Being surrounded by so many bodies, Roxanne could not help but worry about the little ones and was hoping to find a more secluded spot where they could stay.
As the beach grew increasingly populated, it drew a frown from Lucian who called out to the quartet ahead of him. “Come to Daddy, Essie.”
He was wary of Roxanne’s way of herding the children and was afraid that Benny, who was occupying the fringes, would get lost in the crowd.
Estella’s unwillingness to comply was written all over her face. She held on fast to Roxanne’s hand and refused to let go.
With a slightly more solemn look, Lucian reiterated what he said previously, “There are too many people here. Come over to Daddy and let me take you.”
The little girl stubbornly shook her head because she wanted to stick close to Roxanne and the boys.
Observing the stalemate, Roxanne felt sorry for the little girl. “I’ll look after her. Just keep an eye out for us from the rear,” she said in a gentle tone.
Hearing Roxanne’s words made the girl smile from ear to ear.
Lucian’s eyes darkened, and he went silent for a while before he quietly assented.
En route, Lucian kept pace with the four in front of him. His eyes were focused and vigilant on the off chance that any of the children were to become separated from the group
“Sir, Madam, how about some toys for your children!” said a toy vendor who came up to them to hawk his wares,
Forced to stop, Roxanne politely declined, “No, thank you.”
With that, she tried to guide the children around him, but the persistent vendor went on to impcde their advancement from the front.
Having both hands tied down by the children and surrounded by so many people around them, Roxanne could not be expected to free up her hands to make payment. Hence, the irate woman could only turn him down.
The children, who preferred to let their eyes wander all around them, did not mind that either.
Just as Roxanne was driven to the point of exasperation, the man behind them had already stepped up to the fore without her noticing.
“We’re not interested in buying anything.” The poker-faced Lucian regarded the vendor icily.
He was nearly a full head taller than his counterpart; he left the vendor doubtlessly dumbstruck
It took a moment before the latter replied sheepishly, “Sorry to bother you.
With that, the man promptly turned and vanished into the crowd.
Roxanne exhaled in relief. She was about to lead the children onward when she heard Archie’s fretful child-like voice. “Mommy!”
Her heart tensed up when she heard the boy’s voice.
“Benny’s gone, Mommy!” The overwrought boy clutched her hand with the inside of his palms slicked with sweat.
He distinctly recalled holding his younger brother’s hand, but in retrospect, he had no idea when exactly his own brother went missing.
Roxanne’s heart started racing, and she stopped in her tracks when she heard that. Regardless, she suppressed the perturbation she felt inside and promptly followed up with Archie, “Calm down, now. Could you tell Mommy when Benny go missing?”
Shaken up from self-reproach, the anxious boy shook his head. “I don’t know…”
The look on the liule chap caused the color to drain from Roxanne’s face.
“I think that might have happened during the time I was talking to that man back there,” came Lucian’s voice from beside her.
Roxanne turned to look at him with an awful expression on her face. “I had my eyes on them just now. Benny was still there before I engaged the vendor,” Lucian said.
That might suggest that Benny could not have gone very far. “I’ll go take a look around,” a frowning Roxanne said in distress. “I’ll come too!” Archie quickly chimed in.
Feeling responsible for losing sight of his own brother, he thus felt obliged to help locate him.
Seeing that Archie and Roxanne were so agitated, Estella promptly said, “I want to come along too!”
Without time to overthink it, Roxanne intended to lead the children out on a search.
They had only taken two steps when Lucian stopped them. “Take the kids and wait outside. I’ll look around here.”
Roxanne wanted to reject that proposal.
“Benny has already gone missing, and it’s crowded here. Surely you don’t want Archie and Essie to get lost as well, do you?” Lucian regarded her in earnest.
Hearing that made Roxanne hesitate.
With his deep voice, Lucian offered some words of consolation, “It’s quite costly to holiday at this resort, so you can be sure that no one here will harbor designs on your boy. We need only to worry about whether Benny will be able to take care of himself.”
Roxanne lowered her gaze in a bid to calm herself before she gave Lucian an affirmative nod. “Please help me find him.”
Lucian acknowledged her before turning around to wade into the crowd, whereas Roxanne squeezed her way out with the children in tow.
“Does Benny have his watch on, Mommy?” reminded Archie when they arrived somewhere with fewer people around.
Roxanne lowered her eyes to regard the boy who pointed at the watch around his own wrist.
Those watches that each brother possessed could pinpoint their own location via GPS.
Roxanne became deeply annoyed with herself that in her disquietude, she had allowed such an important matter to slip her mind.
When she recovered her composure, she immediately pulled out her phone to track her younger son’s position.
After a series of operations, she saw that the positional marker indicated that the watch was inside the hotel and had not moved an inch since.
Benny did not put it on when we came out today because he was apparently too lazy.
”
Staring at the red marker on the screen, Roxanne could not prevent her own eyes from reddening
It was the first time something of that sort had happened since Benny was raised in her care.
Despite Lucian’s assurances that there would not likely be anyone with criminal intent against children present there, Roxanne could not repress her own worries.
Benny must be so afraid to be separated from us…
Seeing that his own mother was on the verge of tears, Archie bowed his head in contrite. “I’m so sorry, Mommy. It’s my fault for failing to take care of Benny…”
Looking down at Archie beside her, Roxanne suppressed the uneasiness she felt inside and patted the boy’s head reassuringly. “It’s not your fault. It’s mine. I’m the one who failed to take care of you guys.”
She would never have allowed the children to be brought into such a crowded area had she known any better. But at that point, it was too late for regrets.
Estella was very worried about Benny as well. Seeing Roxanne and Archie feeling so down, the girl blinked and lightly tugged at the corner of Roxanne’s top.
Roxanne turned to look, only to see a concerned-looking Estella stand with her arms spread wide. “Hug me, Ms. Jarvis!”
Roxanne felt her heart ache. She squatted down and pulled both kids into her arms, tears welling up in her eyes.
“Don’t be sad, Ms. Jarvis, Daddy will find Benny!” Estella did her utmost to try to comfort Roxanne.
Patting Estella on the head, Roxanne quietly nodded, for she feared that she might
sound nasal if she tried to speak.
Chapter 544 Lucian’s face gradually turned grim, as he could not locate Benny after searching the crowd alone. Although he was certain no one there would harbor ill intent toward Benny, he could not help feeling worried at that moment.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.