Chapter 2

Mom was found by our neighbor, Mrs. Gable, and rushed to the hospital just in time.

The doctor said it was acute myocarditis. It was a good thing she was brought in when she was, but her immune system was severely depleted. She had to be hospitalized immediately for intensive care, or she could relapse at any moment.

Mrs. Gable covered the initial deposit, but as she stared at the long string of zeros on the medical bill, the wrinkles on her face deepened.

I knew Mrs. Gable didn't have much money either.

While Mrs. Gable went downstairs to grab me some dinner, I quietly slipped out of the hospital.

I was going to find Daddy.

But how could a four-year-old child find a world-famous director in a massive city?

I stood on the bustling street corner, feeling completely lost.

The comments floating in the air were even more panicked than I was.

[Where is Lily going? Does she even know where Julian is?]

[I know! I know! He’s shooting 'The Long Night' at Pinewood Studios! Paparazzi just posted some behind-the-scenes leaks on Instagram!]

[Someone tell Lily! It's about an hour's drive from here! Does the kid even have money?]

I reached into my pocket and felt the twenty-dollar bill Mom had given me for snacks.

Was it enough?

Mimicking the adults I’d seen, I raised my small hand and hailed a yellow cab.

The driver rolled down his window. "Hey there, kiddo. Where are your parents? Where are you heading?"

I handed him my twenty-dollar bill and read out the location I’d just seen in the comments:

"Sir, to Pinewood Studios, please. My daddy is waiting for me there."

The driver looked at me, then down at the bill, and chuckled. "Little one, twenty bucks isn't going to get you all the way there."

My eyes welled up with tears.

[Oh no, someone teach the kid what to say!]

[Lily, don't cry! Tell him your dad will pay the rest when you arrive! Tell him you're Julian Vance's daughter!]

I immediately lifted my chin and looked at the driver with the most sincere eyes I could muster.

"Sir, my daddy is the big director Julian Vance. If you take me there, he will give you a lot of money!"

The driver blinked, probably finding the whole situation amusing. But in the end, he unlocked the door and let me in.

"Alright, kiddo. I'll trust you just this once."

Pinewood Studios was much bigger and far more chaotic than I had imagined.

There were people dressed in strange costumes everywhere, and crew members carrying massive, high-tech cameras.

The driver was a nice man. He dropped me off at the main gate and even helped me ask around for the set of *The Long Night*.

I walked through the maze of the studio lot on my short legs.

The floating comments became my navigation system.

[Lily, turn left! See that big white tent over there? That’s it!]

[Do you see the guy with the terrible attitude yelling behind the monitors? That’s your dad!]

[Go get him, my sweet internet daughter! We believe in you!]

I spotted him immediately.

He was wearing a baseball cap and headphones, shouting something at an actress. His brow was furrowed so deeply it looked like he could crush a stone between his eyes.

Though he didn't look as gentle as he did in the photo, I would never mistake that face.

The set was incredibly loud, and nobody paid attention to a tiny toddler like me.

I took a deep breath, gathered all the strength in my little body, and screamed toward him:

"Daddy!"

The chaotic set suddenly seemed to hit a giant pause button.

Every single eye turned to look at me.

The angry man stopped mid-sentence. He pulled off his headphones and turned his cold, impatient gaze in my direction.

I didn't back down. Meeting his stare, I called out again, my voice cracking with tears:

"Daddy! Mommy is dying! You have to give her money to save her!"

In an instant, the entire studio went dead silent.