Kelsie locked the thugs inside the restroom, then proceeded to send the nanny to the car.
"Lock the car and wait down there. The tournament will be over in a few minutes. If Jett asks of me, tell him I went to see a friend."
The nanny nodded and did as told.
The moment Kelsie went down to the said van, the door opened and a bag was thrown over her head before she was dragged inside.
As this was going on, Jesse was advancing further into the tournament.
On his third win, he glanced toward his mother only to find her seat empty.
Jett naturally noticed him looking and did the same. Finding her seat empty, he was momentarily taken aback.
But when he looked and realized she wasn’t the only one missing, he assumed she must’ve gone somewhere with the nanny and Keira. So he didn’t think too much of it and returned his attention to the tournament.
As the last match ended, the host climbed the podium to announce, "Ladies and gentlemen, it has just been brought to my attention that Yorikata Tenza has forfeited the tournament."
The crowd let out a collective breath of relief, especially the parents who had looked him up and found out it was actually a seven-year-old boy who just happened to be big.
The rest of the fight went by quickly, with Jett disconnecting from it completely once he realized none of the three women had returned after an hour.
He then took out his phone to call her.
"The number you’re trying to call is switched off." Hearing the automatic voice message, he sat up straighter and called her again only to get the same message.
Eight months, and not once had she ever turned off her phone.
And if she was going to be absent for over an hour, she knew better than to turn it off knowing they’d notice her absence and grow worried.
He was still deep in thought when the host’s energetic voice filled the air a second time, "And that brings Jesse Sutton as the winner of the karate tournament!"
A ripple went through the crowd almost immediately as the parents turned to each other in disbelief, disgruntled, shocked and envious.
"Unbelievable! Both brothers winning the grand prize in different categories? Such a thing has never happened before!"
"My goodness. Their parents must be so proud. They have to be!
"Their parents must’ve hired private tutors for them. There’s no doubt about it, they must’ve prepared their sons vigorously for today!"
"You wish! They’re my nephews and they joined the school a few months ago and only joined the tournament because it was mandatory!" Daniel was so amused by the accusation that he laughed loudly, clapping as hard as he could.
The parents sitting around Kelsie hesitated to speak.
Without noticing she was gone, many of them had remarked how impossible it’d be for her second boy to win anything.
Now that they were made to eat their words, they didn’t know how to react.
After a while, the man with the brunette daughter laughed awkwardly.
"Well, it’s a good thing we didn’t bet on this son. I know for a fact I had no hope in him winning anything."
"Me too. I would’ve lost a fortune to you just now."
"Congratulations to you and your sons. What was that you said about treating us out once your son won? Now that both won, don’t you think you should treat us out twice?"
"What? She’s not here? When did she leave? They’re calling parents to take pictures. Someone get Ms. Sutton’s number and add her to the parents’ group chat."
"My daughter came second place, after all. Time to leave y’all who have no trophy to yourselves."
As they scurried off one after another, Eric, Daniel, and Zade exchanged proud glances before bumping their fists together.
On the other end of the auditorium, Jesse held the trophy hesitantly.
"Daddy, I don’t see Mommy, Keira or Nanny anywhere. They must’ve left during one of my matches."
Jett bent over to ruffle his head, forcing out a smile as he shook his head, "I’m sure they had their reason for leaving. Let’s go meet your brother while I try to reach mommy."
Jesse sighted the reporters coming and didn’t bother nodding before rushing out.
Outside, Jesse and Zade rushed to admire the other’s trophy while Jett continued trying Kelsie’s line.
"Eric, take them to the apartment building and stay with him until I can reach his nanny."
Eric leaned away from the Porsche in confusion.
"Reach his nanny? She’s in Ms. Sutton’s car already."
Jett paused and walked over to the car.
At first, the Nanny didn’t look up at him, but as she finally did, she suddenly burst into tears.
The boys were startled and hid behind Daniel while Eric hurried over to a seething Jett.
"Inform every airport, seaport, and land transport to enforce a six-hour delay on the next flight out of Silicone Valley. The identity of everyone trying to leave should be forwarded to me."
Eric hurriedly whipped out his phone and began placing calls to the mentioned sectors.
Somewhere, deep inside a dark bunker, a man clicked his tongue warily as he held his phone.
"That man sure is effective. He already has people looking for Kelsie and Keira two hours after they’ve gone missing." fr eewe(b)nove.l.co\m
"I always knew he was wealthy and influential, but never did I think he was powerful enough to put the entire city on lockdown. The power of love, eh?"
A moment later, he glanced behind him, frowning hard at the other figure in the room who had their head lowered.
"What is it? Because of how daft you are, you praise me for my slightest ingenuity. Why are you not doing that now despite knowing I’m not taking her outside the city, rather I’m taking her to a place he knows like the back of his hand?"
The person didn’t raise their head and retorted through clenched teeth, "You agreed to leave her children out of it."
Tilting his head to the side, the man’s eyes darkened.
"Since when do you question my decisions, Molinda?"