Chapter 85: The Unforgivable Mistake

The morning sun peeked through my bedroom window, its golden light gently warming my face. I stirred, rubbing my sleepy eyes, expecting to feel the familiar warmth of Mama's embrace or hear Papa's deep, comforting voice. But as I blinked, my gaze darted around the room. Left, right—no one. My small hands clutched at the blankets, an uneasy feeling growing inside me.

I sat up slowly, confusion washing over me. Where were they? Had they forgotten about me? My heart started pounding as I turned my head toward the door, hoping to hear footsteps. But the room remained silent.

A gentle knock broke the stillness, and the door creaked open. A maid stepped inside, bowing slightly. "Good morning, young master. Sir, madam, and the seven young ladies have left for work."

I froze. They were all…gone?

Seeing the way my lips trembled, the maid quickly added, "Please don't be sad, young master. Let me help you get ready for the day."

I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded. I wasn't going to cry. I had promised myself that I wouldn't be weak anymore. Mama, Papa, and my sisters had so much work to do… They had already spent so much time with me. I had to be strong.

After I was dressed in soft, comfortable clothes—a beautiful white sweater and matching pants—the maid took my hand and led me downstairs for breakfast. As I ate outside in the garden, I let the cool morning breeze calm my restless heart. The sun felt warm against my skin, and for a moment, I forgot my loneliness.

I turned to the maid and hesitated before asking, "Can I play outside for a little while?"

She smiled and nodded. "Of course, young master. Just be careful not to get hurt."

Excited, I ran to the garden, where the ducks waddled near the small pond, and butterflies danced around the flowers. A giggle escaped my lips as I chased them, twirling and laughing. The maid, standing nearby, pulled out her phone and recorded a small video of me playing.

She sent it to Mama, Papa, and my sisters.

Across the city, they were all working when their phones buzzed at the same time.

Emma, sitting in the middle of a high-profile meeting, glanced at the notification. The moment she saw the video of me laughing and twirling in the garden, her usually cold expression softened. Her lips curled into a gentle smile as she whispered, "My baby… so cute." She hugged her phone close, murmuring, "Mama will come home early."

Sophia, in the middle of reviewing company reports, paused, watching the video with a rare smile. Olivia, on set for her latest film, let out a quiet giggle, showing the video to her co-stars. Isabella, in the military training ground, saw the video and nodded in satisfaction. Charlotte clapped her hands in delight, Mia rewatched it twice, and Lily whispered, "Adorable."

But just as they were about to respond, another message came through from the maid.

He's alone at home.

Their smiles froze.

Mama's heart skipped a beat, her grip tightening around her phone. Sophia's gaze darkened. Olivia, Isabella, Emily, Charlotte, Mia, and Lily—each of them immediately felt the same unsettling worry creeping in.

—

Meanwhile, on the outskirts of the estate, black-clad men stood in the shadows, observing the mansion through binoculars. They watched as I ate outside, playing with my food, my small figure oblivious to the danger lurking nearby.

Their leader smirked. "That's him. Noah. The most protected child in the world."

Another man scoffed. "Protected? He's completely alone."

The leader nodded. "This is our chance. Once we have him, we can use him to crush his family."

The plan was simple. They would demand ten billion dollars from Emma. If she refused, they would use me to bring her to her knees.

They moved quickly, slipping through the mansion's defenses unnoticed. Watching. Waiting.

And then… the moment came.

I had just finished playing when I decided to return inside. I skipped toward the entrance, my mind already thinking about what game I would play next.

That's when I felt it—an eerie silence. The birds had stopped chirping. The wind had stilled.

I turned just as shadows emerged from behind the hedges.

Before I could even scream, a hand clamped over my mouth.

The maid beside me gasped, her eyes widening. She lunged forward, but one of the men struck her hard, sending her crashing to the ground. Before she lost consciousness, she let out a desperate cry—

"HELP—!"

Then silence.

I thrashed, kicked, but the arms around me were too strong. My heart pounded wildly in my chest as they carried me away. The world spun as I was thrown into the back of a van, the doors slamming shut.

I was gone.

—

Back inside the mansion, the guards heard the maid's scream and rushed to the garden. Their eyes widened in horror as they found her lying on the ground, groaning in pain.

But the real terror came when they realized—

I was missing.

Chaos erupted. The guards fanned out, searching desperately. Then, in the distance, the roaring of engines caught their attention. Rushing to the front gates, they caught a glimpse of several black cars speeding away.

Their leader shouted, "FOLLOW THEM!"

But by the time they reached the main road… the cars had disappeared.

A cold dread filled the air. One of the guards, trembling, picked up his phone. There was no choice.

He dialed.

—

Across the city, phones rang one by one.

Mama, still watching my video, smiled softly as she picked up the call. "Yes?"

The next words made her world stop.

"Ma'am… it's Noah. He's been kidnapped."

The phone slipped from her fingers, hitting the table with a sharp clatter. The room fell silent as she sat there, frozen, her heart hammering against her ribs. Then, without a word, she stood up, her chair scraping loudly against the floor.

Her assistants watched in horror as her expression turned deadly. "Cancel everything," she ordered, her voice shaking with fury. "Now."

—

Sophia, Olivia, Isabella, Emily, Charlotte, Mia, and Lily each received the same call. One by one, their hands clenched into fists. Their smiles vanished. Their worlds shattered.

Sophia crushed the pen in her hand, her voice eerily calm as she whispered, "Lock everything down."

Olivia left her film set without a word, her face stone cold.

Isabella's grip on her weapon tightened. "Mobilize," she commanded.

Emily activated every surveillance system she had, her fingers flying across the keyboard.

Charlotte, Mia, and Lily abandoned everything, their only thought: Noah.

—

The world knew them as the most powerful women alive. But in this moment, they were only one thing—

A family who had just lost their most precious treasure.

And someone would pay.