Six

"We will be having guests today. Important guests and I expect the house to be sparkling clean. I don't expect any mistakes or negligence. You know what will happen if I see any." Sarah completes her short speech and I look around wondering why they called me. It's not like I'm needed here.

"Jada. Follow me." Sarah says in her authoritative voice and I do as she says. We walk about a metre away.

"Now, Leonardo has been talking about this place where he met some friends. Would you be kind enough to take him as everyone will prepare for today's guests?"

"It's okay. Do I...."

"His chauffeur knows the place. He'll take you there." Hmm! Rude much? I bite my tongue.

"It's okay ma'am." Sarah only nods and turns leaving me standing. 'I better go check on Leo.' I think as I walk towards his room.

"Leo we're leaving in ten." I announce as I get into his room to find him talking to Jayden. Jayden gets up and only nods at me in greeting then leaves. I don't mind him and walk towards Leonardo. I study his face. He doesn't seem sad or distressed.

"Uncle said the doctor has some news for us and so we'll go see him tomorrow." He announces with a small smile before it vanishes. "Do you think it good or bad? I don't want to be sick anymore." His smile is now turned into a frown.

"You know what? You're one of the strongest kids I know. My mum had brain tumor and you are as strong as her." I try to cheer him up but he looks up at me in curiosity. 'Did I have to open my mouth?' I almost let out a groan.

"Let's get ready. Is there something you want to carry to this special place of yours?" I ask instead and his eyes light up.

"Yes I promised my friend this helicopter." I nod and take it from his hand then place it in his bag.

"I'll just take something I need and I'll be back so that we can leave." I say as I head out.

I get into my room and shut the bathroom door so that no one can get through it to my room. I shut my laptop and leave it there. Everything else is secure. I get out of the room with my phone in hand and head towards Leo's room to find him already waiting and so we head towards the car garage.

"Looks like Travis isn't here yet." Leo comments with a wide smile and I look at him suspiciously.

"What did you do?" He looks at me innocently.

"Nothing." He gives a nonchalant shrug just as a black Tesla drives towards us. Leo gets into the back as I head towards the front. My eyes scan the whole car as soon as I settle until the rest on a man with pale blue eyes and ash blonde hair.

"Sir. I didn't know you're the chauffeur." I say and he smirks as Leo lets out a giggle. So that's what he was hiding.

"At your service ma'am." Jayden says in a fake British accent making Leo laugh. I only manage to let out a small smile as he passes through the enormous gates.

The first ten minutes are surprisingly quiet apart from the song Leo is singing to. I notice the familiar road leading to the children's home. Okay, should coincidences work like this? I can't get in there with this hair and eyes. I know they'll somehow know me.

"Could you please drop me off in the next right turn?" I ask Jayden who turns his head to me his eyebrows raised in question.

"My apartment is around and since Leo is with you, you'll just pick me up when you're done." Jayden doesn't say anything but his eyes show that they don't believe me.

"But Jada. I want to show you to my friend." Leo whines and I smile. I remember Ryan talking about Leo. I just never expected him to be the same Leo.

"Next time." I promise.

Jayden stops the car and I get off. I start walking when they take off until I see the familiar building. I take out my keys and open the door to my apartment.

Everything is the same. Nothing seems disturbed. I walk around the apartment trying to find any suspicious object until I'm satisfied.

I go to my room and take out my other laptop and start writing my report about Leonardo. Just as I'm almost done, my phone starts ringing showing Cole's name.

"Costa." I answer.

"Hey Jada. The car plate you sent yesterday night was  Alexis'. She drove to a house outside town and it belongs to Ivy Armstrong."

Ivy Armstrong.

"Anything on Ivy Armstrong?"

"Ivy works as a stripper in 'The Legend'. She lives alone and no criminal records for the past four years since she started working at the club. She was jailed once for a getting involved in a fight about five years ago." I wait for more information but Cole doesn't continue.

"Is that all? There has to be more." I say.

"That's the only thing I could get. It's like she started existing six years ago. There are no other information." Cole says and I scoff.

"Then find out." I say and cut the call then finish my report for the next fifteen minutes. When everything is ready. I send the report to Mike then shut down the laptop and prepare to go back.

I take the blue teddy bear wrapped in a box I bought for Ryan and shut the door behind me.

I take my phone out and call Abby as I start walking towards the children's home. I have to figure out how to give it to her without blowing my cover. I see her just in time as she gets out of the gate and so I call a kid of about seven years old.

"Hey, can you take this to that lady?" He looks at me with doubt until I show him a twenty dollar bill. He smiles and takes the box and as he goes for the money I stop him.

"Take it to her first. And tell her that I already left. She's called Abby." I say and he nods enthusiastically. He does as I say and I see Abby look around for me until she decides to head in just as Leo and Jayden appear. They talk for some minutes as Abby shows them the box and Jayden looks around and his eyes fall on mine. How did... ?

Leo waves at Abby with a smile as they head towards the car. I jog towards them and get in too.

"So what was that all about?" Jayden asks and I just shrug dismissing his question.

"I got a new best friend. His name is Ryan. And he's six. I gave him the helicopter and he was so happy and we played around. He was sad when we were almost leaving. He said he missed his mommy." I tune off Leonardo's voice as I think of Ryan.

I never knew he considered me as his mother. Ryan is like a son to me. I was supposed to have a baby his age six years ago. I didn't even know their gender. Would I have a daughter? A son maybe? Damn the Italians. They took my baby away. I always dreamt of the day they'll die. It happened. I got my revenge. But I'm still childless.

Could Ryan be another chance for me? Could it be destiny brought me to him? He told Leo I'm his mother. He never called me that. I thought he always saw me as a friend.

"Jada." I find Jayden shaking my hand slightly to get my attention but I yank it away. "Leo has been calling you for some time now." He says and looks ahead.

"I've known Ryan for four years. I'll go visit him during my day off." I say absent-mindedly and Jayden looks at me curiously but I don't mind him.

"You know Ryan? Cool. We could play together sometime."

"Yeah. Cool." I only say as Jayden drives through the mansion gates.