His Belated Love for the Abandoned Ex-Wife Chapter 258: Desperate Search

Ethan was clearly shaken and came clean. "I already handed Frank over to Emily. You're his aunt—stay out of it. Emily will take care of him just fine."

"You're out of your mind," Iris shot back, her voice sharp. "Have you completely blocked out what happened last time? What's going on in your head—did your common sense just pack up and leave?"

Ethan got defensive. "I'm still your brother, Iris. You don't have to show me respect, but there's no need for personal insults."

"Oh, spare me—you're not worth the breath it takes to insult you," Iris fired back, every word dripping with fury. "You're just empty-headed and useless. Your head isn't filled with anything of value—it's filled with trash. Emily has always been lazy and volatile. She got scammed out of her savings and her self-respect, then ended up trapped in some backwoods town being mistreated for a year. Now you're marrying someone else, her own kid wants nothing to do with her, and she can barely support herself. What makes you think she's in any position to fight for custody? She's a desperate woman with nowhere left to turn, and you're handing your son over to her? Besides the garbage in your head, the only thing taking up space is that manipulative woman, Celeste."

After unloading, Iris hung up immediately. Her hands trembled as she wiped the tears from her eyes. A wave of panic hit her, and she began scrolling through her contacts again and again.

She paused at her best friend Zoe's number.

Zoe didn't have connections or money—she couldn't really help in a situation like this. Telling her would only make her worry without being able to do anything.

Iris kept scrolling until she finally stopped at Julian's name and called him.

He picked up on the second ring.

His voice was gentle, edged with warmth. "Iris."

She took a deep breath, trying to steady her racing nerves. "Julian, I need to ask you for a favor."

"Just tell me what you need. No need to be polite with me."

"Emily took Frank. Can you help me get him back?"

Julian paused for a couple of seconds. "But Emily is Frank's mother."

Iris didn't have time to explain everything. "Are you going to help me or not?"

"Give me two hours," Julian said firmly. "I'll bring Frank back to you safe and sound."

"Okay. Thank you." Iris hung up after a quick thanks.

She didn't wait around. Right after the call, she drove to the police station to file a missing person report.

In less than two hours, Julian called back.

"Iris, I'm sending Owen to pick you up. You should come here."

A flicker of hope rose in her chest. "Did you find Frank?"

"Not yet. Just come first, and we'll talk." Julian's tone was heavy, serious.

Iris didn't waste another moment. Soon after, Owen arrived to drive her.

The whole ride there, she felt uneasy, her stomach tied in knots.

Eventually, Owen pulled up near a rocky stretch of shoreline. When Iris stepped out of the car, her legs almost gave way.

Julian was there to meet her. He opened her door and quickly steadied her by the arm.

He didn't say much. Out on the water, several rescue boats drifted slowly. Divers were preparing to go under. Police cars were parked nearby, officers standing by, waiting.

Iris gripped Julian's arm tightly, her heart feeling like it was being sliced open. Tears pooled in her eyes.

"Frank would never come to a place like this," she whispered, her voice shaking. Heavy tears rolled slowly down her pale cheeks.

Julian's heart ached watching her. He pulled her into his arms and held her close, one hand gently stroking her hair. He spoke softly, carefully, "They found Frank's backpack on the shore... and a suicide note from Emily. She wrote a long letter—about how much she hates this unfair world, hates everyone who's wronged her, hates Ethan. She feels like he abandoned her. She said if she can't be happy, she won't let Ethan be happy either... so she took Frank and jumped."

Iris clutched the fabric of his shirt, sobbing into his chest. "That can't be true. Frank is such a sweet boy. How could she do that?"

"In the note she wrote, 'Frank came from my body—I carried him for nine months. Why should I leave him behind? On the other side, at least I'll have my son with me. I won't be alone.'"

Iris trembled with anger and grief. Tears kept falling, one after another, and she couldn't stop crying.

About ten minutes later, Grace, Ethan, and Celeste showed up as well.

They went straight to the police, were shown Emily's suicide note and Frank's backpack, and were instantly terrified.

Grace collapsed onto a large rock, weeping loudly.

Ethan was shattered. He slapped himself hard across the face several times, then sank to the ground like a broken man—tears streaming down his face, eyes empty, fixed on the rescue boats out on the water.

Celeste stood nearby, trying to comfort him.

The search of the water lasted three full days, but neither Frank's nor Emily's body was found.

Ethan wandered around like a ghost, numb and hollow.

On the fourth day, a local who lived along the coast reported to the police that two bodies had been spotted floating in the water.

They were badly bloated, faces unrecognizable.

DNA testing would be needed.

Down at the medical examiner's office, Ethan went with Celeste to receive the report.

When it was confirmed that one of the bodies was Frank's, Ethan slid down the hallway wall and crumpled to the floor, head in his hands, crying helplessly.

Iris walked in just then. She approached Ethan, coldly took the report from his hands, and opened it.

Her tears had run dry days ago. She'd already braced herself for this moment, and now she looked unnervingly calm.

Ethan slowly lifted his head.

His face was ashen, eyes swollen and red, cheeks wet with tears. The sorrow and regret in his gaze were overwhelming.

"Iris... Frank's gone," Ethan choked out, his voice broken and devastated.

Iris threw the report back in his face and said, each word deliberate and cold, "You got exactly what you wanted. With Frank gone, you're free to remarry and have more kids—no baggage holding you back. I should be congratulating you, shouldn't I?"