The Rabbit Girl Who Shook the Walker Family Chapter 16

The Rabbit Girl Who Shook the Walker Family Chapter 16

Ethan’s face was expressionless. 

“I said I would consider it.” 

Lily nodded. 

“I know.” 

“Uncle Ethan takes longer to decide.” 

Lucas looked down and drank water. The rim of the cup hid the corner of his mouth. Old Mr. Walker picked up the financial news tablet. The 

tablet was upside down. Ethan glanced between 

them. 

“Are you both very free?” 

Lily held up her spoon. 

“I can wear a little rabbit outfit.” 

“Uncle Ethan can dress as a big gray wolf.” 

Ethan looked at her. 

Lily added at once, “But a good wolf.” 

The table was silent for several seconds. Old Mr. Walker could not hold back first and let out a soft 

laugh. It was light. But everyone present heard it. 

Lily heard it too. She turned to Old Mr. Walker. 

“Grandpa, you can laugh.” 

Old Mr. Walker raised the financial news tablet 

higher. 

“Eat your food.” 

Lily obediently looked down. In the yellow bowl, 

shrimp and egg were piled high. 

She studied it for a while and whispered, “Mommy, 

look.” 

“I have lots of food.” 

No one answered. But the lamp above the dining 

table shone brightly. Emma’s old rental apartment 

was in Southside. An old residential building. The 

hallway was narrow, and a piece of wall paint had fallen off. When Lucas stood at the door, the key in his hand turned twice before the lock opened. 

The key had been given to him by Aunt Grace. Aunt Grace had been Emma’s neighbor during her last two years. She was also the one who sent Lily 

to the Walker estate gate. She stood in the hallway, her eyes red. 

“Emma left instructions before she passed.” 

“If Lily found you, I was supposed to give the 

apartment key to Mr. Lucas Walker.” 

Lucas took the key. 

“Why didn’t she come to the Walker family 

sooner?” 

Aunt Grace glanced at him. There was resentment 

in her eyes that she could not hide. 

“She did come.” 

“You didn’t let her in.” 

Lucas did not argue. The door opened. Inside, it 

was small. 

One bed. 

One old table. 

One narrow wardrobe. 

By the window hung children’s clothes washed 

until they had turned pale. As soon as Lily entered, 

she let go of Lucas’s hand. She ran to the bed. 

“This is Mommy’s bed.” 

Then she pointed to a small stool. 

“This is mine.” 

“Mommy said children can’t sit on the bed and eat 

crackers. Crumbs will fall.” 

Lucas stood at the door. The room was too small. 

He did not even need to take many steps to see 

Emma’s entire life over the past three years. There 

was a metal box on the table. Ethan put on gloves 

and opened it. Inside were medical records, 

hospital bills, the rental contract, several photos. 

And a full sheet of little rabbit stickers. Several 

stickers were missing. Lily leaned closer. 

“Mommy used those to mark important things.” 

Ethan flipped through the papers one by one. Sure 

enough, several documents had little rabbits on 

the back. The first was Emma Reed’s prenatal 

report. The second was a copy of Lily’s birth 

certificate. The third was an unsent legal 

consultation record. The fourth was a handwritten 

list. 

Lucas picked up the list. The handwriting was thin. 

It recorded every expense for the past three years. 

Kids‘ nutrition shake. Medicine. Rent. 

Childcare. Rabbit repair thread. Every item had an 

amount written behind it. The last line was written 

by Emma. What is owed to Lily is more than this. 

Lucas’s fingertip stopped on that line. 

There were water stains on the edge of the paper. 

He did not know whether they came from rain or 

tears. Lily leaned against the small table. She saw 

that line but could not recognize all the words. 

“Lucas, what does this say?” 

Lucas closed the paper. 

“It says you were good when you were little.” 

Ethan glanced at him. He did not expose the lie. 

Lily brightened. 

“Really?” 

“Mommy said I was good too.” 

Aunt Grace wiped her tears beside them. 

“How could she bear to say you weren’t good?” 

“She was so sick she couldn’t get out of bed, but 

she was still afraid you would be hungry.” 

Lily looked up. 

“Aunt Grace, why are you crying?” 

Aunt Grace crouched down and hugged her. 

“Dust got in my eyes.” 

Lily reached out and blew for her. 

“A blow will make it better.” 

Aunt Grace cried harder. Lucas walked to the 

window. There was a dried–up little mint plant on 

the sill. The soil had cracked. Beside it was an 

empty can of kids‘ nutrition shake. The can was 

filled with coins. 

Lucas picked it up. A little rabbit was stuck to the 

bottom of the can. Ethan walked over. 

“Open it.” 

The bottom was double–layered. Ethan used a 

small knife to carefully pry it open. Inside was a 

folded piece of paper. It was a hospital visitation record from three years ago. On the day Emma gave birth. Lucas had indeed been overseas. 

But in the visitation record, there was one name. Rachel. The time was the second day after Lily 

was born. Ethan’s face darkened. 

“Rachel went to the hospital.” 

Lucas studied the record. 

Aunt Grace said, “Emma mentioned it. A beautiful 

woman went to the hospital to see her.” 

“That person said Mr. Lucas Walker had already 

signed away custody.” 

“She also said the child had no status, and if she 

stayed in the Walker family, she would only be 

laughed at.”