Chapter 165

Alex’s POV

I hadn’t even realized how fast I’d been driving until I reached the school. Christiana’s panicked phone call was still ringing in my head, her voice trembling with fear. The image of her face.wide–eyed and frantic…haunted me. The kids. My kids. Gone. And I had no idea who would dare take them.

The car screeched to a halt in the parking lot, and without thinking, I jumped out, slamming the door behind me. Christiana was standing at the entrance, her eyes red and swollen from tears. I could see the despair written across her face, but I knew better than anyone how strong she was. Still, this…this was different. Her kids were missing. No one was strong enough for

that.

“Christiana,” I said, my voice hoarse from the adrenaline pumping through me. “We’ll find them. I promise.”

She didn’t answer right away. She was too busy pacing back and forth, muttering under her breath like a prayer. Her hands were trembling, and I wanted nothing more than to wrap my arms around her and tell her it would all be okay. But deep down, I didn’t know if it would be.

“Alex… they said they were here. They said they were with someone, but they don’t remember who.” Her voice cracked. She wiped her face with the back of her hand, pushing her hair away from her face in frustration. “I can’t… I can’t believe this is happening.””

I placed a hand on her shoulder. Her body was stiff with tension, and I felt her tremble beneath my touch. “We’ll get answers. We just need to stay calm.”

But the look in her eyes told me she wasn’t calm. She was falling apart, and I was helpless to stop it.

The school office was a sterile room…so much brighter than the chaos swirling inside my head. We were met by the secretary, a woman who looked like she’d been through a dozen similar situations. Her eyes moved to Christiana, then to me, and she straightened in her chair, like she wasn’t used to dealing with situations this severe.

“Can I help you?” she asked, her tone polite but distant.

“Help?” Christiana’s voice broke, and I saw her shoulders drop as if she were carrying the weight of the world. “Help? My kids are missing! Someone took them…who was the man that picked them up?”

The secretary’s expression faltered for a moment, like she didn’t know how to respond to that. “The man who picked them up… well, he said he was taking them to their parents.” She leaned forward, trying to offer reassurance. “I’m sure everything’s fine. Sometimes they get confused about who’s picking them up

Christiana’s eyes were sharp, not letting go of the details. “Who was he? I need his name.”

The secretary’s brow furrowed, a deep crease appearing between her eyes. She leaned back in her chair, obviously uneasy. “I… I’m afraid I don’t remember his name. He looked familiar, but I’m sorry, it’s been a busy day, and I don’t remember

She wouldn’t let this go. “No,” she insisted, her voice

in my chest, and I saw Christiana’s hand tremble as she grabbed onto the edge of the desk. “What do you mean they were excited? Who

“I really don’t know. He didn’t leave any paperwork,

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Chapter 165

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struggling to breathe. I had to grip her arm, steadying her. “Christiana, stay with me. We’ll figure this

blinked at me, her eyes wide with panic. “What if they’re

yet,” I said, my voice steady, trying to

flicked to the secretary. “Can you check the security footage? See if

Christiana’s frustration mounting. “Please,” I urged, my voice

to falter under the pressure. “I… I can check. But the footage might not show much. He might not

seemed to shrink under the

away, but we had no

hear Christiana’s breathing, shallow and quick. I wanted to say something comforting, but

Christiana paced around the small office, wringing her hands. She was speaking to herself now, the words tumbling out in

something…anything…to calm her. “We’ll find them. I

even as I said the words, I could see the doubt in her eyes. She didn’t believe it. And I didn’t blame her. Neither of us

and the secretary returned, looking pale. She had a sheet of paper in her hand, but there was no

It’s hard to make him out clearly on the camera, and there’s nothing written

fell, and I saw her shoulders sag with despair. “What do you mean, nothing?

I really don’t know,” the secretary said, wringing her hands, le must’ve been a guest or…

Christiana’s family?”

and I could see the flicker of suspicion. “Someone familiar. You mean someone

secretary’s gaze dropped, and I knew that look. It wasn’t a mistake. She was

demanded, stepping closer, desperation thick in her

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