shuhaige
Chapter 56
Chapter 56
Chapter 56 Bizarre Demand
Typically speaking. Colette would’ve taken Aiden home by then. Why would the kindergarten be calling at this time?
Baffled. Amanda answered the call. “Hello, Amanda Bailey speaking.”
“Hi, Miss Bailey. This is Miss Zimmers from kindergarten. May I know if something happened at home? Why hasn’t Aiden come to school today? I don’t think I received a note either.”
What?! The news came like a bolt from the blue, and Amanda widened her eyes with incredulity. Did Aiden not go to kindergarten?! How is that possible?! Didn’t Colette bring him over in the morning?!
“W-What did you just say. Miss Zimmers? Has Aiden not been to school all day? How is that possible? The nanny should’ve brought him over in the morning.” Amanda stuttered anxiously as she spoke.
Where could Aiden be if he hadn’t gone to kindergarten? Was he at home all day? An ominous feeling rose
within her.
“Have you not seen Aiden the whole day, Miss Bailey? He hasn’t come to kindergarten at all…”
Amanda could no longer hear the teacher, and she ended the call right away to phone Colette.
Meanwhile, Simon, who had been sitting across from her, turned solemn after hearing her conversation, knowing something bad had happened.
I can’t get through to Colette’s phone! Sweat began gathering on Amanda’s palms. What does this mean?!
Her heart began racing wildly, and it felt like it was about to jump out of her chest.
“Don’t call anymore, Amanda” Simon grabbed his suit jacket and pulled Amanda up from the couch at once. “Let’s check the mansion. Don’t scare yourself just yet.”
At this point, Amanda’s mind was blank, and she was completely disoriented, not knowing what to do other than allowing Simon to lead her out of the office just like that.
While Simon sped through the streets, he glanced at Amanda. She sat in the passenger seat with a blanched face, “Don’t worry. Perhaps Aiden and Colette are just playing at home. You know how much he doesn’t like going to school, so Colette might have given in to him,” he said, trying to- comfort her.
“But I can’t get through to Colette’s phone….. Tears had gathered in Amanda’s eyes at this point, and she had a terrible feeling. Could it be…
“Let’s check the mansion first.”
Simon tried many ways to comfort her throughout the journey, but nothing seemed to work.
Upon pulling up at the mansion, Amanda immediately dashed inside, only to find it empty. Plus, Colette was unreachable.
What does this entail? A kidnapping? But I didn’t receive any ransom calls, Could it be a child trafficking incident?
At that, Amanda dropped to the floor in devastation and burst into tears, whereas Simon, who followed in closely, hurriedly helped her up.
“Let’s call the cops, Amanda, Simon suggested, finally realizing the severity of the situation. After all, it was no good omen if both the child and the nanny had gone missing.
“Yes, yes. Let’s call the cops!” Amanda pressed 9-1-1 at once, but the next split-second, an unknown number came in, and she answered it at once. “Hello?”
“Your son is in my hands,” said an evidently treated voice. “Do as I say if you want him back alive.”
“What do you want?! I’ll give you anything. Please don’t hurt my son!” Amanda choked with sobs, feeling like she was losing her mind.
“I will tell you that later. Now, do not call the cops, or you will find your son’s fingers at your doorstep tonight.”
With that, the call ended.
As it was deadly silent in the mansion right then, Simon heard the conversation loud and clear.
“Hello? Hey!” Amanda shouted into her phone several times, but the call had already ended.
“Calm down. Amanda. Don’t forget you’re a lawyer!” Simon kept the devastated young woman in check and helped her to the couch.
Meanwhile, Amanda forced herself to calm down. Her voice had turned raspy at this point. “Don’t call the cops. They’ll hurt Aiden if we call the cops…”
There was no doubt she’d pass out right away if she saw Aiden’s tiny fingers at the door.
“Simon, please help me check this number!”
“Sure,” said Simon, only to deliver bad news after taking a gander at the phone number. “This looks like a virtual number. When a call is made with a phone simulator, it probably can’t be traced/
“What do we do now? Are we going to sit back and do nothing?”
No, she couldn’t do that, especially when she was clueless as to Aiden’s current situation. Is he injured? Even if he isn’t, he’s certainly scared.
Simon tried many ways to comfort her throughout the journey, but nothing seemed to work.
Upon pulling up at the mansion, Amanda immediately dashed inside, only to find it empty. Plus, Colette was unreachable.
What does this entail? A kidnapping? But I didn’t receive any ransom calls. Could it be a child trafficking incident?
At that, Amanda dropped to the floor in devastation and burst into tears, whereas Simon, who followed in closely, hurriedly helped her up.
“Let’s call the cops, Amanda,” Simon suggested, finally realizing the severity of the situation. After all, it was no good omen if both the child and the nanny had gone missing.
“Yes, yes. Let’s call the cops!” Amanda pressed 9-1-1 at once, but the next split-second, an unknown number came in, and she answered it at once. “Hello?”
“Your son is in my hands,” said an evidently treated voice. “Do as I say if you want him back alive.”
“What do you want?! I’ll give you anything. Please don’t hurt my son!” Amanda choked with sobs. feeling like she was losing her mind.
“I will tell you that later. Now, do not call the cops, or you will find your son’s fingers at your doorstep tonight.”
With that, the call ended.
As it was deadly silent in the mansion right then, Simon heard the conversation loud and clear.
“Hello? Hey!” Amanda shouted into her phone several times, but the call had already ended.
“Calm down, Amanda. Don’t forget you’re a lawyer!” Simon kept the devastated young woman in check and helped her to the couch..
Meanwhile, Amanda forced herself to calm down. Her voice had turned raspy at this point. “Don’t call the cops. They’ll hurt Aiden if we call the cops…”
There was no doubt she’d pass out right away if she saw Aiden’s tiny fingers at the door.
“Simon, please help me check this number!”
“Sure,” said Simon, only to deliver bad news after taking a gander at the phone number. “This looks like a virtual number. When a call is made with a phone simulator, it probably can’t be traced.”
“What do we do now? Are we going to sit back and do nothing?”
No, she couldn’t do that, especially when she was clueless as to Aiden’s current situation. Is he injured? Even if he isn’t, he’s certainly scared.
“I’ll think of something. At that, Simon walked away and made a call. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!
Meanwhile, a certain someone popped into Amanda’s head-Elias Winters.
The man merely took hours to pinpoint her location and even successfully saved her the last time she was kidnapped.
Elias had a vast network in Imperia and could go in and out of anywhere as he pleased. Plus, he was an IT genius himself and could locate phones via satellite.
As far as Amanda knew, Elias even developed many tracking systems independently, which explained why he managed to find her so easily last time.
His family background and looks weren’t the only reasons he was such a ladies’ man-his talent and charm played important roles as well.
That said, Aiden’s existence would be compromised if she asked for Elias’ help, and the Winterses would certainly fight her for Aiden’s custody. Nonetheless, only by relying on the Winterses forces could they locate Aiden quickly, or the little one would only suffer further if they relied wholly on the kidnapper’s instructions to save Aiden.
Amanda fell into a tough dilemma at that.
Sometime later, the phone rang again, and Amanda answered it. “Hello?”
“You didn’t call the cops. Very good. That means we can cooperate. Follow my instructions, and your son will be returned to you very soon.”
“What do you want? Money? I’ll give you as much as you want. Please don’t hurt my son. He’s only three! Tears welled up in Amanda’s eyes at the thought of her three-year-old child suffering at the hands of the kidnappers.
The thought that Aiden might be shrouded in fear and crying out for her broke her heart.
“I don’t want money. I want you to book a fight and leave the country. You can go anywhere you want. After you arrive, I will send your son to you. Understand?”
The kidnapper’s demand stumped Amanda, for instead of asking for money, they asked her to leave the country before returning Aiden to her. The bizarre demand baffled her greatly.
“Why? I don’t get it. Why do I have to leave the country?”
“Another question and you can get ready to see your son’s cute little fingers.”
“Alright, alright, no more questions. I’ll do as you say, but I need time to leave the country. I need to get my visa and everything else done, after all. It won’t be that quick!” She dared not provoke the kidnapper for fear that they would harm Aiden.