“So, I will definitely stay in Steland for the near future.”
Jedidiah perked up at Ranita’s words.
Jedidiah had been under a lot of pressure lately, and while Chole could help, her abilities were not enough. Especially since the Bowman family owned a tech company and some mechanical industries that required cooperation with foreign companies. With Ranita’s help, he would be able to handle things much more easily.
“Thank you, Ranita!” Jedidiah choked up a bit. “I really appreciate it.”
“We’re all family here,” Ranita smiled at Jedidiah. “By the way, I’m taking Ayaan to see some preschools tomorrow. Do you want to come?”
Jedidiah wanted to go but had a meeting scheduled for tomorrow.
“I might not be able to make it, but why don’t you guys come over for dinner after? I’ll treat Ayaan to something special!”
“Ayaan will love that!”
Jedidiah laughed before asking again, “Ranita, are you sure you won’t move back home? Your room is still there; Mom has someone clean it every day and everything is still there.”
Alexia felt guilty for indulging Chole, but deep down, she loved Ranita. Years of mother-daughter bond couldn’t disappear completely.
“You have work to do. You can’t keep relying on Olivia to take care of Ayaan. Why not have him stay at home? The driver can drop him off at kindergarten, and there are housekeepers to look after him. Besides, Mom and Dad mention you and Ayaan every day…”
The house Ranita currently lived in was under Jedidiah’s name. She could hire a nanny to help take care of Ayaan, but since it was an arrangement, Ranita wasn’t comfortable with it. That was why she had been relying on Olivia’s help.
But Jedidiah was right; it had become too much of a hassle for Olivia over time.
But returning to the family…
“Brother, what about Chole…”
“Our parents and I will talk to her. You know Chole’s situation. She’s not intentionally targeting you. She…” Jedidiah paused, shaking his head. “Never mind, let me discuss it with Mom and Dad. You should continue living here!”
After bidding farewell to Jedidiah, Ranita took a hot shower before entering Ayaan’s small room.
To her surprise, the bed was empty!
“Ayaan! Ayaan!” Ranita’s mind went blank as she searched the house, only to realize Ayaan was not there!
Ranita’s head spun, and she grabbed her phone to call Jedidiah for help while searching.
It was late, and there was no one in the neighborhood. The elevator corridor was empty and eerily quiet.
Ranita tried to calm down and immediately called the property management.
Living in an upscale community meant excellent property management. The security guard at the security room instructed her to come and check the surveillance footage.
They discovered that Ayaan, wearing pajamas and holding a toy robot, had left the house alone and taken the elevator downstairs.
Ranita checked the footage and saw that Ayaan had appeared on the first floor shortly after she entered the elevator, so she had missed him.
The surveillance in the hallway was clear, but it was darker outside. They could only see a small figure looking left and right after leaving the gate, seemingly searching for someone.
They searched meticulously, and it started off well. However, Ayaan gradually disappeared, but fortunately, the surveillance at the entrance of the community didn’t capture him leaving.
“Ms. Bowman, the child is probably still in the community. Let’s search separately!”
Although Ayaan was still in the community, it was an upscale one with well-maintained green spaces. There were children’s playgrounds, swimming pools, and artificial fountains. If he had wandered into those areas, it would be troublesome.