Chapter 20 Hayden Was Kidnapped
Right as she voiced her inquiry, she thought, Oh, silly me, what was I expecting?
Colton stared at her without answering the question. He simply countered, “Miss Lisa, don’t you even have the slightest idea as to who your son’s biological father is?”
Judging by her expression, she was obviously regretting asking the question in the heat of the moment. As her excitement waned, her face began to redden. She stammered, “I-I mean, it was a thoughtless question. Of course I know who his father is.”
“Oh?” Colton blurted with his voice pressed. With that, he squinted his eyes. With an increased volume and a somewhat teasing tone, he smilingly questioned, “Then who’s the boy’s father?”
Withdrawing her gaze, she attempted to speak in a calm manner. “That has nothing to do with you, does it?”
In response, Colton softly chuckled and stopped talking about it.
Nicole felt utterly frustrated by his cliffhanger, dying to find out the results of the paternity test. Although she was certain that Hayden wasn’t Colton’s child, she wanted to hear an explicit confirmation from the man.
As if he could read her mind, he shot her a beam. “Indeed, Hayden’s not my son. The kid was just being a kid.”
Strangely, Nicole heaved a sigh of relief. Even she was weirded out by her internal celebration. “Well, kids, right? I hope you didn’t take it to heart.”
“It’s alright. I understand,” he generously replied.
As they were about to continue on discussing business, Nicole’s phone that was on the couch vibrated. Although she was going to ignore it, her heart oddly palpitated as her eyelid twitched. She grabbed the phone and took a glimpse, only to find out it was a call from her son. Apologetically, she turned to Colton. “Excuse me, President Gardner. I have to take this.” Finished, she held the phone by her ear.
Before she could ask her son what happened, she heard his panicking voice. “Mom, some bad guys came to our home and kept banging the door!”
Immediately, she grew anxious. Since it had been quite some time since there were any residents dwelling at their current home, she didn’t bother to install an anti-theft door. Right now, all there was between her son and the “bad guys” was a simple wooden door.
“Hayden, block the door with anything you can lift and go hide in the house. I’m coming back right away. Remember, don’t make a sound.”
“I think they’re about to come in, Mom.” Hayden suppressed his voice. No matter how mature he was, he was, after all, merely a child who had no idea what to do in such a circumstance.
In that instant, a chilly sensation gushed in her body and was creeping to heart as her lips uncontrollably trembled. I can’t let anything happen to Hayden!
“Hayden, find a place and hide yourself. I’m coming back now.” Perhaps it was due to the overwhelming perturbation in her mind, but when she was saying those words, tears began surging in her eyes and flowing down her cheeks. She bit her lips. How did this happen? Why would anyone want to kidnap my son? She never felt as helpless as she was now. Even with the fastest speed, it would take at least an hour to travel the distance between her home and Crown Hotel, where F&M Apparel’s annual dinner was being held.
Grasping her phone, as she was about to say something, she heard a commotion from the other end of the line.
“Mom, save me!” Hayden sobbed with his suppressed whimpering, followed by the voices of several men.
“This must be the boy.”
“Yeah. They mentioned the kid in this apartment. He must be it.”
The voices gradually grew inaudible before the call ended.
“Hayden, Hayden!” Nicole shouted at her phone, only to be responded by silence. Troubled, she no longer cared about the meeting and tried to look for Zachary, but he was nowhere to be found after being summoned away.
On the other hand, Colton could roughly figure out what happened based on her panicking look and her conversation. At once, he offered his assistance with utmost debonair. “Let’s go and check it out. I’ll drive.”
At the moment, Nicole, as if grasping at straws, rapidly nodded and gripped Colton’s wrist, disregarding any sort of social stigma as she dragged him out of the venue.
Knowing the matter was urgent, Colton did not stop walking as they exited the building. As soon as they tacitly got into the car and fastened their seatbelts, the man put the pedal to the metal and sped away.
Grasping her phone, Nicole continuously dialed her son’s number, but his phone was apparently turned off given how her calls didn’t go through. She raised her hand and clutched her hair out of agitation. Ever since she gave birth to Hayden, this was the first time she felt so helpless and distressed.
No, please don’t let anything happen to Hayden! Or else, I wouldn’t be able to live on.
