Chapter 11
I had been so focused on watching Ayla and Rylee that I didn’t notice Leah had run off.
“Leah?” Hudson called out loudly.
Hudson called out a few more times. Then he ran to the service desk and begged the staff to broadcast a missing child alert.
Ayla pretended to search for Leah anxiously. In reality, she just circled the third floor once.
As a spirit, I could move faster than any human. I floated through every corner of the mall, searching for Leah.
But I found nothing.
Hudson immediately called the police. He searched with them until six o’clock.
Hudson looked anxious. His hands trembled as he took out his phone and dialed my number.
At that moment, I didn’t know what he was thinking. I only saw his shaking legs and bloodshot eyes.
The call didn’t go through.
Hudson kept dialing, over and over.
It still didn’t go through.
Hudson’s anger exploded. He threw his phone, smashing it to pieces.
“Why won’t
you answer your phone? Why do you always have to fight with me? Leah is, missing now! What am I supposed to do?” Hudson shouted.
The phone hit the ground, shattering into pieces.
Hudson blamed everything on me. He found an outlet for his anger and kept cursing. “Hailey, once I find Leah, I’m divorcing you. I can’t take this anymore.
“I didn’t do anything wrong! You’re the one who made Ayla leave the country just to be with me. You made her marry an old man. I’m just trying to atone for your sins. What did I do wrong?” Hudson muttered.
Hudson knelt on the ground, clutching his hair, murmuring to himself.
I was shocked by his words.
Ayla was forced out of the country because of me? That’s utter nonsense.
Back then, Ayla’s mom was greedy and made her marry a rich old man. They went abroad together.
Ayla and I were barely acquaintances in college.
And yet, he blamed it all on me.
“Hudson, Leah’s been found. Leah’s been found!” Ayla shouted.
Suddenly, Ayla came running from a distance, excitedly shouting at him. Hudson immediately jumped up from the ground.
“Eva called me. She said Leah is with her,” Ayla explained.
As she spoke, Ayla handed her phone to Hudson.
Eva was my best friend.
“Hudson, did something happen to Hailey?” Eva asked over the phone.
Hudson answered the phone. Kva’s first words were to question him.
Hudson pamed for a moment, then immediately denied it.
“How is that possible? Forget about that vicious woman. Why is Leah with you?” Hudson asked.
“I got a call from an unknown number saying a child was lost. They asked me to pick her up. When heard Lealt’s voice, I went right away. After talking to her, I found out what had happened.
“She said Hailey had been sleeping at home all day. Something must have happened to Hailey. Hailey would never neglect Leal, Geome right now,” Eva almost shouted. Hudson froze for a moment. Then he stared at the disconnected call and rushed out. “Hudson, where are you going? I’ll go with you,” Ayla called out.
Hudson ignored Ayla’s question. le stumbled as he ran out.
1 followed Hudson back home. I saw Eva anxiously waiting at the door, holding Leah’s hand.
“Leah,” Hudson called out joyfully.
Hudson rushed toward Leah with joy. Leah shrank back, hiding behind Eva. Iva stopped Hudson, glancing at Ayla and her daughter, who had followed him. “How dare you?” Rva snapped.
Hudson stood there awkwardly. Eva gave him a shove.
“Hurry up and open the door. Hailey shouldnt be alone,” Eva urged.
Hudson didn’t quite understand what Eva meant, but he quickly unlocked the door.
As soon as the door opened, a foul smell waffed out. It smelled like rusted iron soaked in rotten food.
The room was pitch black. Hudson turned on the light. Everything was just as it had been when he left.
“Eva, Mommy is sleeping. No matter how much I call her, she won’t wake up. Grandma once said that when people die, they just keep sleeping. Is Mommy dead?” Leah asked.
Loah held Eva’s hand as they walked inside. Her words made everyone freeze for a moment,
Eva held Leal’s hand tightly with one hand. With the other, she patted her chest, Trying to calm herself.
“It’s not possible. Hailey is such a good person. Nothing could have happened to her. She’ll be fine. She has to be fine,” Eva whispered to herself.
When they reached the master bedroom dog, Eva hesitated. She just stood there,