fantishu
Chapter 996
With the pedal to the metal, the sports car's roar fades as it speeds away. Heading toward the bustling city, the seaside, and the freedom that beckons.
No cars ahead, and Molly's got that accelerator floored. The thrill makes it tough for the trio to snap steady pics. The speed's a bit much for little Henry in the backseat; his eyes squeeze shut, "Ah, mama-" Mia pops sunglasses on her son, letting him stand on her legs to take in the view zooming by. Henry waves his chubby arms in the wind, cheering with a cute baby shout, "Woohoo!"
The sisters are buzzing with excitement and adrenaline. From the airport outskirts to the city center, they cruise through traffic under the blazing sun, making a stylish entrance into Havenbrook. Leo spots his car parked at home and tries calling Anya, "Phone's off?"
Another try, same result. Finally, he turns to his mom, "Mom, where's she at?"
"Didn't she head out to find you?"
Thinking Anya might've gone to his place and they just missed each other, Leo heads back to his rental. But the room's empty.
Knocking on his roommate's door, Leo asks, "Stony, seen my girl?"
Stony opens the door, scratching his head, "Late shoot last night, slept like a log, didn't see anyone."
Leo frowns, worried about Ms. Anya suddenly going MIA.
---
Over at the police station, Donnie's messaging account finally gets sorted. As Chad's about to clock out, looking forward to the evening, the security guard stops him at the door.
"Officer Chad, go home and patch things up with Molly. This back-and-forth isn't good, especially with her expecting. As her husband, you gotta be more understanding. Molly came by today to pick you up; we talked a bit. If you two make up..." "Molly came today?" Chad's heart skips a beat.
The guard nods, "She came around noon, but left in a hurry. Tried calling her back."
Officer Chad panics, "What did you tell her, Uncle?"
---
At the airport, Andre steps off the plane, scanning the crowd. "Waiting for the missus to pick you up, sir?"
Turning on his phone, Andre tries calling his wife, but her phone's off. A car waits outside; as Andre approaches, a subordinate's already holding the door open. Even while settling in, he keeps dialing, still no answer. These past days, all Andre's done is call his wife.
As the assistant drives, "Sir, heading to the office or...?"
"Home, to my dad's place," where his wife and kid are supposed to be waiting.
Still no answer, Andre's brow furrows, unable to reach little Mia.
---
Meanwhile, at a coastal resort, in a plush ocean-view room, the spacious area has white curtains dancing in the breeze. On the balcony, it feels like the ocean's right beneath your feet, stretching endlessly in a deep, inviting blue. Henry, once set down, dashes towards the balcony. Anya tags along, holding his hand, "Wow, it's stunning." Views like this never get old.
Mia reassures her, "Don't worry. This is my turf. We didn't register our stay, so even if Leo's on it, he won't track us here."
Molly, lounging at the foot of the
bed, props herself up with her arms, teasing, "Ms. Gu, you're full of surprises. A low-key heiress. Thought your family was in
materials, not hotels and penet
beaches."
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Mia, giving Molly a leg massage after the long drive, knows well the discomfort of sitting too long. "My folks didn't want me and Cooper getting big-headed, so they kept it quiet.But Cooper, always the clever one, told me in junior high, Sis, mom and dad dropped billions on seaside real estate, planning a five-star hotel investment."
The investment paid off, and Mia only found out recently. This time, wanting to keep their location under wraps, Mia spotted a familiar name while browsing hotels, "Owned by the Cedillo Group?" Suddenly, her brother's words clicked-it was part of the family biz.
So, she booked an ocean-view room using her heiress status and even had the manager hook them up with three new phones.
Molly, being the cop and all, was still wary, "Phones are great, but no spending. Those guys could track us through any transactions."
Mia hesitated, "Should've grabbed Henry's savings book." Though she jokes about using her son's money, she's saved a good chunk for him. "Correction, Henry."
Mia quickly corrects, "Slip of the tongue, thanks."
As they brainstorm, Anya waltzes over with her chubby nephew, "Aunties, I've got cash, not mine though," Anya says with a grin.
Both women look at the sweet, soft-spoken girl, "How come?"
Anya fishes out a bank card, "Chad's card. He left it with me, and the notifications are linked to my phone."
The sisters exchange glances; this was... a golden opportunity!
"Anya, why are you so, so," Molly bites her lip, searching for words, "adorable?"
Every time they're stuck, Anya's there with a casual, "I've got it."
She's like a walking treasure chest, the blissfully unaware Ms. Anya, always stepping in with the perfect solution.
"Let's use Leo's card for expenses and sneakily pay it back. Since the notifications go to Anya's phone, those guys will never guess we're using one of their cards."
A plan falls into place.
---
Back in Havenbrook, Andre returns to find the Cedillo family in a state; their beloved two are missing. Chad sits in the living room, his face tense; his little whirlwind and her ball are gone too. "Andre, think they figured out we're hiding and now they're hiding to get back at us?"NôvelDrama.Org (C) content.
Andre, deep in thought, muses, "If they found out, it'd be today. But why did Mia give me the cold shoulder yesterday?"
Hansen, red-faced and fuming, keeps dialing, only to hit voicemail after voicemail.
"Andre, Chad, where on earth did you two upset my four girls?!" Hansen shouts, wielding his cane at his son and son-in-law. "Out! Don't come back until you've found them!"
Andre and Chad are barely out the door when Leo Cedillo, in town and searching for love, appears.