Belated Birthday gift

Blue stood utterly in awe at the edge of the pool, her tiny hands clenched together in excitement as she watched Sara launch into a triple flip from the platform. With flawless precision, Sara pierced through the water like an arrow, barely causing a splash. The surface of the pool remained undisturbed, only a few ripples spreading outward as if the water itself had welcomed her.

"Wow! She's so good!" Blue clapped her hands, her eyes sparkling with admiration.

The maid beside her observed the child's expression, finding it both fascinating and rare. But just as she was about to say something, a soft chime from her phone caught her attention. She quickly glanced at the message, her face tensing.

"Miss, I think we have to leave," she said in a hushed voice.

"No! I want to see her finish!" Blue protested, stubbornly planting her feet in place.

Her resistance didn't last long. Moments later, a few guards entered, and one effortlessly scooped her up into his arms.

"Let me go! I want to stay!" she shouted, wriggling in his grasp. She pushed against the man's chest with her small hands, twisting her body toward the pool, desperate to catch another glimpse of Sara.

But the guards remained unfazed.

"The chairman wishes to see you. He is waiting outside," one of them informed her in a flat, professional tone.

Blue froze. Her small fists clenched slightly, her brows creasing in frustration.

Then, as if a switch had been flipped, she stopped struggling. Her tiny frame settled back into the guard's arms, her lips pressing into a thin line.

Yet, even as she was carried away, her gaze lingered on the shimmering water. She kept watching, her head turning as the door behind her closed, shutting out the sight of the pool.

Outside the school, an extravagant parade of sleek SUVs and luxury cars awaited her. The polished vehicles gleamed under the sunlight, the security personnel standing by in crisp suits.

One of the men, dressed in an impeccable suit, stepped forward and respectfully opened the car door. The guard gently placed Blue in the back seat, settling her beside an older man dressed in golf attire.

Vladimir.

The moment Blue arrived, Vladimir set his phone down, shifting his gaze toward her. His sharp eyes studied her with quiet intensity.

Blue turned her head and looked at him, forcing a bright smile onto her lips. "Hi, Grandpa. I'm so happy to see you."

Her words were cheerful, but her body language betrayed her. She was a child, but she had learned how to lie with a straight face—something Vladimir had long since noticed.

"Hmm... I see," he murmured, nodding slightly, his expression unreadable. He didn't press her on the lie.

Instead, he simply asked, "How was school?"

"It was very good! Today, we learned about farms and read a story about a farm that had ten cows, ten goats, twenty sheep, and so many chickens! It was such a funny book," Blue said, chuckling, her tiny sharp teeth showing as her eyes scrunched at the corners.

In the front seat, the maid's eye twitched slightly. She glanced at the rearview mirror, watching Blue with a knowing look. The little girl was making it all up—she hadn't attended any classes today.

"Did you like it?" Vladimir asked, humoring her.

"Yes! I loved it!" Blue replied enthusiastically.

"Should I buy one for you? I can do that," he offered.

Blue's eyes widened in excitement. "You will? I'll be so happy if you do that!" she cheered, throwing her hands up.

Vladimir's lips curled into a slight smile as he turned to look out the window. "Did you hear that, Peter?" he said, addressing the driver.

"Yes, boss. I'll arrange for a farm right away," Peter responded dutifully.

"Hmm." Vladimir nodded in satisfaction, as if he had just gifted her the perfect present for her birthday—completely unaware that Blue had made the whole story up.

The car continued its journey toward a high-end hotel, where Vladimir had arranged a lavish venue for Blue's fifth birthday celebration. As they arrived, the car pulled to a stop, and Nala, the maid, received instructions to take Blue inside and get her dressed. A private room had already been booked in Blue's name, with a carefully selected outfit waiting for her.

Carrying Blue in her arms, Nala stepped into the elevator, glancing down at the little girl with a hint of confusion.

"Miss," she said softly, keeping her voice low.

Blue looked up at her, tilting her head slightly.

"Why did you lie to the chairman just now?"

Blue's fingers curled around the fabric of her dress, her gaze dropping to the floor. Caught in the lie, she had no response. She simply clutched the material tighter, a flicker of shame passing over her face.

Nala sighed, feeling a pang of sympathy. "Your grandpa loves you very much. If you had asked for something else, he would have readily given it to you. You know that, right?" she said gently, hinting at something unspoken.

Blue blinked up at her, confused. "Like what?"

"Like swimming, Miss. Didn't you enjoy watching it just now?"

Nala had seen the pure joy in Blue's eyes earlier. She wanted the child to recognize it too.

Blue thought for a moment before hesitantly speaking. "Can I ask him to teach me?" she asked, uncertainty lacing her voice.

"No, but you can ask him to hire an instructor for you. That way, you can learn to swim properly," Nala suggested with a knowing smile.

Blue's face lit up instantly. "Yes! I can do that! I can ask Grandpa to let Auntie Sara teach me how to swim! That way, I'll get to see her all the time!" she said cheerfully, her grin now completely genuine.

Nala sighed in relief, happy to see that the little girl's smile this time was real.

Meanwhile, Sara heard the cheers and applause ringing through the air. Her heart raced, and for a brief moment, she felt lightheaded, but her gaze never wavered. She wasn't focused on the crowd or the praise—her eyes searched intently for a tiny figure that had taken hold of her mind the entire time she swam.

Did she see that? Sara wondered, longing for some acknowledgment from Blue.

But as she scanned the audience, Blue was nowhere to be found.

Even after everything was wrapped up successfully and it was time to leave, Sara couldn't shake the feeling of unease. She found herself still looking around, hoping to catch a glimpse of the little girl.

Just then, Josline approached her once again, showering her with compliments.

"Even after five years, you still haven't lost your charm, Miss Sara. The students were so impressed. I've already received a call from the school board—the directors want to meet you personally. I hope you'll spare some time for them soon," she said, clasping Sara's hand warmly.

"Of course, that would be my pleasure," Sara replied with a polite smile. But there was something on her mind, and it must have shown in her expression because Josline tilted her head curiously.

"Do you have something to say?" she asked.

"I—I actually wanted to ask about one of your students," Sara said hesitantly.

"A student?"

"Yes, a little girl named Blue. She's about this tall." Sara gestured around her waist. "She has black hair and blue eyes."

Josline's lips curled into a knowing smile. "Ah, yes, I know her. But what's got you so interested in that kid?"

"Oh! It's nothing serious," Sara assured her quickly. "She left her toy with me last time—it looked pretty expensive. I ran into her again today and thought I'd return it, but she disappeared all of a sudden."

Sara still had the wand she'd recovered from the police station. They had told her she could return it to its rightful owner if they requested it, but until then, she could hold onto it. Still, the item weighed on her more than she expected, and Blue's sudden disappearance without a goodbye only made her more uneasy.

"I see." Josline's smile didn't falter as she tapped on her phone screen. "I don't usually do this, but I can do you a little favor."

Sara watched as Josline's fingers moved quickly over her phone before she finally looked up.

"I'll send you their address so you can return it to them," she said with a small smile.

"Oh, thank you so much!" Sara beamed, genuinely relieved.