Ch. 541..550

A Cue for Love Chapter 541

A Familiar Figure

Jefford cast a sideways glance at him. “What’s on your mind, sir?”

“What do you think of her?” Kenneth glanced up at Jefford.

Jefford thought for a moment before he spoke. “Ms. Nichols is pleasant and well-mannered without any airs about her. In short, she’s a decent young woman.”

“What do you think of her compares to Yara?”

Jefford hesitated, unsure where Kenneth was getting at.

“There’s no one else here but us. Speak your mind.”

“Ms. Yara knows you well, sir. When she plays a game with you, she wouldn’t think to exert herself to beat you. Ms. Nichols, on the other hand, did you the courtesy of treating you like an equal worthy of the extent of her full abilities.” After a slight pause, Jefford continued, “You didn’t seem to mind it at all, sir. Somehow, I got the sense that you actually respect her for it.”

“I do,” Kenneth admitted with a sigh. “Yara, bless the child, knows what I like to hear. While I do enjoy that, Natalie has earned my respect. That in itself would cause me to be more partial toward the girl, wouldn’t it?”

Jefford did not fail to notice the fact that Kenneth called Yara the child”, and Natalie the “girl”.

Though it seemed inconsequential at first, it was already sufficient proof of the distinction Kenneth had drawn in his mind on both women.

Jefford was greatly surprised at his master’s words. How quickly he had changed his mind about her!

After ensuring that all four children were buckled into their seats, Billy headed back to the Bowers residence while Natalie left with Samuel in his Hummer.

As soon as she settled in her seat, Samuel’s vast chest pressed into hers.

Natalie thought that Samuel was about to kiss her and involuntarily closed her eyes until she heard a click before opening them and realizing that he had merely leaned over to fasten the seatbelt for her.

“Are you disappointed that I didn’t kiss you?” Samuel raised his eyebrows wickedly.

“You wish,” she scoffed with a glare. “I’m not a pervert like you.”

“Call me a pervert one more time and I’ll-”

“Samuel, I’m not a pervert like you!”

Right after she completed her sentence, Natalie was silenced by Samuel’s lips pressing domineeringly against hers.

It was inevitable. As soon as she began the first game with Kenneth after Samuel’s arrival, she had seen the glimmer of desire in the depths of his unfathomable eyes which made her feel like prey waiting to be claimed and devoured.

It was only due to the presence of his elderly grandfather and the children that he restrained himself with great difficulty.

As soon as they were finally alone together, Samuel’s basic instinct was let loose like a wild beast was from its cage.

Natalie’s irritated disapproval melted away in the wake of Samuel’s hot kisses. Soon, their grunts turned to moans as the windows of the Hummer fogged up in the wintry night.

“We are still in the car,” she gasped for breath. “Not… not here.”

Despite having given birth to four children, Natalie was surprisingly unacquainted with the raunchy activity leading up to conception.

Even with her recently discovered open-mindedness, Natalie found herself having to ease into the process.

“Don’t worry, no one will bother us here.” Samuel’s fingers lifted Natalie’s chin as his baritone voice sent a shiver down her spine.

Initially, he did not plan on taking her in the car. Instead, he blamed her charisma and her soft lips to have ignited the desire within him to abandon the willpower he prided himself on.

Natalie’s rationality crumbled against his relentless assault as she allowed herself to be lost in his panting.

Suddenly, a blinding pair of headlights shone out of the darkness.

The softness in his eyes turned to steel from having the flames of his passion unceremoniously extinguished by the intruder.

Samuel let go of Natalie and wrapped his coat gently over her messy clothes before the newcomer could see her in that state.

The sound of a car door slamming notified the couple that the driver had descended from the vehicle. The familiar silhouette of Yara only became recognizable when she was halfway to them.

 

A Cue for Love Chapter 542

Saw Them With My Own Eyes

Natalie’s breathing eased as she eyed her twin sister approach.

With all the swagger in the world, Yara’s high heels crunched on the gravel as she sauntered elegantly toward the driver’s side of the Hummer before knocking on the glass and motioning for Samuel to wind down the window, indicating that she wanted to have a word with him.

Despite the repeated knocks, Samuel smoothed his crumpled shirt with no intention of doing as he was asked.

With the flame of his passion doused rudely with cold water by Yara, his patience had finally worn out.

“Yara looks as if she has something to say to you.” Natalie glanced uncertainly at her twin sister.

“Just ignore her,” Samuel said in the same tense voice as the lines on his face.

Natalie frowned. “Are you sure?”

She was not worried about the possibility of Samuel succumbing to Yara’s charms. On the contrary, she was merely curious as to what they would have in common to discuss.

“If I were to speak to any other irrelevant women in front of you, the only woman who matters to me is a sign of disrespect to you.” Samuel turned around and straightened the edges of his jacket covering her. “You don’t have to test me. I promise you, I will never be unfaithful.”

What test?

“I’m not testing you, Samuel,” she said, her eyes wide with incredulity.

“It doesn’t matter to me even if you are. My pledge will never change.” Samuel adjusted her buttons as his eyes gleamed with the earnestness of his declaration. “I might have ripped off the buttons on your coat.”

Sure enough, Natalie discovered that two of the buttons had fallen somewhere on the floor.

I wonder what a mess we have made, or how loud we were. It must have been intense. Despite the fog on the windows, Yara might have seen something.

“What have you done, Samuel?” Natalie cried as she flushed crimson.

“Hush now. I’ll buy you a new one when we get back.” Samuel smiled indulgently at her. “If you’re still upset, we’ll keep shopping until you are happy.”

Natalie glared at Samuel with suspicion.

Outside of the Hummer, Yara had been knocking for several minutes but to no avail.

Not only did the window not open after nearly fifteen minutes of knocking, but the Hummer had also completely disregarded Yara’s presence by disappearing down the road with a sudden roar of its powerful engine. It was beyond the horizon and out of sight within half a minute.

Yara gazed after the Hummer, biting her lip so hard that her teeth punctured her skin and caused two streams of blood to flow down her lips.

Earlier, when she had received word from Jefford that Natalie and Samuel had arrived at Kenneth’s home, she had rushed over at once only to have visceral evidence of Samuel’s tender side toward another woman seared into her memory.

Samuel had been nothing but cold to her from the time she showed up with Franklin and Sophia at the Bowers residence five years ago.

The frequent scowl he wore caused her to assume that he was equally cold to every single person he came across.

It was until that night that she had seen with her own eyes the extent of Samuel’s possessiveness toward the woman he loved and how maniacally drunk he had been on the love he had for her.

How perfect life would be if I were the woman in his arms instead of Natalie! Looks like her disappearance is the only way to ensure I get what I want. This time, I’m not going to hold back as I did five years ago.

Yara wiped the blood from her lips with a finger before trudging slowly up the stairs to the house.

Jefford came running at her arrival. “Good evening, Ms. Yara. Mr. Bowers, Natalie, and the children have left just before you-”

“I know.” Yara gave a mirthless laugh. “I ran into them just as I was coming in. What happened here tonight?”

“Old Mr. Bowers has changed his opinion about Natalie,” he reported.

“Rather drastically, in fact.”

 

A Cue for Love Chapter 543

Add This Into His Medicine

Yara frowned at the butler’s words.

“Tell me every single thing that happened,” she commanded. “Spare no details!”

Jefford painstakingly retold the events of the night, including the games and Kenneth’s impression of Natalie after she left. Yara’s face became increasingly grim as the story progressed.

This b*tch grew up in the countryside with Jennie! She’s my twin sister, yet her talent and grit far surpass me!

Taking a leaf out of Natalie’s book, Yara had initially tried to impress Kenneth with her chess skills. However, she soon discovered, to her disappointment, that it took more than sheer force of will to succeed in chess.

Forced to take the easier way out, she amended her plan in its later stages by pretending to lose to Kenneth and complimenting him with sweet words.

Unfortunately, as soon as Natalie came along, all my efforts suddenly seemed to pale in comparison.

Yara listened stony-faced without interrupting. When Jefford was done, she asked quietly, “Do you think Kenneth prefers me or Natalie?”

“Ms. Yara, please don’t get upset by what I might say.” After a brief hesitation, he continued, “You have been by his side for the past five years. I have seen that your efforts have been appreciated by him and as a result, occupy an important place in his heart. However…”

“Speak your mind.”

“However…” Jefford continued, with a wary eye at Yara.

“It might only take a few more visits from Natalie and her children for the work you’ve laid down for the past five years to come crashing down.”

Initially fearful to be subjected to the full extent of her wrath, she merely nodded to Jefford’s surprise. “Well said. That only proves that she is a formidable opponent.”

“Ms. Yara, what are you…” Jefford’s voice trailed off uncertainly.

“Add a pinch of this into Kenneth’s medication every day,” Yara instructed as she handed him a tiny porcelain vial.

“Only a pinch at a time. You have a three-month supply in your hand.”

“What’s this?” Jefford held it up apprehensively with a sense of foreboding.

Yara raised her eyebrows in disapproval. “That’s not something you should concern yourself with. Instead, start thinking about how you’ll administer it without getting caught. Don’t forget that your daughter’s survival is in my hands. You want her to lead a normal life, don’t you?”

The mere mention of Jefford’s daughter seemed to strengthen his resolve. His face, though pale, was grim with determination.

“Your wish is my command, Ms. Yara. It will get it done.”

“Good.”

Billy had reached the Bowers residence before Natalie and Samuel.

The four children were exhausted. After Billy carried them up the stairs one by one to their beds, they fell asleep as soon as they slumped over without even dragging themselves off to the shower.

Natalie dashed upstairs to check on the children immediately upon her return. Despite the filthy state of their clothes and faces, she did not have the heart to rouse them from the depths of their deep slumber.

Back at her own bedroom, Samuel was at that moment exiting the bathroom upon completion of his shower. He was naked except for a towel around his waist.

His body glistened with water droplets from his shower, yet to be wiped as the large beads rolled down the crevices of his shapely muscles with every gesture.

Natalie opened the door and blushed at the sight of him.

“I… I’m going to take a shower…”

Barely able to stammer a coherent excuse, she dived toward the bathroom only to be yanked back into Samuel’s arms with a powerful tug.

Losing her balance from his move, Natalie fell toward the bed with him falling over on top of her into their soft bed as he allowed her momentum to bring him crashing down.

 

A Cue for Love Chapter 544

I Am A Little Dirty

Natalie looked at Samuel’s gleaming eyes, completely lost for words.

His desire for her burned to such an extent that she did not know what to do. After prolonged deliberation, she fell back on the same excuse.

“I haven’t had a chance to take a shower yet.”

“That’s all right. I already have,” Samuel smirked as his eyes twinkled with mischief. “I’m clean enough for the both of us. Unless you mind?”

Natalie did not know how to answer him. She found herself only capable of gazing helplessly into his eyes.

Samuel allowed her anxiousness to simmer, in no hurry to make another move. Instead, he rolled off from her and propped himself up by his elbow to look at her.

“You knew from the start that the kids lied to you about the chauffeur being on leave, didn’t you?”

“Not exactly,” she answered modestly before turning around and mirroring Samuel’s pose to face him. “I did not think much of it, to be honest. At that moment, I was more concerned with fulfilling my children’s needs. It turned out well. I was rewarded with the chance to see another adorable side of them today!”

In an effort to obtain Kenneth’s approval, the children came together and stretched the limits of their ingenuity for the sake of their mother.

The gesture filled her with a powerful sense of maternal pride that made her feel more appreciative of their effort.

Samuel was not convinced. “If my grandfather decides to harm you one day…”

“He wouldn’t do anything with the kids around.” Natalie pinched Samuel’s tall nose bridge reassuringly. “Besides, you would come running to swoop me out of danger, wouldn’t you? You saw how I was completely fine earlier, didn’t you? You were just worried that I can’t handle it myself, that’s all. I won’t allow your grandfather to walk all over me, I promise.”

Samuel did not hear a word of it. All he could think about was how attractive she was to have stood her ground against his grandfather.

Unable to bear it any longer, he grabbed hold of Natalie’s wrist and with a sudden flip, placed himself on top of her once again.

“We are supposed to talk! Why have you…”

“We have some unfinished business from the car.” Samuel pecked Natalie on the lips as he spoke. “Don’t give me your pathetic excuses. If I hear it again I will escort you to the bathroom and scrub you down myself.”

Natalie’s face reddened by several degrees.

Since when did his flirting skills improve to such a degree to be able to reduce me to nothing but a blushing mess?

Samuel took her silence to be a sign of consent. After another deep kiss, he let go of his incessant and tireless desire for her after she pled for her life.

Several days later, the field trip planned by the childrens’ kindergarten to a ski resort located on the outskirts of town was finally coming true.

The four children packed their suitcases earlier that day under the supervision of Gavin in preparation for the day trip.

The children discussed the trip with excitement while they ate, even proposing to bring an insulated flask to bring some snow back from the resort for Natalie.

In fact, Natalie was no stranger to snow, having experienced heavy snowfall in Loang.

Gavin felt that the children’s gesture was redundant. “There’s no need to go through all that trouble, children. The snow is-”

Before he finished his sentence, Natalie interrupted, “I can’t wait to see what you have in store for me!” she gushed as she placed the flask into Sophia’s backpack.

“Alright, Mommy!”

The children carried their backpacks excitedly and boarded the bus chartered by the kindergarten after waving goodbye to Natalie.

Gavin gazed sideways at Natalie. “Ms. Natalie, you once told me that you’ve seen real snow, right? Why did you let the children go through all the extra trouble?”

“That’s true,” Natalie concurred, her eyes twinkling as she smiled. “But I’ve never seen snow that was collected by my children! It will be a delight to see what they bring me in the flask.”

Gavin felt his profound respect for Natalie rise upon pondering the wisdom in her answer.

 

A Cue for Love Chapter 545

Laugh While You Still Can

The children sat in the same row as the bus made its rounds to collect the other students who had signed up for the day trip.

The boys voiced their concern for Sophia for shouldering the burden of having to haul the flask by herself.

“Why don’t you let me carry it for you, Sophia,” offered Franklin. “The flask looks awfully heavy.”

Sophia shook her head vigorously.

“It’s not heavy at all!” she responded earnestly, her squeaky voice barely concealing her fierce resolve. “I want to find the whitest patch of snow and bring some back for Mommy!”

Sophia’s siblings did not press the matter further in the face of their sister’s determination.

“How about letting each of us carry your backpack for you in turn, then?” Clayton suggested after a pause.

“That leaves you free with only the flask to hold. Without the weight on your back, you will be lighter on your feet to hunt for snow! What do you say, Sophia?”

Sophia considered it and thought that it was a more efficient solution than her own.

She unzipped her backpack to extract the flask before handing the backpack to her brothers.

“Thank you, guys!”

After every student who had signed up for the trip had been collected, the bus took off for the ski resort exactly at the appointed time.

Xavian and Clayton had seen snow with Natalie before. On the other hand, Franklin and Sophia grew up in Dellmoor. Even the prospect of playing with artificial snow thrilled them to no end.

Sophia slipped on her bunny mittens and hugged the flask. Her smile was wide in anticipation for the day ahead.

A woman seated at the frontmost row of the bus turned around to gaze at Sophia. Then, a meaningful smile appeared across her lips as she did so.

Laugh while you still can, little girl. You might never laugh again once I’m through with you.

“All of the children in this class belong to powerful people in Dellmoor,” the teacher who sat next to the woman explained when he noticed that she was watching them. “Especially the four kids sitting in the third row from the back. You’re new, aren’t you? You may not know this, but those kids are the children of the director of the conglomerate which owns this kindergarten. You must keep a close eye on them when we get to the resort. If they had a scratch on the knee, we’ll be doomed! Do not let them out of your sight for even a second.”

“I understand, Mr. Yoan.” The woman smiled sweetly.

“I’m glad we’re on the same page.” Mr. Yoan sighed. “Sometimes I realize how ridiculous it is for me to be fawning over children who can barely read the alphabet before I even have kids of my own. To think that this bunch of kids were born with more than I could ever achieve!”

“You’re single too, Mr. Yoan?” the woman exclaimed with a giggle as she clung to Mr. Yoan’s arm. “What a coincidence. Me too!”

Mr. Yoan gave a crooked grin as his heart skipped a beat at her suggestive remark.

After being on the road for ninety minutes, the bus finally rolled to a halt outside of the entrance to the ski resort.

That particular resort differed from others of its kind in the sense that the majority of its attractions, including the U-bend, were situated outdoors. Given the scarcity of snowfall in Dellmoor, the amount of snow needed to furnish the ski resort was the result of very costly machinery and maintenance.

That was also the reason why the patrons of that establishment consisted mostly of the immensely wealthy.

“We’re here!”

When the bus doors threw open, the heirs of Dellmoor’s richest and most powerful came tumbling out in fervent excitement.

Xavian and Clayton were excited too as they have not seen snow in a long time. Franklin and Sophia, on the other hand, never had the opportunity. Without waiting to be granted permission, they bent down to pick up a handful of snow and stared with wonder at how it melted in their hands.

Mr. Yoan summoned the students to an assembly with a short blast of the whistle and led the party to get dressed in ski gear.

As the gear distributed out to all of the students of similar heights was identical, the children had trouble identifying each other through their goggles.

“Franklin, is that you?” Sophia called, squinting as she did so.

“I’m not Franklin,” Xavian said as he pushed his goggles up. “Everybody looks the same here in this huge complex. Stay close to us, Sophia.”

 

A Cue for Love Chapter 546

Manipulation

“I will,” she promised with a firm nod.

Before entering the complex, the students were instructed to conduct a simple warm-up before dispersing into groups for a one-on-one lesson on the basics of skiing.

The intensity and the expanse of white as far as the eye can see conjured a strange sense of desolation despite its untainted beauty.

Sophia enjoyed playing with snow, though she did not express the same interest in learning how to ski. With the thought of finding the perfect snow for Natalie weighing heavily on her mind, she became more and more distracted from her lesson.

After quickly weighing the chances of the options available to her as her beady eyes darted back and forth, a cunning plan was formed in no time at all.

“Excuse me, sir,” Sophia bleated as she held up her hand to interrupt the instructor. “I need to pee.”

The male instructor hesitated, clearly uncomfortable.

“The restroom is behind that door. Can you manage on your own, young lady? Or would you like me to find you a female teacher?”

That was the last thing Sophia wanted. Her detour was for the sole purpose of achieving the mission of collecting the best snow she could find for her mother.

“I’ll be fine, mister,” Sophia assured him as she clenched her fists. “Don’t worry about me!”

“All right. Come back quickly, please. We’ll be waiting for you.”

After handing her ski poles to the instructor, she skipped her way to the little door indicated by the instructor with her backpack on her back.

Taking advantage of the narrow window of the instructor’s distraction, she went past the little door to a deserted stretch of untainted snow.

Momentarily swept away with awe, Sophia quivered with anticipation at the thought of what Natalie might say in the face of such a spectacular sight.

She remembered what her mother said about how excited she was to see what Sophia had in store for her.

I don’t like Yara at all. I’d much prefer being around Natalie. I’d do anything to make her smile.

“The other children are learning to ski, Sophia,” the woman on the bus remarked casually as she appeared and squatted down next to Sophia, interrupting her reverie. “What are you doing here all by yourself?”

Sophia jumped and looked up to discover that she did not recognize the woman.

“How do you know my name?” Sophia asked timidly. “I’ve never seen you before. Are you a new teacher?”

The woman laughed. “Yes, I’m a teacher. It’s my duty to be with you. It’s dangerous for you to stay here all by yourself.”

Sophia grimaced as she had intended to conduct her business in peace. Nevertheless, she nodded obediently at the adult’s imposition.

Soon, Sophia forgot all about the woman marching next to her as she ran ahead to explore the area for the best possible snow she could find.

“What are you doing, Sophia?” the woman asked in spite of herself.

“I’m looking for snow!” replied Sophia enthusiastically. “I want to take back the best snow I can find for Mommy.”

“Mommy? Is Yara your mother?”

Sophia exclaimed scornfully. “Yara’s not my mother but Natalie! She’s so much better than Yara.”

The woman smiled grimly. Ah, same old Natalie. Still adept at manipulation. It doesn’t matter if it’s Yandel or this child, they will all fall prey to her sweet words and listen to her. This little girl has no blood relations with Natalie and yet she is so fiercely loyal to her. Now I understand what drove Yandel to lay a trap for Yara on Natalie’s behalf that I had in inadvertently stumbled into!

The woman stood deathly still, trying to compose herself at the thought of how Yandel broke her heart despite knowing the extent of how much she loved him.

To her disappointment, she discovered far too late that Yandel’s feelings toward her had never been sincere.

“Natalie?” the woman, Melissa, repeated as her gaze seared with fury.

“What is it, miss?” asked Sophia timidly. “Your eyes look so fierce!”

 

A Cue for Love Chapter 547

Sophia Is Missing

The tumbler in Sophia’s hand dropped into the snow with a slosh.

“Teacher!”

Cutting off her scream, Melissa covered her mouth and nose with a cloth soaked in ether.

Sophia waved her arms frantically, trying to get anyone’s attention, but her small body slowly weakened as she inhaled more ether into her system. Finally, losing consciousness in Melissa’s arms.

A glint of satisfaction flashed across Melissa’s eyes as she looked down at the unconscious Sophia.

“That woman is crafty.” She caressed Sophia’s smooth, soft face, mumbling under her breath, “I can only lure Natalie to me with a small bait like you.”

Carrying Sophia into her arms, she left the ski area.

Meanwhile, a hundred miles away in a warm office somewhere, Yara sat elegantly sipping on her coffee and snacking on macarons prepared by famous chefs as she watched the camera footage transmitted from the ski area.

She had given Melissa a pair of earrings fixed with a mini spy camera to allow her to always be in control of the latter’s whereabouts and actions.

It seemed like it wasn’t a wasted effort in instigating Melissa recently.

This sister of a different mother of mine actually blamed Natalie for Yandel’s disliking her. I can’t believe she’s so stupid.

“Ms. Yara, what should we do next?” asked a guy with a feminine face.

“We only need to support her from the dark.” After another sip of coffee, she continued, “Melissa alone is not enough to topple Natalie, but if Sophia dies from the struggle between Natalie and Melissa, what comes next will be interesting.”

Gale watched as cruel words came out of Yara’s mouth, despite the innocent smile on her face.

At that moment, he finally understood King’s decision to collude with Yara.

Despite her lack of powerful background and capabilities, she made up for it with her tenacity.

If she saw an opportunity, she would sink her fangs into her prey and not let go until she had her hands on it.

Her cruelty could be the reason for King to collude with Yara, hoping she could sink her poisonous fangs into Natalie and Dream.

“Samuel hates me, but he loves the twins, especially that little girl. If she dies, he will never forgive Natalie.”

Yara laughed evilly, “Will Natalie kills herself from guilt if she finds out her biological daughter survived five years ago just to die in her own hands?”

She couldn’t contain the glee blooming in her heart and the curling of the corners of her lips at the thought.

Gale thought that women were indeed the cruelest kind of humans on the planet as he watched the evil smile on Yara’s face.

The skiing session in the evening had ended.

Xavian was holding onto the hand of a little girl dressed in red. “Sophia, are you tired? I have some chocolates with me. Do you want some?”

“Yes!”

The wind’s howling had distorted the child’s answer leaving Franklin unable to hear it distinctly.

Franklin and Clayton immediately assumed the little girl was Sophia when they saw Xavian holding onto her hand. Without much thought, they joined the group gathered at the assembly point.

Xavian removed his snow hat and ski goggles and searched his pocket for chocolate before handing it over to the little girl. “Here you go, Sophia.”

“Okay.”

The little girl removed her snow hat and goggles to eat the chocolate, finally revealing her face.

“Daisy?” Xavian was dumbstruck. He hadn’t thought that the little girl he had been holding onto the entire time wasn’t Sophia. “How come it’s you? Where is Sophia?”

Baffled at his question, Daisy paused and answered with a mouthful of chocolate, “I don’t know. You’re the one who held onto my hand and asked me to follow you. You told me to stay right beside you.”

Franklin and Clayton frowned when they saw Xavian had been holding onto the wrong girl the entire time.

“She’s not Sophia.” Franklin began to panic. “Where is she then?”

 

A Cue for Love Chapter 548

Kidnap

“Yeah! Where’s Sophia?” Clayton looked around the vicinity to search for Sophia, but there was no sight of her anywhere.

“Where did she go?” Franklin asked, panic in his voice, “Could an accident have happened to her?”

“We can’t be twiddling our thumbs here like idiots. The temperature will drop even further when night falls.” Xavian said gravely, “Sophia might not survive the night with only a ski suit and without food.”

The boys immediately reported her disappearance to their teacher.

The teacher was stunned to hear Sophia from the Bowers family was missing. Feeling nervous, the teacher instantly contacted the ski resort worker and launched a search and rescue.

Worried about Sophia’s safety, Xavian, Franklin, and Clayton joined the search party and decided to split up, hoping they could cover more grounds and find her soon.

The temperature at the ski area dropped tremendously as the sun set, taking its warm glow with it. Panic and dread began to set in when the boys still couldn’t find Sophia. Thus, they started yelling as they searched, wishing she would call out.

“Sophia, where are you?”

“Sophia, stop playing tricks and come out. Call out if you can hear my voice.”

“Sophia, come out!”

Only the boys’ voices echoed against the snow-covered ground of the ski area.

Suddenly, Franklin tripped on something hard, lost his balance, faceplanted into the snow.

When he looked over his shoulder at the object, it turned out to be Sophia’s precious tumbler. She had promised Natalie to fill it with snow and show it to the latter.

The boys had even suggested holding the tumbler for her earlier, but she insisted to hold onto it.

Sophia won’t just leave the tumbler here under normal circumstances. Something must have happened to her.

“Xavian, Clayton, come over here quick. Come look at this!”

Franklin shouted for Xavian and Clayton. The two quickly raced to his side. When they spotted the tumbler in his hand, their expressions turned grim.

Finally, they knew that Sophia’s disappearance wasn’t because she got lost. Something must have happened to her.

Xavian took out his phone from his pocket and gave Natalie a call.

His call was picked up almost instantly. Natalie’s gentle voice sounded from the phone.

“Xavian, are you guys done skiing?” Natalie chuckled, “You guys must be freezing from the cold. I had Gavin prepare some steaks, so let’s have steaks tonight-”

“Mommy, something bad happened.” Xavian interrupted Natalie urgently.

“What happened?” Natalie asked somberly, the joy in her tone gone.

“Sophia is missing.” Panic laced his voice. “She was skiing with us earlier, but we couldn’t find her when it was time to gather. Franklin, Clayton, and I had searched for her for a long while, but we still couldn’t find her. We suspected that she didn’t get lost, but was kidnapped, instead.”

Natalie could feel her stomach dropped at Xavian’s speculation.

She knew Xavian and Clayton were mature and responsible children. They wouldn’t make any wild guesses before they were sure.

“Mommy, what should we do?” Xavian felt a wave of acid well up in his belly from feeling anxious. He was merely a five-year-old and felt helpless in such a situation.

“Did you manage to see any clue?”

Xavian shook his head and answered, “Mommy, we didn’t even get a look at the bad guy. We had no idea who had taken her nor her situation at the moment.”

Natalie’s heart raced, feeling a sense of dread creeping up on her.

Yet, she forced herself to remain calm.

“Sophia will be fine.” She paused to inhale a deep breath. “If someone had kidnapped Sophia, the kidnapper’s target would be either me or Samuel. “Listen to me carefully. I want you to stop searching for Sophia and go back to the assembly point. Listen to your teacher and take care of your own safety. Can you do that?

“Sophia has already fallen into the kidnapper’s hands. We can’t risk another one of you falling into their hands. The situation will be too disadvantageous to us.”

 

A Cue for Love Chapter 549

Remain Calm And Clear Headed

“Got it.” Xavian hung up the phone and relayed Natalie’s instruction to Franklin and Clayton.

“We have to remain calm in this situation.” Xavian cast Franklin and Clayton a sober glance. “Let’s head back to the assembly point and join the teacher and the other students. We have to ensure our safety and not give Mommy and Daddy any more trouble.”

Despite Franklin’s and Clayton’s concern for Sophia, they followed Natalie’s instructions, knowing they couldn’t contribute any help in the search.

The boys dragged their feet as they returned to the assembly point. They had a crestfallen look on their faces.

Natalie’s expression turned grim after she hung up the phone.

Yandel noticed the change in her expression after she picked up the call. “Boss, what’s wrong? you don’t look too good.”

“Sophia had gone missing. The boys suspected someone had kidnapped her.” Natalie ordered, “I want you to assign our men to search for Sophia now.”

“Understood.” Yandel instantly carried out her order.

Feeling the intense anxiousness in her gut, she couldn’t sit still.

Even though Sophia wasn’t her biological daughter, she had considered the little girl as one of her own. It was difficult for her to stay clear-headed without knowing anything about Sophia’s current situation.

The memory and pain of losing the twins five years ago surfaced in her mind.

Ever since her first meeting with Sophia at the airport, she couldn’t help but fall in love with the adorable little girl.

Sophia was like her tail. The little girl had always followed her everywhere. When she looked over her shoulder, the child would call out “Mommy” softly.

She was about to inform Samuel about Sophia’s disappearance when her phone rang.

Looking at the screen, she noted it was an unfamiliar number.

Without much hesitance, she accepted the call. “Hello?”

“Natalie, have you realized the precious treasure you’ve lost?” A scornful feminine voice sounded from the phone. Natalie could even hear the smile in her voice.

Precious treasure?

Sophia immediately came to her mind.

“You’re the one who has Sophia in your hands.” Natalie asked urgently, “How is she? What have you done to her?”

Satisfaction and glee grew inside the woman’s heart, hearing the worry in Natalie’s voice. The woman taunted, “You’re not doing too bad as a stepmom. You’re even so worried about someone else’s daughter, and portraying to be a great mother.”

“How is Sophia? If you’re aware of her identity, then you should know the consequence of laying your hands on her,” Natalie warned coldly.

“Natalie, you better watch your mouth when you talk to me.” The feminine voice paused briefly. “Sophia is still in my hands. If you dare to threaten me again, I’ll kill her then myself if I’m pissed. Your threats are pointless to me. So save it.”

Natalie couldn’t see Sophia’s current situation through the phone.

However, she could hear Sophia’s terrified sobs in the background once the woman stopped speaking.

“It hurts. It hurts.”

Sophia knew the crazy woman was on the phone with Natalie. She didn’t want the latter to be worried, so she tried to suppress her cries.

Despite the soft cries, Natalie’s heart still ached for her.

She picked up a utility knife from her desk and dragged it along her arm. Feeling the pain in her arm and seeing the blood flowing from the wound, she finally managed to calm down.

That woman has no control over her emotions. She might even be crazy. I have to make sure I don’t make a single wrong move to bring Sophia home safe and sound.

Natalie drawled out her words, “Even though I don’t know who you are, I don’t think your goal is to die with her.”

 

A Cue for Love Chapter 550

Black List

“Of course.” The woman didn’t deny Natalie’s claim. “But how your little girl fares will depend on you. It will depend on how far you’re willing to go for her.”

Natalie was sure she was the kidnapper’s target.

“I’m willing to do anything. Tell me what I have to do,” Natalie answered without even a bit of hesitation.

“I’ll give you an address. I want you to come to the address. Only you alone and no one else. If I find out you have Samuel or someone else following you, I’ll kill your precious little girl right away.”

The woman spoke slowly and arrogantly. Her distorted voice sounded like a witch.

“Do you think your relationship with Samuel will still be the same with Sophia’s death? So come alone and don’t disappoint me. Let me have some fun. Don’t make a decision you’ll regret.”

The woman ended the call after that.

This woman is a maniac!

She kidnapped Sophia because the latter was an easier target compared to the boys. Besides, she wanted to drive a wedge in my relationship with Samuel by using Sophia as bait. Guilt will engulf me if something happens to Sophia.

Feeling the pain in her arm, she remained clear-headed.

Without treating the wound on her arm, she shot to her feet and left her office.

Yandel met Natalie in the hallway once he finished assigning tasks to his men. Noticing the bleeding wound on her arm, he frowned. “Boss, what happened to your arm? Let me treat it for you.”

“Leave it. I did it to myself.”

Under his stunned gaze, she said, “Sophia’s kidnappers contacted me earlier. She wanted me to meet her privately. I can’t bring anyone with me, including you and Samuel.”

“You’re going alone? You’re digging your own grave!”

“I know.”

She wasn’t dumb. She was aware Sophia was just a bait while she was the target. If she went, it was almost a certainty that she would die. Despite knowing that, she would still go and save Sophia.

“Boss, you-”

“Don’t be so pessimistic.” The corners of her lips quirked into a knowing smile. “Everyone has weaknesses, so does she. “I’m uncertain about her identity, but I just have to bet my life on it. I need your help with two tasks. Both are crucial, so you have to follow my words to the book. Understand?

“The boys must have told Samuel too if I knew about it. Knowing him, he’ll follow me. I need you to stop him no matter what. He and his men are good at what they do, but I worry Sophia will get hurt from the altercation.”

Stopping Samuel was the most difficult task of all in Yandel’s mind. There was a possibility of accidentally hurting Samuel in the process.

However, Yandel knew Natalie well enough, so he still agreed to help her despite the difficulty in the task.

“Got it.”

“The next thing I need your help is…”

Yandel’s expression turned dour once she finished.

The second task was slightly easier than the first. The problem was it was related to the most crucial bit of the whole plan.

“Give me the keys to your car.”

Natalie took the elevator to the parking lot and got in the red Ferrari. A stomp at the pedal and the sports car zoomed out of the parking lot and across the streets.

Natalie knew Samuel very well.

Samuel got a call about Sophia’s disappearance from Franklin halfway through his meeting.

He contacted Natalie almost immediately, but his calls kept getting declined.

Rising from his seat at the head of the table, he gave Natalie’s number a few more tries but ended up with the same outcome.

On his fifth call, he was greeted with an empty, cold mechanical voice.

He knew Natalie had not only declined his calls but had blocked him.