When Nicole rushed towards Evan’s car, all she could think of was Maya’s safety. She hoped that Evan could find Maya even if it meant giving up her youngest kid to him.
The door to the car was opened just as she mustered the courage to knock on the window. There the little girl was, grinning happily at her. “Mommy!” Maya cried out.
Nicole couldn’t hold back her tears of relief when she saw Maya returning safe and sound.
Kyle and Juan shared a knowing look. They initially thought that their father wouldn’t help them, but it turned out that they had given him too little credit because he was the one who found Maya and brought her back to them.
“Maya, where have you been?”
Maya looked down at her round belly and rubbed her hands anxiously. She was embarrassed to tell her mother where she was.
Puzzled by how Maya ended up with Evan, Nicole gave Evan an inquisitive look.
Evan cleared his throat, “I brought her to Clare’s Place.”
Daddy is the one who brought Maya away? To Clare’s Place? He should have told us beforehand. Look at how worried Mommy is! Kyle and Juan exchanged glances and sighed.
The next thing everyone knew, Nicole was hollering at Evan with her shrillest voice. “Evan Seet! How could you bring my daughter away without my permission?”
The last few hours had been an ordeal for her. Every second spent was agonizing when she thought about her missing daughter.
It turned out that it was just a misunderstanding.
Startled by Nicole’s sudden yell, Evan remained silent. He didn’t think it was a big deal to bring the gluttonous girl for some food, and he never expected Nicole to be so worried.
Nicole reached out to Maya and carried her in her arms. “Maya, you can’t go anywhere with him! He might have brought you to a nice restaurant today, but who knows if he will sell you off the next time? Can you promise not to do this again?” Afraid that Maya could be kidnapped by human traffickers, Nicole warned her sternly.
However, Evan found that insulting. Is she comparing me to human traffickers?
Besides, Maya is the one who kept pestering me for food! I am merely doing that out of kindness!
Frightened by Nicole’s stern tone, Maya nodded tearfully as she also realized that her actions had worried her.
Nicole wiped away Maya’s tears and walked towards Rose Garden with Maya in her arms and Nina following behind.
After they left, Evan told Kyle and Juan to get in his car. When they stared after Nicole’s retreating figure hesitantly, Evan finally lost his patience and snapped, “Get in!”
Juan sighed, “Daddy, you should have told us that you brought Maya somewhere else.”
Kyle grumbled, “If you told us that you were with Maya when I called you just now, we wouldn’t be so worried, especially Mommy!”
Evan felt helpless because he did send Nicole a message even though he didn’t tell Kyle about his outing with Maya. Now he would just sound like he was making excuses if he told them that.
Keeping in mind not to approach Nicole and her child again, he demanded, “Enough talk. Get in!”
Kyle and Juan obeyed their angry father and hopped in the car. The sound of the car engine penetrated the calm night sky in Rose Garden.
Nicole was watching the leaving car and cursing silently in her mind when she heard Nina grumbling, “Maya, did evil daddy lure you to Clare’s Place? He must have done it purposely to make Mommy worry. You’re so stupid.”
Maya merely shook her head fervently and said nothing.
“He didn’t? Then why did you follow him?” Nina continued asking.
Seeing that Maya remained silent, Nina raised her eyebrows skeptically. “Don’t tell me that you wanted to follow him to Clare’s Place in the first place?”
Maya’s face flushed at the question as she clutched Nicole’s neck silently.
