BACK IN THE KINDERGARTEN SCHOOL,
Michelle’s emotion could no longer be controlled. Her daughter was missing and no one from the teachers knew Marsha’s whereabouts. They already searched for her in every place she could possibly hide in the school, but to no avail.
“Jose, what are we going to do? Where’s Marsha?” Michelle cried, palming her face in front of Jose.
He put his arm around her shoulder and gently tapped her arm to soothe her. When they figured out that Marsha went out of the school premise, he instantly called the police to report what happened. A dozen of cops were deployed, some were investigating the teachers and children and some were out there in the streets and road, trying to find Marsha and obtaining CCTV footages of the area.
“Don’t worry; I am sure that Marsha is fine wherever she is right now. Your daughter is a smart kid, Michelle,” Jose said to her.
But nothing seemed to ever m
IN THE CAR,“Do you know how to buckle a seatbelt?” Ethan asked Marsha.“Of course, mom taught me how to do it,” she replied and then proudly showed him how to buckle a seatbelt.Ethan felt amused at Marsha’s competency. He was quite surprised that a young girl like her already knew how to buckle a seatbelt at her age. For that, he wanted to commend her mother, for once. But the fact that she lost her was truly a disappointment.“Instead of going to the cops, will you be able to take me to my school instead?” Marsha innocently asked him.“And do you know the name of your school?” Ethan raised an eyebrow.Marsha glared at him, folding her arms against her chest. The way she looked at him made Ethan recall someone in the past. His chest slightly tightened, and shook his head. For the past six years, he’d been ignoring the memories he shared with that person who was coward enough to le
"DO YOU THINK I was a bad mother?"Jose glanced at her. They helped the cops to find her daughter, but so far, there has been no progress with the investigation. They had just collected all the CCTV footage and were reviewing it at the station. According to the cops, it might take another hour for Michelle to hear from them.She had nothing to do but wait. Michelle was already damn worried. Every second passed, Marsha’s life was in danger. A pang of anxiety consumed her thoughts. At the same time, she blamed herself as to why Marsha ran away. Had she only understood Marsha and given her what she wanted, things would not have turned into a mess like this.Marsha’s classmates would not have bullied her, and she would not have gone missing."I know you are trying your best, Signora," Jose replied in his soothing voice. He’d been trying to make her calm, but her heart would not relax unless she got to see her daughter safe."Whenever
ETHAN could feel the heaviness in his chest. Seeing Michelle hugging the little girl he helped and how Marsha called her mommy, he felt damn betrayed... cheated on. Worse, he felt like garbage that was thrown away.His blood boiled at all the memories starting to replay in his mind; all those good times he shared with her, and even the bad times, which were supposed to strengthen their relationship but in reality ruined what they had all at once.How could she have a daughter? A question that kept whirling around his head, but upon seeing the man standing next to Michelle, he had a conclusion in mind.With that, his jaw clenched, hands fisted as he glanced over at them from inside the car. At the time, he thought about destroying her to seek revenge for what she did, but a shred of an unfamiliar feeling enveloped him when Michelle walked towards his car. Ethan could no longer think straight at the close sight of her.Michelle never changed. She was still
"I'VE GOT SOME information for you, Mr. Steinfield," the private investigator told him during a phone call.Holding a glass of whiskey, Ethan was standing across the picturesque night view of the city of Milan, which could be viewed through the wide glass window from the VIP hotel suite he stayed at. He sipped on his glass while the other hand was holding the phone right next to his ear."Hmm, entertain me. Fire it away.""Michelle Finley, 28 years old, migrated to Milan six years ago. Her flower shop, which she named after her daughter, was known in Brera. She has a daughter whose name is Marsha, a 5-year-old girl who goes to the Brera Kindergarten school. She was never seen with other men except with Jose Bianchi, a businessman whose relationship with her hasn’t been confirmed yet. But they seemed very close," informed by the private investigator."How about her daughter’s father?""Definitely not Jose Bianchi, but I’m still loo
“SO, WHAT do you know about your father?” Ethan asked Marsha as they played catch.He threw the ball in Marsha’s direction, and was impressed when the little girl caught it without breaking a sweat. However, her shoulder sagged, perhaps because of his question.“I haven’t seen my dad yet but mommy said that he’s handsome,” Marsha replied. “He is working overseas so he can’t be with us. But I hope he comes home on my birthday. I want to see him so badly.”“Overseas?” Ethan’s forehead creased. “In which country?”“In America,” Marsha responded. “Mom told me they got married there. I know she misses dad too. I’ve seen her crying several times at night. That’s why I want dad to come home because of mom too.”Ethan stiffened in his stance, feeling the cold crawled through his skin. A bolt of fear suddenly went through him that al
MICHELLE LET OUT a loud exhale as she palmed her forehead. Once again, she wasn’t able to talk to the man who helped Marsha. The more their paths crossed without a conversation, the more she felt indebted to the man. She wanted to thank him so badly for his help, for without his help, Marsha might have been involved in trouble she couldn’t ever imagine.Sighing, she went back to the alfresco area of the restaurant, only to find Marsha leaning against the wall, head lowered as if her mind was clouded by something. Michelle had always thought that her daughter was ahead of the other kids her age. She was profound, a great observer, and had a smart mouth, which, by the way, she got from her own mother."I didn’t get a chance to speak with your hero once again," Michelle remarked, walking closer to her daughter and crouching in front of her. "It seems to me that your big man is too busy to have a minute with me. So, did you play with him?"Marsha n
THE NEXT MORNING,Michelle noticed that her daughter had been quiet since they left their house. They were on the road, on their way to Marsha’s school. Her daughter was in the front seat and was continuously looking at the streets they passed by on the sidewalk.She couldn’t help but get worried, and so even though she was hesitant, she still asked her daughter, "Marsha, is there anything that bothers you?"Marsha glanced her way, giving her a shake of the head. However, Michelle did not believe it. Even if Marsha denied it, her expression told her differently."Didn’t I tell you that we should not keep secrets from each other?" she reminded her.Marsha then sighed, her fingers tapping her legs as if she was contemplating whether she would tell her what was bothering her or not."I’d be bothered if you didn’t tell me what’s wrong, sweetheart."Michelle directed the car to the right alley, and they arrived in front of the kindergarten school a few seconds later. She shifted her positi
ETHAN WENT back to the Brera Kindergarten after a few minutes. By that time, Michelle had already left the premise which would allow him to stalk Marsha without getting caught. His arm was rested on the side window, index finger gently caressing his lower lip while he was in a deep contemplation.In order to perform a DNA, he needed to get a sample of Marsha’s saliva or strand of hair. He breathed hard, knowing that his plan was not legal, for Michelle had no idea about it. However, he ran out of option. He knew Michelle would never agree performing a DNA even if he asked politely. There was no other way but to do it in a crook manner.A few hours later, the kindergarten school’s bell rang, an indication for lunch break. Ethan went to the main gate and was assisted by the guard.“May I help you, Signor?”“I’m here to visit a student. Marsha Finley,” he said.The guard nodded in response. “May I know how are you related to the kid?”“I am the man who saved her. She was the child who we