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Novel Catalog
Chapter 52
Lucian’s hands froze as the butler’s urgent voice echoed in his ear. “I’m coming back now,” he said, his tone cold and commanding. He quickly ended the call and made his way to the Farwell residence.
When he arrived, he stormed into the mansion, his eyes burning with anger. “What happened? There are so many of you here watching her—how could she go missing?” His voice was low, but the tension in it was unmistakable.
The household staff stood in the living room, their heads down, too nervous to meet his gaze. The weight of his fury was palpable, and none of them dared speak a word.
The butler, clearly apprehensive, stepped forward, his voice trembling slightly. “We’re not sure, Mr. Farwell. Ms. Estella went back to her room after breakfast this morning. When Catalina went upstairs a few hours later, she couldn’t find her anywhere.”
Lucian’s brows furrowed in irritation. “What about the surveillance cameras?”
The butler’s face grew darker, his voice quieter. “Mr. Farwell… the cameras… we don’t know when they stopped recording. There’s no footage from this morning.”
Lucian’s expression hardened at the news. The silence that followed was thick with tension. The staff stood motionless, their fear evident.
The butler’s words hung in the air like a threat. If anything happened to Ms. Estella… If anything happens to her, we’re done for.
Lucian’s gaze flicked over to the bodyguards standing among the staff. Their presence only fueled his anger. “What are you standing around for? Get moving—search the house, search the neighborhood, search everywhere! If you don’t find her, consider yourselves fired.”
The bodyguards didn’t hesitate. They rushed out of the mansion without a second glance, their urgency clear.
Meanwhile, Roxanne stood at the door, anxiety washing over her as she looked at Estella, who was sitting quietly on the front step. The plans she had made with the boys to go to the research institute felt like they were slipping through her fingers.
It’s getting late… She bit her lip, torn between her responsibilities and the sudden appearance of the little girl. Estella’s here alone, and she took a cab all the way to my house… I can’t send her back by herself.
With a heavy sigh, Roxanne stepped aside and waved Estella in. “Come on in.”
Estella’s face lit up, and she nodded eagerly before following Roxanne into the house. Her excitement was contagious, though Roxanne still had concerns bubbling beneath the surface.
“Have you had breakfast?” Roxanne asked, trying to keep the conversation light.
Estella nodded again, settling onto the couch as she put down her small bag.
Roxanne and the boys joined her, sitting down together, but there was still a knot in Roxanne’s stomach. After a moment of hesitation, she asked, “Can you tell me, Estella—are you really here just to play with Archie and Benny? Or… is this another case of you running away from home like last time? Does your family know you’re here?”
Estella didn’t answer right away. She simply pulled out her notebook and began to write.
Archie and Benny exchanged glances, their faces serious. “Do you know that people can take you if you meet a bad person when you’re out alone?” Benny asked, his voice tinged with concern. “Didn’t our teacher tell us we shouldn’t leave the house without an adult?”
Estella, unbothered by their words, continued to write. She showed them her notebook once she finished.
It read: I want to meet Ms. Jarvis, Archie, and Benny.
Roxanne’s heart softened, but a frown tugged at her lips. “You… you ran away from home just to meet us?” she asked, incredulous.
Estella nodded solemnly, then scribbled again: Like.
Roxanne blinked. Like?
“Like what?” she asked, genuinely curious.
Archie tilted his head, piecing the puzzle together. “You like us?” he guessed, his voice softer now.
Estella’s head bobbed up and down in agreement, a shy smile on her face.
Roxanne felt her heart melt at the sight. The little girl was sweet, and in a way, Roxanne couldn’t help but like her too. Despite Estella being Lucian’s child—someone from another part of her world—how could she bring herself to hate a child so earnest and kind? But that didn’t mean what Estella had done was okay.
“You’re a sweet girl, Estella,” Roxanne said softly, “but it’s not okay for a child to run away from home. Your daddy must be really worried about you. Is it okay if I let him know where you are?”
For a moment, Estella’s eyes dropped, a flicker of reluctance passing over her face. Roxanne could see that she didn’t want to involve her father, but she also knew it wasn’t something she could ignore.
Lucian’s probably frantic right now, Roxanne thought. As much as I don’t want to contact him, I have to.
Estella’s little shoulders slumped, and after a brief moment, she gave a small nod.
Lucian, back at the mansion, paced back and forth in his office, unable to shake off the gnawing feeling of unease. His mind raced as he wondered where Estella could have gone. He couldn’t understand how she had disappeared again, so quickly, so effortlessly.
His phone rang again, interrupting his thoughts. He glanced at the screen and saw Roxanne’s name flashing.
His grip tightened on the phone. What was she going to say?
