The house wasn't large, so finding Bella's room the place they were supposed to stay was easy.
They stepped in to find her humming softly, arranging the bed while clothes and scattered items littered the floor, giving the room a lived-in, slightly messy feel.
"Oh, you girls are here!" Bella's warm smile lit her face. "I'll be done in a few minutes."
"Let us help. What's left?" Zarina asked.
"After the bed, I just need to sweep and put things away," Bella replied.
"Tell us what to do," Hina said, already bending to pick up clothes strewn across the floor.
"Oh, that's mine," Bella said quickly, snatching a shirt with a small, awkward grin.
"Okay," Bella said, pointing. "Hina, fix the bed. Zari, sweep the floor. I'll handle the rest."
They nodded and got to work.
"Where's the broom?" Zari asked, glancing around.
"In the kitchen. Hold on." Bella stepped out and returned moments later, broom in hand, passing it to Zari with a small nod.
The girls worked quietly, the soft rustle of fabric and gentle sweep of the broom filling the room. Slowly, the scattered mess transformed into a neat, orderly space.
Just as they were about to switch off the light and settle for the night, the door creaked open.
Bella's mother peeked in, her expression a mix of tiredness and amusement. "Oh, you girls were about to sleep? Sorry about that." She looked at Bella. "Five a.m. sharp. Don't make me pour water on you. Good night." The door closed gently, leaving a faint scent of lavender behind.
The next morning, Hina and Zari ran off without waiting for anyone.
At Silver Golden Estate, Olivia stood on her balcony, sharp eyes scanning the street below. The crisp morning air did nothing to soften her stare. She sipped her wine slowly, lost in thought, until the door to her room creaked open.
"Good morning, ma'am," Ophelia said, bowing slightly.
"Good morning. Where is Hina? Call me Hina," Olivia instructed, still watching the street.
"Ma'am… they've gone to school," Ophelia replied, voice hesitant.
Olivia's gaze softened briefly. "So early? What time did they leave?"
"At six, ma'am," Ophelia said quietly.
"And… the bedsheets? Were they washed?"
"Yes, ma'am," Ophelia confirmed.
"Okay, you may go," Olivia said, dismissing her.
Later that evening, Olivia returned from her routine jog, her doctor insisting she burn off stubborn fat for her health.
By six, she was showered, dressed, and expecting to find her sister's daughters already home. Instead, the house was quiet, the dinner table neatly arranged, with only Ophelia attending to the plates.
"They're not back yet?" Olivia asked, calm but edged with impatience.
"No, ma'am," Ophelia replied, nervously adjusting the tray.
Olivia placed a forkful of food to her lips, thinking through possible punishments. "Ophelia, bring Christiana to my room. Tell her I want her to massage my feet. I'll be waiting." Rising from the table, she left no room for argument.
Moments later, Christiana appeared, kneading Olivia's legs gently. Olivia closed her eyes, attempting to relax, but a sudden thought snapped her upright.
"It can't be…" she muttered, pacing the room.
The maid froze. "Go get Ophelia, now!" Olivia barked, voice sharp and commanding. Heart pounding, the girl dashed off.
A knock at the door pulled Olivia from her thoughts. "Come in," she commanded.
Ophelia stepped inside, a question on her lips. "They left the house around six, isn't it?"
"Yes, ma'am," Olivia confirmed.
"Do you have their numbers?"
"Yes, ma'am," Ophelia said, lowering her head.
"Call them now."
"I… I'll get my phone," Ophelia stammered, scurrying away.
Moments later, she returned, phone in hand, placing it on loudspeaker for Olivia to hear.
"Is it ringing?" Olivia asked, pacing.
"Yes, ma'am," Ophelia replied.
"And… any answer?"
"No reply."
"Call Zari," Olivia snapped.
Minutes passed as the calls went unanswered.
Finally, a robotic voice declared: "The number you are calling is not reachable at the moment."
" Her phone seemed switch off ma'am," Ophelia whispered, fear evident in her trembling voice.
" Switched off ?" Olivia's eyes widened.
A slow, cold realization set in. So this is what I suspected… Her mind raced. The girls had run away. But she refused to assume anything—not yet.
"You may go," she said dismissively.
"Thank you, ma'am," Ophelia replied, bowing respectfully as she scurried out.
Olivia's mind was a storm of thoughts. The CCTV control room…
She retrieved the key she always kept safely in her cupboard and hurried to the monitors.
Inside, she placed the headphones over her ears, scrolling through footage from earlier that day.
Her eyes stayed fixed on the girls' bedroom camera—a feed she had deliberately avoided for privacy reasons.
And then she froze.
Zari stood at the door, barely visible, listening intently to Olivia and Marcus discussing Hina's marriage.
Her eyes widened, darkened by disbelief. So much for subtlety—Olivia had her evidence.
Dropping the headphones, Olivia's mind raced.
She would need to call Marcus immediately to inform him of the unexpected developments.
In Olivia's room
Olivia's fingers hovered over the phone, a flicker of frustration crossing her face.
She dialed her husband's number, each ring echoing in her room. The line rang and rang, but no one picked up.
Then the mechanical voice came, cold and repetitive: "Line busy. Line busy." She frowned, sinking into her rocking chair on the balcony.
The night sky stretched endlessly above, dotted with distant stars, indifferent to her worry. A soft breeze brushed her cheeks, carrying the faint scent of rain, but it did nothing to calm the storm inside her.
Meanwhile, thousands of miles away in San Francisco, the suite at Lux Bethels Hotel was shrouded in shadows, alive with laughter and whispered endearments.
On the bed, two lovers were tangled in each other, lost in the warmth of the moment.
The phone rang sharply, cutting through their intimacy.
"Who's that?" A soft, high-pitched voice asked, curiosity lacing the words.
"I think you should take it, my love," she added, a playful edge in her tone.
Marcus's hand reached lazily for the lamp, plunging the room into darkness. "Back to us," he murmured, pulling her closer.
"Who is it?" she asked again.
"Don't worry, baby… it's just my wife," Marcus whispered, a sly smile in his voice.