Chapter 588

Chapter 588

A clap of thunder boomed across the sky, echoing through the mountains.

Lightning flashed, lighting up the area.

When they turned around, Christina and Robert were gone.

All that remained was a discarded umbrella on the ground.

The assistant's jaw dropped in shock, but before he could fully grasp what was happening, Sebastian had already jumped out of the car, sprinting up the mountain without even thinking to grab an umbrella.

He couldn't afford to hesitate. If something happened to Sebastian, he'd be in deep trouble. So, he snatched an umbrella and some supplies, plunging into the downpour and heading up the mountain.

The sky was a chaotic mix of lightning and thunder.

Christina, with Robert's help, was struggling up the mountain.

Soon enough, Christina's legs started to give out from the lack of exercise. Every step felt like it drained her completely. Thankfully, Robert was there, holding her arm and helping her keep going.

Sebastian quickly caught up, seeing the two of them so close together. His eyes darkened with suppressed anger, but he didn't approach them. Instead, he chose to follow from a distance.

And so, they continued up the mountain, one after the other.

There was no signal on the mountain. As daylight broke, the surroundings grew brighter.

But the sky remained overcast, and the trees blocked most of the view. Combined with the torrential rain, it was nearly impossible to see anyone else on the mountain. Everyone was just focused on their own path.

Meanwhile, elsewhere.

Daylight had arrived.

Athena tried to contact Christina again, but there was no response.

Frustrated, she called Sebastian.

Same result. His phone was also unreachable.

Fuming, she arrived at the office only to find neither of them there.

Sebastian was missing. Christina was missing.

What on earth was going on?

Facing the shareholders in the conference room, Athena was at her wit's end. "Ladies and gentlemen, I understand today's meeting is crucial, but something must have happened to Sebastian, preventing him from attending. How about we postpone the meeting and reschedule once we know more?"

"Mr. Athena Boleyn, it's not that we don't respect you, but do you think this is appropriate? Since you two took over the company, we've been very supportive. But now, Sebastian's management has significant gaps."

"We've never doubted your abilities, but recently, Mr. Sebastian Boleyn has been overstepping. Forget the rumors; he's been neglecting company affairs. Skipping such an important meeting is unacceptable."

"Having emotions is fine; it shows loyalty and compassion. But neglecting the company is something we can't tolerate. You two need to have a serious discussion. If you can't manage, maybe it's time to hand over the reins temporarily."

The business world is like a battlefield.

One misstep, and everything can be lost.

Even with the vast resources of the Boleyn Group, such neglect can't be allowed.

Especially now, with a prime opportunity to expand into foreign markets. Delaying even a day could cost a fortune.

Facing the shareholders' dissatisfaction, Athena could only patiently placate them. "You're right. I'll address this issue seriously and make sure they understand."

After much effort and many concessions, Athena finally managed to calm the shareholders.

Seething with anger, she began searching for the two. It was like they had vanished; no one knew where they had gone.

In her fury, she ordered the bodyguards to search.

Eventually, they found Sebastian's car at the foot of the mountain.

Athena's temper flared even more when she saw Robert's car nearby.

What were they doing? Some kind of childish competition?

Fuming, Athena ordered, "Forget it. Tell our people to pull back. I want to see what they're up to."

Halfway up the mountain, Christina and the others were sneezing repeatedly.

Robert remained silent, staying by her side without a single complaint.

At some point, the rain stopped.

The sun began to rise.

Christina was a mess, looking like she'd been dragged out of a river, wandering aimlessly on the mountain.

Robert stayed close, following her every step.

The two moved like conjoined twins, with Robert always by her side.

Sebastian watched quietly from behind.

After what felt like forever, an exhausted Christina suddenly collapsed to her knees, clutching her head and sobbing uncontrollably. "Why? Why can't I find them?"

Her cries were filled with despair.

Sebastian finally realized something was wrong. Christina had seemed out of it from the start, as if she had suffered a huge blow.

What had happened?

What had happened?

Sebastian felt like he was missing a crucial piece of information, frantically trying to piece everything together.

He suddenly turned, "Didn't I assign bodyguards to her? Where are they?"

The assistant was stunned.

Right. There were supposed to be bodyguards, but they hadn't seen anyone on the way up. Had something happened to them?

Sebastian's face darkened. Seeing Robert about to comfort Christina, he strode forward and kicked Robert to the ground, pulling Christina into his arms.

"I'm here. What's going on? Tell me what happened."

The familiar voice echoed in her ears.

Christina's mind went blank. When she looked up and saw the familiar face, she shoved him away forcefully.

"Get away from me."

If it weren't for Tamsin, if it weren't for Sebastian getting involved with Tamsin...

Estelle wouldn't be missing.

Right now, the last person Christina wanted to see was Sebastian.

But Sebastian held her tighter. "Don't push me away. Tell me what happened. I'll help you, just tell me."

"Yes, send people to capture Tamsin. They lost Estelle. Estelle is with them."

Christina was completely out of it, her words jumbled.

Sebastian's heart sank. "You mean Estelle is missing."

"Yes. Are you happy now? You thought Estelle was a nuisance, so you're glad he's gone, right? Please, bring Estelle back to me. Estelle must be with Tamsin. Please, help me."

Desperate, Christina knelt before Sebastian, clutching his leg.

Sebastian's mind buzzed. He pulled her into his arms. "Trust me, I didn't know about this. And how could I be happy? Estelle is my child too."

"Stop saying that. I just want Estelle back. I just want Estelle back."

Christina's eyes were bloodshot as she screamed, "Bring Estelle back. Bring Estelle back to me. What you think doesn't matter. What matters is the truth."