Ernest got even more panicked.
Ernest got in the car and ran several red lights to get to Polaris City as soon as possible.
Ernest didn’t give up on getting connected with Serina while driving the car. But the phone kept calling busy.
As Ernest reached, he saw Jessica coming out of the kitchen. A burning smell permeated the room.
“Where’s Serina?”
“No idea. Serina left me in the study for gifts and decorations. She was to prepare the dinner. When I realized that it was too silent, I went out of the study for her. There was nothing but burnt soup.”
Jessica was also puzzled.
“Serina went out for me. Hasn’t she told you?”
Jessica shook her head.
“Crap!” Ernest quickly went downstairs. Jessica followed him worriedly and perplexedly.
Ernest went to the underground garage. Serina’s car was not there!
It meant Serina must get in trouble on her way to Ernest!
Ernest thought it could be a kidnapping by Mary’s words. Possibly, Serina got a phone call from the kidnapper on her way to kindergarten and went alone to save her kids.
Ernest came up from the underground garage and saw Derek’s secretary, Hayden.
“Mr. Ernest, are you with Mrs. Lambert?”
“Are you unable to contact her?”
“Yes. Mrs. Lambert called me and asked if I had picked up Ms. Cherry and Blueberry. I said no, and she didn’t say anything before hanging up. I felt something was wrong and kept calling her, but I failed to get in touch with her anyway!”
“Cherry and Blueberry might have been kidnapped. Serina was going to kindergarten. She should have received a call from the kidnappers halfway.”
“What? Kidnapping? I need to tell Mr. Darion now!”
Hayden talked and dialed the number.
In the abandoned factory
Serina sat on the ground with both hands and feet tied. Cherry and Blueberry sat back to back and were tied together.
Cherry had stopped crying, and Blueberry fixed her eyes at Serina.
Serina noticed that the skin around the string of Cherry and Blueberry had turned red. If the condition continued, Cherry and Blueberry would be hurt before Zoe hurt them.
Serina knew she must find a way out as soon as possible.
It was late at night. Zoe could be asleep. It should be a tough day for her too.
Zoe had called Derek. But it would take Derek more than a dozen hours to fly back from the United States. Zoe needed to build up her energy to deal with Derek then.
Then she would enjoy better the feelings of torturing them.
Serina lowered her voice, “Cherry, Blueberry, are you alright?”
Cherry and Blueberry’s mouths were covered by sticky tape. Blueberry was smart. She wet the tape with her saliva bit by bit. When Serina was talking, she just removed the tape from her mouth.
“Mommy, I’m fine…” Blueberry answered in a low voice.
Blueberry turned his head away, “Cherry, stick out your tongue and wet the tape with your saliva. You will get the tape off in a while.”
Cherry did as Blueberry said.
“Mommy, what should we do now?” Blueberry asked in a low voice.
“Don’t be afraid. Daddy will come to rescue us. And mommy will also try hard to save us.” Serina tried her best to appease the two children, even though she knew that the arrival of Derek might not necessarily be a good thing.
Serina looked around and successfully found a piece of glass in the corner.
Serina moved toward the glass and picked it up with her tied hands. Then she began to cut the rope.
With two tied hands, any move of Serina was difficult beyond imagination.
Soon, Serina was sweating.
However, Serina failed to cut the rope off. She could hardly move her hands, and the rope was strong.
Serina turned to look at the ropes on Cherry and Blueberry and found they seemed much easier to cut.
Thanks to the kindness left in Zoe, she didn’t tie the kids up with strong ropes. Otherwise, Cherry and Blueberry might have been hurt already.
Serina struggled to stand up against the wall and jumped to Blueberry quietly.
“Blueberry, mommy will cut the rope for you first, and you will help mommy later.”
Blueberry nodded.
Serina turned around and tried hard to cut Blueberry’s rope off.
The rope tied on Blueberry was much thinner and slacker. Serina managed to cut it off soon with some effort.
When Blueberry was free, she took the glass from Serina and began cutting the rope.
Although Blueberry was young, she could exert more force than Serina when the latter’s hands were tightly tied up behind her.
It took Blueberry a long time to cut Serina’s rope off.
Then Serina freed Cherry.
Serina’s phone was on the ground. When the three of them were all free, the first thing trying to do was called the police. However, it was dead.
Now it was Serina in an impasse.
Serina had no other choice but to escape with her two children.
Cherry was frightened, exhausted, and hungry. Even walking would be too hard for her. Serina had to carry Cherry in her arms.
Blueberry’s condition was a little better. She could walk by herself.
But when they almost arrived at the exit, Blueberry tripped over a brick and fell.
Blueberry cried out involuntarily.
Putting Cherry down, Serina rushed to check Blueberry and helped Blueberry rise to her feet.
Blueberry covered her mouth. She knew she cried too loud.
At the same time, a sound came from a room in the factory.
Serina looked at the room in horror, holding Blueberry in one hand and Cherry in the other.
“Go! Quick!”
Just as they reached the gate, they found that it was bolted. Fortunately, it was bolted from the inside.
The door was large, so did the bolt. And it was rusty.
Cherry and Blueberry were too exhausted to help, so Serina could only pull the bolt with all her might.
The bolt kept making loud noises.
Zoe was coming. Serina knew she must open the door quickly; otherwise, they would be in danger.
Finally, Serina made it!
And at the same time, Zoe showed up with the gun.
“Serina, back now! Or I will shoot!”