Chapter 47 Faint
"Yeah, got it, Mr. President."
"Claire, go grab every sprain treatment you can find, right now!" Aidan barked as he strode into his office.
"Okay." Claire didn't like Alison, but she knew better than to cross Aidan. She turned on her heel and left immediately.
Alison's feet were perfectly fine, but now she couldn't walk. Aidan applied ointment and prepared some oral medication for her. He meticulously examined all the medicine Claire had bought and then started using them on Alison.
The medicine was bitter, but Aidan had Claire bring a glass of honey water to help with the taste.
Aidan poured the medicine on Alison's ankle and offered to massage it. Seeing him treat her so gently made Alison feel even more guilty.
She really wanted to tell him that she was completely fine now, not hurt at all.
The words were on the tip of her tongue, but she swallowed them back and sighed softly, "Mr. President, let me go home. It's been an hour past work, and I can really walk on my own."
"No way, I'll take you home later." He was swamped with work because tomorrow was the quarterly press conference, and there was still a lot to handle.
"Don't do this. If my child's godfather finds out, it won't be good." She planned to use Jackson as a shield, knowing that only a fake boyfriend could make Aidan back off.
She knew Aidan didn't like her. The Winston brothers just liked to flirt around; they wanted women but never mentioned "love."
Aidan, buried in paperwork, didn't even look up as he asked, "What does your child's godfather do?"
"Nothing much, just runs a small trading company." She silently prayed that Jackson would call her now so she could keep up the act.
But her phone remained silent, as if it didn't exist.
Sophia, Ethan, call Mommy! She thought desperately, wanting to go home because she had to go to Rebel's place tonight.
Just then, a phone rang, but it wasn't hers—it was Aidan's.
Aidan glanced at the number and quickly answered.
...
"What did you say?" he asked, surprised.
"No, absolutely not. I'll be there right away." Aidan hung up and hurriedly said to Alison, "Quick, I'll take you to the curb to catch a cab. I have an urgent matter to handle personally. Sorry, I can't take you home."
His tone was urgent, as if the call was really important.
Alison felt a wave of relief, finally able to get rid of Aidan.
She smiled lightly and said, "Alright, let's go." She stood up, but as soon as she took a step, Aidan rushed over.
"Don't move, I'll carry you down. Otherwise, I won't let you go home."
Alison was exasperated, thinking: I've never seen such a stubborn and cunning boss.
When Alison finally sat securely in the cab, she breathed a sigh of relief.
She had the driver stop a bit away from her home; she didn't want him to know where she lived. Her residence had to remain absolutely private.
Walking back home, she opened the door to find the house empty.
"Sophia... Ethan..." she called out loudly, starting to panic.
The house was empty, and the nanny was gone too.
She quickly called Laura, "Laura, have you seen Sophia and Ethan?"
"No, they're not here. What's wrong? Are the kids missing?"
"What about the nanny?"
"She took the kids home a while ago. I saw her when she picked them up from preschool and stopped by the flower shop."
"Okay, let me know if you hear anything about the kids." Alison hung up and paced the room anxiously, nearly losing her mind.
Sophia and Ethan were missing, along with the nanny. The nanny had been with them for years, and the kids were always well-behaved. They usually just cooked and did laundry. How could they suddenly disappear?
Alison wanted to go out and search but was afraid the kids might come back while she was gone. She was sweating with anxiety.
Finally, the phone on the table rang. Alison darted over and picked it up, "Sophia, where are you?"
"Mommy, come get me and Ethan," Sophia said, her voice trembling.
"Sophia, where are you and Ethan?" Alison's heart tightened at the sound of her daughter's distress.
"Mommy, we got lost. We can't find Daddy or our way home." Sophia's crying intensified.
"Sophia, tell Mommy where you are right now."
"On the street," Sophia replied.
Alison felt like fainting. Of course, they were on the street, but which street? "Sophia, look around and tell Mommy if you see any stores or buildings."
"Mommy, I can't read those words," Sophia said.
"Sophia, let your brother ask someone where you are."
"Okay." Sophia moved the phone away and really went to ask Ethan to find out.
A moment later, Sophia came back on the line, "Mommy, we're across from Celestial Bridge Tower. Come quickly!"
"Okay, stay right there and don't talk to anyone. Mommy's coming." Alison grabbed her purse and ran towards Celestial Bridge Tower. The more anxious she was, the harder it was to find a cab, so she ran as fast as she could. Though it was only two blocks away, it felt like miles. She was terrified of what might happen if her kids got lost.
She couldn't bear to think of the consequences; it would break her heart.
Finally, she saw them. Across from Celestial Bridge Tower, Sophia and Ethan were standing there, waiting for her. When they saw her, they ran towards her like little rabbits.
"Mommy!"
"Mommy!"
Alison scooped them up, one in each arm. She had been so scared, and so had they.
Their little bodies clung to her, and despite the heat, she felt a comforting warmth. Holding them, she felt hope and security.
Her children were her safe harbor. Without them, her happiness would have vanished long ago.
Once she calmed down, Alison let go of the kids, her initial joy turning into sternness. She had to discipline them for running away; otherwise, they might think it was okay to do it again, and the consequences could be dire.
"Tell me, why did you sneak out? And where's the nanny?" Alison asked.
Sophia nervously clutched Alison's hand and whispered, "Mommy, the nanny went to buy laundry detergent. She said she was going to wash our clothes tonight. Then... then we just..." Sophia trailed off.
Alison turned to Ethan, "Ethan, you tell me, why did you run out?"
Ethan blinked and said, "Mommy, we wanted to find Daddy."
"Daddy? What are you talking about? You don't have a daddy," Alison said, shocked, feeling like her kids had suddenly become strangers.
Ethan quickly said, "Mommy, we do have a daddy! Sophia saw him at the ice cream shop the other day. Today, I saw him in the newspaper. He looks just like me! I have to find our daddy." He waved the newspaper in his hand.