Chapter 33

Elysia emerged from the bathroom to find Emmett had whipped up her favorite comfort meal – a bowl of chicken soup. He had sprinkled chopped green onions and cilantro on top, just the way she liked it, along with a pair of sunny–side–up eggs.

Emmett had a natural flair for cooking and a genuine interest that made everything he touched turn to deliciousness.

A warm feeling bubbled up inside Elysia as she approached Emmett and planted a smacking kiss on his cheek.

“Emmett, you’re the sweetest, like a warm hoodie on a chilly day,” she cooed.

Emmett’s cheeks flushed a rosy hue, his shyness evident. But when he noticed the bruise on Elysia’s face, a shadow of concern crossed his features, and his eyes welled up.

“Mommy, can I sleep with you tonight? I wanna be close to you.”

Elliot and Evan, hearing this, turned their hopeful gazes towards Elysia.

“Of course, you can,” Elysia chuckled.

“Yay! I’ll tell Mommy a joke to make her laugh.”

“I’ll give Mommy a massage.”

“I’ll help Mommy fall asleep.”

Laughter and love filled the small room, a testament to their tight–knit bond.

But as she looked at her three little ones, Elysia’s heart skipped a beat, a strange surge of emotion washing over her. It was as if a piece of her complete heart was missing.

This sensation was not new; it crept up every time they gathered in joyful union, a subtle ache in her heart.

It felt as if something–or someone–was absent, yet she couldn’t pinpoint what it was.

It was an odd, unsettling feeling.

Over at the grand Number One Mansion, the atmosphere was starkly different, cold and lifeless.

Tarquin carefully carried a plate of spaghetti upstairs, where Elijah was still perched by the window, staring out toward the front door.

The small figure looked lost and forlorn.

Tarquin’s heart ached for him, and he approached gently. “Elijah, come on, eat something.”

10:25 Elijah didn’t move, his eyes fixed on the doorway.

Setting the plate on a small table in front of Elijah, Tarquin tried to coax him. “If you don’t eat, Mommy will be sad.”

At the mention of Mommy, a flicker of life sparked in Elijah’s hollow eyes.

“Do you think Mommy knows?” he asked Tarquin.

“Yes, there’s a special bond between mother and child. She knows what you’re feeling, and she knows when you’re not eating.”

“And if I miss her, does she know that too?”

“Yes… she does.”

“So if she knows I miss her, why doesn’t she come back to see me?”

The sorrow in Tarquin’s heart deepened.

Yes, why? Where had that heartless woman gone? Why wasn’t she here for Elijah?

“Why? Does she not like me?” Elijah’s voice wobbled with sadness.

Tarquin shook his head emphatically. “No, of course not. She must love you very much.”

“Then why doesn’t she come back if she knows I miss her?”

With a heavy heart, Tarquin stroked Elijah’s head. “Maybe she’s caught up in something right now, something that’s keeping her away.”

“You mean she’s in danger?”

Before Tarquin could reply, Elijah leaped to his feet and dashed toward the door.

Tarquin quickly grabbed hold of him. “Elijah, where do you think you’re going?”

“I’m going to find Mommy! She’s in danger, and I have to save her!”

“Elijah, don’t be ridiculous; she’s not in danger.”

I “Let go of me! I have to find Mommy; she must have been taken by bad guys, and I need to save her!

Let go of me! No one can hurt my Mommy!”

“Elijah!

It was late, and Tarquin couldn’t dare let him wander out into the night. He clung to Elijah’s arm, refusing to let go.

“Calm down, Elijah!”

But Elijah was far from calm; he became frantic, biting down hard on Tarquin’s wrist.

Tarquin flinched, releasing his grip, and Elijah bolted for the door.