Chapter 124 Missing childII
It was just her teddy bear tucked beneath the duvet.
Eva yanked open the covers fully and ran her hand over her bed. It was cold. Her heart slammed against her ribcage.
Her eyes scanned the room.
She dropped to her knees and looked around under the princess bed. It was empty.
She flew to the walk-in closet next flinging the door wide, peering through the rows of her little dresses.
Nothing.
She burst back open the room door, her mother stood outside arms across her chest waiting.
“Mum, Havilah isn’t inside”
Kiara’s eyes widened. “Maybe she wandered to another room. I’ll have the servants check every corner.”
Eva nodded but dread was already coiling deep in her gut.
Thirty minutes later, the Edward’s household was thrown into disarray.
Servants hurried through corridors, calling
“Miss Havilah?”
“Little miss?”
Each door opened and shut with no sign of the little girl. Footsteps echoed on the floor. Everyone had worried faces.
Eva stood in the center of it all, trembling in fear. Kiara wrapped an arm around her daughter's waist, trying to steady her.
“Mum… where is she?” Eva’s voice cracked. “Did she run away from me? Because of what she saw?”.
She clutched Havilah's phone in her hand. She had called it and it rang in her room.
The General backed orders from where he stood.
“I need the CCTV footage of this entire house now!!”
One of the servants stepped forward swallowing hard.“Sir… the cameras are undergoing monthly servicing. There is no footage for today until the technicians finish it up tomorrow.
“Wtat the fuck does that mean.” Eva snapped. “How the fuck do I find my daughter then?!.” Her scream shattered the air
“Calm down, Eva” Kiara tried calming her daughter, worried sick.
“Calm down?” Eva laughed bitterly. “My seven-year-old is missing, how do you expect me to be calm?”
Edward looked at his daughter unraveling and his jaw tightened “Call the security guards on duty at the gate.”
Eva couldn’t stand still; she paced the room eagerly, her nails digging into her palm.
Havilah was her lifeline; her only tie with Maverick she couldn’t lose. Without her.. she shook her head.
The security arrived.
Eva rushed forward towards the man before her father could talk
“Did you see my daughter? My little girl..blonde hair, blue dress, did she pass through the gate?!”
“No ma, I didn't see her.” The man bowed at her first before responding.
“My daughter didn’t pass through that gate..?”
“No one came or went after you both arrived.I swear it .”
Eva’s foot lost strength, she sank into the cold floor. “If she didn’t cross the gate and she isn’t anywhere in this house..” her voice came out in a broken wail. “did she suddenly disappear into thin air?”
She clutched her daughter's phone to her chest “CAN SOMEONE PLEASE GET ME MY CHILD!!!..”
The scream echoed through the living room. The servants froze. Kiara bent down and gathered her crying daughter into her arms.
“Edward do something?” Kiara told her husband.
He stood motionless, his fists clenched at his sides. Then his brows knotted.
“Mummy.” A tiny voice rang. Avi stood at the top of the stairs, still wearing her blue dress, rubbing her sleepy eyes with one fist.
Eva shot up from the floor then ran up the stairs skipping two steps at a time. She scooped her daughter into her arms, crushing her close.
“Oh.. my god.. Avi you scared me.” she sighed, tears dropped from her face to Havilah’s hair “Where did you go?”
She didn’t answer, she just rested her head on her mothers shoulder.
The air around the mansion became lighter. The servants exhaled. Kiara pressed a hand to her chest. Edward’s shoulders eased.
Eva dropped a kiss on her daughter's head “Baby, let’s go home okay?.”
Havilah lifted her head up to look at her mother. “I want to stay with grandpa and grandma.”
Eva brows squinted. She gently put her daughter down and squatted to meet her eyes.
“Avi..” she swallowed. “About what you saw…. With your uncle Killian..” she didn’t know how to explain it..
“It wasn’t my first time seeing it.”
Her words landed like a bomb. Eva slowly straightened, blood drained from her face.
Havilah didn’t wait for her response; she slipped past her down the stairs to meet her grandparents.
Kiara’s gasped her hand flew to her mouth. Edward’s eyes turned cold. The servants quickly dispersed.
Eva stood frozen at the top of the stairs staring at her daughter. The weight of that single sentence crushed everything she thought she had under control.
\~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Assembly man, Jo, to what do I owe this visit.” General Richard asked. They sat in the living room.
Butler Rose came holding a tray of refreshments. She quietly placed a cup of tea in front of the patriarch before moving to the guests.
Jo cleared his throat. “General, I heard you were very strong, so I came with my wife.” He reached, taking Summers hand, giving her a gentle squeeze, one she didn’t return. She had remained quiet, her eyes searching the house for her sister.
“To see you..I brought this 100 year old ginseng which revitalizes the body..a small token of respect.”
The chubby man got up, handing the bag quietly to the butler.
Richard chuckled lightly. “That’s really generous of you, Assemblyman”
“It’s my pleasure sir..”
Summer couldn’t keep calm, she wanted to go in search of her sister. She needed her sister's protection to escape the cage she found herself in. With Heaven's influence he wouldn’t dare touch her or raise a voice.
She cleared her throat, interrupting the formal conversation.
Jo’s smile tightened, a flicker of irritation crossed his face.
“Please excuse me,” Summer said sweetly, rising with practiced grace. “I need to use the restroom.”
Jo’s jaw ticked, but it wasn’t a place to lose it.
The butler gave a nod to a servant nearby to take her.
Summer followed quietly, she watched the pictures that adorned the hallway walls. There was Boyle, Maverick, a blonde lady and a blonde little girl. But there was none for Heaven.
Till the servants stopped at a door. “Here is the guest restroom.”
The servant hesitated leaving.
“Are you Summer? The actress?” She asked, her cheeks flushed.
Summer blinked but a smile adorned her face “I am. Do you want an autograph?”
The servant said elated but unsure. “Is that okay?”
“Of course, I won't tell.” Eva reached for a pen in her bag, the servant quickly folded her sleeves, for her to sign.
As the pen moved . Summer kept her voice casual and asked. “Where is your young madam? I was hoping to say hello”
“She stepped out.”
Summer's heart sank. Did Heaven have to go out now she needed her.
“Do you perhaps know when she will be back?”
The servant shook her head.
Of course Summer knew she wouldn't, how could a servant know.
She closed the pen and titled her head “Well can you show me to her room?”
Servants hesitated, her brows creased because guests weren’t supposed to wander and talking to a guest was prohibited.
Summer sensed her hesitation. “We have known each other for a long time now. She wouldn’t mind.”
The servant lifted her hand and pointed towards the direction.
“That way ma’am. The first building by your left.”