Chapter 31 Missing

Chapter 31 Missing

Staring at the ring, Mimi puffed her cheeks, her eyes watering up.

The girl was really sad.

Was she serious about Violet going back to that infidel man?

Shouldn't she just tell her what happened?

Sigh!

Mimi's ears were too young for that kind of information.

It could traumatize her for life, knowing that her father cheated with somebody else.

“Did Uncle Ash give you this ring behind my back?” She mumbled.

Violet's thoughts went back to the events that happened on the Island.

If she hadn't been busy exchanging the rings with Asher, Mimi wouldn't have gotten lost in that sandstorm.

Then Clyde wouldn't have found her, and it wouldn't have led to all this.

Thinking about it brought so many regrets to her heart.

If only she could change the hands of time, then she'd take precautions and do all she could to make sure Mimi didn't meet Clyde. 

“Uhm, you can just remove the ring and then it's over between you and Uncle Ash, right, Mummy?”

Mimi's suggestion had her fluttering her eyes in disbelief.

Violet couldn't believe her daughter was going to this length all because of that heartless man she'd only met recently.

Giving her a playful flick on the forehead, Violet smiled, acting indifferent. “Then I'll be labeled as the bad guy, and the whole world will know your Mummy backed out of her promise.”

“Doesn't matter what they think. As long as Daddy's happy.”

Fine!

Violet gave up.

What kind of a dream did Mimi have that she woke up with this mission?

She'd been okay with her getting engaged with Asher.

Somehow, Violet was curious. But then, she was also wary. 

So she didn't probe about the details of the dream. 

To avoid more pressure from her daughter, Violet made an excuse and left the room. 

Arriving at the master's bedroom, she rummaged through the closet to search for something to wear for the day. 

Well, she ended up sitting on a stool, her mind wandering off. 

Due to her discomfort around Asher, she even resorted to sharing the same room with her daughter.

It had to stop.

She needed to get out of her shell and convince both her body and mind that not all men were the same.

True, she might have been traumatized by Clyde,

But,

Asher was a totally different person. 

Treating him this way would in no doubt hurt him. It would only expand the guilt in her heart.

Was that what she wanted?

Violet spent several minutes in the same spot, wallowing in her thoughts. 

She'd almost forgotten about taking a bath. 

She'd forgotten that Mimi might be waiting for her at the dining table. 

When she came back to her senses, she quickly entered the bathroom and washed up. 

Contemplating what to wear, Violet opted for a blue mini short and a bright thigh-length blouse. 

She wouldn't have worn this if anyone else was around. But it was only her and Mimi in the house and she liked to dress lightly. 

Mimi must still be waiting for her. 

Strange how the girl didn't come to get her when she was bored.

Was she still mad at her?

Violet arrived downstairs to an empty dining room. 

There were two plates of unfinished food on the table. One probably belonged to Asher, and the other one to her baby.

So Mimi decided not to wait for her.

Violet smiled, happy that the girl didn't keep herself starving, but also a bit disappointed. 

She glanced around the area.

The Chef wasn't in sight and the large house echoed with silence.

Strange!

Had Mimi wandered off again?

She must probably be in the yard, playing alone. 

Violet left the building to go check out the field.

She toured the house, walking through the backyard and also the flower garden. She circled the water fountain and checked the parking lot. 

Mimi was nowhere to be seen.

How was that possible?

Maybe she was still inside her room. 

Violet rushed back inside, hurrying upstairs to check Mimi's room. 

Her heart pounded with apprehension, a bad premonition settling in.

When she checked Mimi's room, it was also empty. 

The girl mustn't have left the Villa, right?

The door was tightly secured and operated by a remote.

Strange how no single bodyguard was in the house. 

What if?

Violet gasped and covered her mouth. 

Mimi didn't sneak out, did she?

“Good morning, Ma’am.” A maid came out to the dining area to pack the plates away. “Your breakfast is ready. Can I serve it now-”

“Have you seen a little girl of four?” Violet interrupted her, anxious and tired from running back and forth on an empty stomach.

The maid stared at her with a confused frown though.

“Mimi said she was going out with Mr. Sydney's friend. I thought you knew.”

What friend?

Did Asher invite some friends over?

Why wasn't she informed?

Mimi wouldn't just wander off with any stranger. Who was that person? 

“Besides, she called him Daddy…” the maid went on as if hearing her unspoken questions. “He appeared quite close with the little Miss and they ate together. I didn't know there was any danger-”

Violet didn't wait for the maid to finish speaking. 

Her heart sank and she took to her heels, rushing back upstairs.

Damnit! 

If her intuition wasn't wrong, then that person must be Clyde.

How did he get inside the Villa so easily?

Where the hell was he taking her baby? 

Violet quickly grabbed her phone, her heart drumming hard against her chest. 

She pressed into her contacts list to dial Asher’s number, but then, her phone rang.

An unfamiliar number popped up on the screen, the sight of it increasing her apprehension. 

Violet hesitated before answering the call, her mind screaming of danger. 

“Hello-”

“You claim to love your daughter, but you can't even watch over her properly.” The grumpy voice sounded. “Violet Harris, whose custody do you think she deserves better?”