Sonya was on the couch watching TV when she heard that news. “What did you say?” She sprang to her feet.
Aubree pinched herself to make herself sound worried and guilty. “This is all my fault. I should‘ve taken good care of Essie and kept an eye on her.”
*How long was she gone? Have you called the police? Where are you now? I‘ll send someone over right away,” Sonya said, wishing she was there with them.
My sweet granddaughter... How did she suddenly go missing?
Aubree replied, “We‘re looking for her now. We‘ve already called the police, so you don‘t need to worry.”
Sonya was so anxious that her tone was a little unpleasant as she said, “How am I supposed to not worry? It‘s getting dark, and Essie is just a kid. She must be terrified now. No, I must tell Elias and get him to send someone there to help.”
Aubree agreed to let them help.
At that moment, every additional pair of eyes would help.
Aubree left to help look for Estella after she hung up the phone.
Sonya, on the other hand, called Lucian to get a better idea of what was going on.
Lucian was walking uphill to search for Estella when he suddenly received a call from his mother.
“Have you found Essie?” asked Sonya as soon as Lucian picked up.
Lucian frowned when he heard that “Who told you about this?”
“How long do you plan to keep me in the dark about something so important? Where are you right now? I‘ll send someone over.”
Lucian felt a headache coming. “You don‘t have to. I already had Cayden send some people over.”
Sonya didn‘t insist further when she heard that, but she wanted to go in person to help look for Estella. Lucian stopped her, saying, “We‘re in a rural area. Even if you come over, you‘ll be waiting in the hotel. Don‘t trouble yourself. I will call you once I‘ve found her.”
Sonya had no choice but to give up. “You must find Essie as soon as possible, and call me the second you find her.”
“Okay,” came Lucian‘s answer before he hung up the phone..
As the sky turned darker, Roxanne grew more and more anxious. However, she had no choice but to return when she thought about Archie and Benny who were waiting at the entrance of the botanical garden.
From afar, she saw Archie and Benny holding hands and waiting for her by the entrance.
“Mommy!” shouted the kids when they saw Roxanne. They ran to her and asked, “Have you found Essie?”
Roxanne didn‘t want them to worry, so she forced a smile. “Not yet. I will take you back, then go back out there to look
for her.”
After saying that, she stroked Archie‘s and Benny‘s heads and took them back to the hotel.
Archie looked at the orange sky above when they were on their way back. He was truly worried about Estella. “It‘s getting dark. Essie must be scared.”
Benny was just as worried, but he didn‘t want to worry his mother further, so he clamped his mouth shut.
With a heavy heart, Roxanne said, “I will find her as soon as possible.”
After sending Archie and Benny back to the hotel, she grabbed a torchlight from her luggage and turned around to leave.
Archie pulled her shirt and suggested, “Mommy, you should have some dinner before you leave. Otherwise, you‘ll run out of energy.”
Roxanne could no longer maintain the smile on her face. Looking pale, she shook her head. “I don‘t have an appetite. I have to find Essie soon because she only got lost trying to look for me…”
Archie and Benny tilted their heads in confusion. “Mommy, what are you talking about? We‘ve been with you the entire time, so how is it your fault that Essie is missing?”
Only then did Roxanne realize that she had let that information slip out of her tongue. She quickly acted as though it was no big deal and said, “It‘s nothing. Be good and stay here. I have to go now.”
After saying that, she patted the kids‘ heads and turned around to get into the elevator.
