I will have my men inform them that she is with me," Allen stated firmly, and his bodyguards approached the waitress, taking Aurora from her gently. She was too intimidated to resist, briefly wondering if this man was some sort of mafia figure.

Aurora, feeling uneasy about being with strangers, wanted to protest but found solace in the presence of this man who might be her father.

Cooper climbed into the car, and Allen carried Aurora in his arms as they got in. The bodyguards followed in their car behind them as they made their way to the hospital. Once they had driven off, the anxious waitress hurried inside to call for assistance, fearing that the little girl had been kidnapped.

***

"Who is your mother?" Allen inquired, attempting to engage in conversation with the apprehensive little girl. He couldn't explain it, but he felt a sense of familiarity with her despite just meeting.

An instant bond had formed between Allen and Aurora. Although they had only met minutes ago, he already felt a deep affection for her, almost as if she were his own daughter.

"Lilian Simmons is my mother's name," she replied timidly. Allen knew that they would soon be at the hospital, where the final results would reveal whether he was truly her father or not.

"What is your name?" he asked once more.

"My name is Aurora Simmons..." she answered.

Allen smiled. Noting that she shared her mother's surname, he decided not to ask any more questions after that.

***

After some time had passed, Aurora had not returned. Maureen suggested she would go check on them, but Ryan insisted they go together. Along the way, they encountered the frantic waitress, who nearly screamed upon seeing them.

"You... Where is the little girl?" Maureen asked, her heart racing as she observed the terrified expression on the waitress's face.

"I'm sorry... I didn't know what to do... a man took her away...!" the waitress exclaimed, bursting into tears.

"What?!" Maureen and Ryan exclaimed in shock.

"What on earth are you talking about?!" Ryan shouted in anger, but all the waitress could manage was to apologize.

In a rush, Maureen and Ryan hurried to the securities at the restaurant seeking help.

"Have you seen a little girl around here?" Ryan asked them urgently.

After a moment of thought, one of them responded, "I do recall a tall man with two bodyguards leaving with a little girl who bore a striking resemblance to him. I think he was her father."

"Can we check the surveillance footage?" Ryan requested promptly, sensing Maureen's growing unease.

The panicked waitress was called over and questioned, her voice trembling as she spoke.

"That man looked important... He took her with him. I believe he must be closely related to her; their resemblance was too similar," the waitress explained as best she could.

Maureen was filled with alarm. Had someone truly taken Aurora away? What would they say to Lilian? She wouldn't bear the thought of living without her daughter—Aurora was her daughter and only child who she cherished so much.

Reviewing the surveillance footage, they identified the kidnapper without difficulty.

"Allen Rowan? Why would someone like Allen be here?" Ryan pondered in confusion. But more importantly, what was his motive for taking Aurora?

As a filthy rich man, a billionaire, and a CEO—the scion of the Rowan family—he would not stoop to such despicable acts as snatching a child without consent from their guardian.

"How can we find this man?" Maureen inquired urgently. They had to find him and bring Aurora back. They couldn't face Lilian empty-handed.

"He's not easy to track, Maureen. That's what concerns me greatly," Ryan responded. If he were just a regular citizen like himself, he might have already alerted the police.

"So, you know him. Who is he?" Maureen inquired. Could there be people besides politicians and armed personnels who were hard to pursue legally?

"He's Allen, the eldest son of the influential Rowan family," Ryan disclosed, causing Maureen to grip his hand in fear.

"Allen Rowan?! The CEO of MXcel?!" she exclaimed.