Sylvia's cheeks were flushed. She gritted her teeth and muttered, "What a jerk!"

Eric's attempt to do that kind of thing with her had left her quite irritated. However, a notification on her computer screen caught her attention.

After having her meal, Sylvia had been searching through newspapers from 20 years ago in Salt City. Apparently, her diligence had paid off, and she managed to find the advertisements Blake had placed. She also had someone check the little bear pacifier that Eric had as a baby.

That pacifier was her only lead.

This investigation yielded some interesting findings. Twenty-eight years ago, the economy was not doing well, especially in rural areas. People mostly used wooden sticks from the pepper tree as teething toys, and pacifiers were a luxury that few people could afford. They were scarce because they cost money and were hard to find back then.

Only a few domestic manufacturers produced pacifiers, and the one Eric had was likely made in King City.

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