Chapter 10

The next morning, Brian ate breakfast and left for the office early. He had no idea that the moment he stepped out, Kayden slipped out right after him. At around 10:00 am, the butler, Arlo Bennett, discovered that Kayden was missing. Terrified, he immediately called Brian. "Mr. Norman, big trouble! Kayden is missing!" Brian was in the middle of urgent work but rushed home as soon as he got the call. "What happened? How can he disappear just like that?" After checking the grounds, a bodyguard reported, "Kayden hacked the house's security system. We also found a hole in the flowerbed behind the house. It looks like someone crawled through it. He probably escaped that way." Brian knew what his son was capable of. There was no way anyone had kidnapped Kayden inside the estate. The bigger chance was that he had run off on his own. After all, this was not the first time. The thought gave Brian a pounding headache. He pinched the bridge of his nose and asked Arlo, "When was that hole dug? Didn't you fill the last one?" Cold sweat beaded on Arlo's forehead. "A few days ago, a maid saw Kayden playing with that large smart robot in the backyard. I guess he dug it then. I... had no idea." Brian drew a deep breath. So, the talk of running away last night was not an empty threat. "Fill that hole. Have someone reinforce the back wall!" Knowing that blaming someone else was pointless, he told Henry, "Send people out right now. Find him." "Yes..." Henry answered cautiously, his scalp tingled. Kayden was young, but he was smart. He knew how to avoid being tracked, and the locator on him was already disabled—finding him would take real effort. Still, Henry didn't dare slack off. Everyone knew Kaydem meant everything to Brian. The two bickered often, but Brian doted on his son. They would all be in deep trouble if anything happened to the child. Henry hurried out to search. … While the manor was in chaos, Kayden had already reached Charlotte's place. On the way, he even bought a bouquet. He rang her doorbell, looking pleased with himself. Charlotte had slept badly. All night, she dreamed about that jerk Brian. The dream began with their intimate moments, then shifted to his angry stare as he blamed her for leaving him and their child. The messy dreams ruined her sleep, so she overslept and woke only when the doorbell rang. "Who is it?" She opened the door sleepily. She expected her assistant, but instead, it was the little boy she'd met at the hospital yesterday. Charlotte was startled, instantly wide awake. This was Brian's son. Had that jerk found her so quickly? She looked around in a panic, but the only person outside was the little boy. Kayden's eyes lit up the moment he saw her. Even in pajamas with messy hair, she still looked pretty. He greeted her eagerly. "Hello, we meet again. I picked these flowers just for you!" As she stared at the fresh bouquet, Charlotte felt a complicated mix of emotions. "Why are you here? Who brought you? How did you know I live here?" Kayden answered frankly, "I found the address myself. I like you. I kept thinking about you and couldn't sleep. Pretty ma'am... am I not welcome?" Though young, he could read expressions well and saw that Charlotte was not exactly happy to see him. Charlotte honestly didn't know what expression to wear. After all, he was Brian and Lydia's son. Shock far outweighed joy when she saw him. Then, she reminded herself that grudges between adults shouldn't involve children. She was a mother, too, after all. When faced with an adorable child who said he liked her, she couldn't bring herself to dislike him. She took the flowers and said, "Of course, you are welcome here. Thank you. But did you really find this place on your own?" She was doubtful. Although there were many smart kids, few were this skilled. When he saw her accept the bouquet, Kayden broke into a happy grin. Abashed, he nodded and spilled everything at once. "It's true. I hacked the hospital's cameras and got your license plate. Then, I tracked the route and confirmed you live in this villa estate. "But once I got here, I didn't know which house was yours. The security guard at the gate told me. He's really nice." Charlotte stared in shock. Brian's son had an off-the-charts IQ, and he was only five. Then, she thought of Amber, who was also brilliant. She had to admit Brian's genes were something. A brief daze passed, and a new worry hit her—if the boy could find her, Brian could too. She had to arrange for someone to erase the hospital's surveillance footage. Charlotte acted fast. She pulled out her phone and told someone to handle it. When she finished, she asked, "Sweetheart, did you come all this way to see me for something? If you need medical help, I really don't have time." She looked embarrassed. Judging from last night, Brian was in perfect health. She couldn't tell what was wrong with him at all. Kayden replied in a soft voice, "I know. I'm not here for medical help. I just... wanted to see you and be friends. I really like you. Is that okay?" He spoke with a touch of pleading and sweetness that made him look impossibly cute.