Chapter 188 Chapter 188
The day passed slowly, the sun burning high above the streets as three men stood by a corner near the main school route, pretending to fix a motorcycle. They looked ordinary to anyone passing by, but their real mission was dark. Clara had sent them to watch out for Liam’s school bus.
The leader of the group, a tall man named Ray, kept checking his watch. “The bus should’ve passed by now,” he muttered. Sweat rolled down his forehead as he scanned every car that drove by. “It’s almost afternoon, and there’s no sign of the kid.”
One of the others, a younger man called Tino, kicked a small stone in frustration. “Maybe they used another road,” he said.
Ray shook his head. “Impossible. The school bus always uses this same street. Something’s wrong.”
They waited another thirty minutes, but the yellow bus never came. Children from nearby schools walked by, laughing, but none of them was Liam.
Finally, Ray pulled out his phone and dialed Clara’s number. She answered at once, her tone sharp. “Did you do it?”
Ray hesitated. “Ma’am, there’s a problem. The school bus didn’t pass the normal route today. We waited the whole time, but the kid never showed up.”
“What?” Clara’s voice cracked in anger. “What do you mean he didn’t show up? Are you blind?”
“No, ma’am,” Ray said quickly. “We stayed there for hours. Maybe the kid was sick or stayed home. There was no sign of the bus.”
For a few seconds, silence filled the line, then Clara’s voice came out cold and shaky. “Useless! You mean to tell me three grown men couldn’t even see one little boy?” she snapped, slamming something against the table. “Do you know how much I’ve planned this?”
Ray sighed. “We did our best, ma’am, but it’s like fate was against it today.”
“Don’t talk about fate to me!” Clara shouted. “You think I hired you to give me excuses? You find that child — you hear me? I don’t care how long it takes!”
“Yes, ma’am,” Ray replied carefully, knowing any more words could make things worse. “We’ll find another way.”
“Good. Now get out of my sight before I lose my mind,” Clara hissed and ended the call.
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Later that evening, Ray and his men went to her apartment as ordered. The place looked spotless, but the air inside felt heavy. Clara stood near the window, wearing a red dress, a glass of wine in her hand. Her nails tapped against the glass softly as she turned to them with a forced smile.
“So,” she said slowly, “tell me again — how could you all fail such a simple task?”
Ray tried to stay calm. “Ma’am, we think maybe the mother kept him home today. Maybe she sensed something.”
Clara froze for a second, her eyes narrowing. “She sensed something?” she repeated mockingly. “Do you think she’s some kind of prophet?”
“No, ma’am. Just— maybe she changed her mind about school.”
Clara’s smile vanished. She slammed her wine glass against the wall, the sound shattering through the room. “No one escapes me!” she shouted, her voice trembling with rage. “No one! I told you, I will destroy that woman and everything she loves!”
The men kept quiet, staring at the broken glass on the floor.
Clara took a deep breath and turned around, brushing her hair back. “Leave now,” she said in a low tone. “I need to think.”
When they left, she walked to her mirror and stared at her reflection. Her eyes were red, her heart pounding fast. “You won this round, Savannah,” she whispered bitterly. “But I promise you, I’ll get you. One way or another, I’ll make sure you lose everything — just like you made me lose Adrian.”
She clenched her fist tightly until her nails dug into her palm. Then, with a cold smile, she picked up her phone and began typing another message.
If her first plan didn’t work, she was going to come up with a new one.
And this time, she promised herself — there would be no mistakes.