After ten minutes, Sasha and Vivian had covered quite a distance. However, there was still no sign of Molly and her mom, Karen.
“Mommy, let’s not walk any further. I’m scared,” Vivian mumbled.
Children were naturally fearful of unfamiliar surroundings. When Vivian saw that there was not a soul in sight, she didn’t feel like walking any further.
Sasha was not willing to do so either. But what if something happened to Molly and her mom?
In the end, Sasha carried her daughter and forged ahead for a few more miles.
“Karen? Molly? Where are you?”
All she could hear was silence. As it was getting dark, the eerie surroundings sent a chill down Sasha’s spine.
She soon lost the courage to continue and finally decided to return for help.
However, just when she turned around, a snake with a torso as thick as a baby’s arm slithered out from the bushes. It caused her to exclaim in fright and roll down the side of the road.
“Ah!”
Meanwhile, Sebastian and Matteo’s job was to scatter the fertilizer on the farmers’ behalf.
It was a simple task where they didn’t need to get their hands dirty.
However, the atmosphere within the group was tense. Everyone had a gloomy expression on, and no one was willing to say a word, including the two children.
When Roxanne sensed what was going on, she tried to lighten the atmosphere. “Matteo, what do you think we should bring back? I heard we can take the vegetables we picked home with us.”
The boy merely stared coldly at her.
Roxanne didn’t know what else to say.
Feeling helpless, she looked in Ian’s direction.
However, Ian openly showed his displeasure by walking off instead.
He approached his father and suggested, “Daddy, let’s search for Mommy and Vivi.”
Sebastian was standing there checking his phone when he was supposed to be planting seeds together with his children. Evidently, he wasn’t as enthusiastic compared to how he had been in the morning.
When he heard the children wanting to see their mom, his gaze darkened before he shifted it away from his phone.
“No, you can’t!”
“Why not? Our work is almost done, and we can leave soon. However, we’re not sure about Mommy and Vivi’s progress. What if they haven’t finished their work?”
When Matteo sensed his dad’s apprehension, he hurried over to back Ian up.
However, both children were disappointed when Sebastian didn’t allow them to do so.
Not only did he forbid them from seeing Sasha and Vivian; he even got Roxanne to carry them away once they were done.
After that, the group left the village and returned home.
Damn you, Daddy! You will regret this!
It wasn’t until an hour later when Karen led some men in search of Sasha and Vivian. When they heard the cries of a child, they realized both of them had fallen down the hill.
“Sasha, are you alright? How’s Vivian?”
After the mother-daughter duo was rescued, Karen felt bad when she found out that Sasha had been searching for her and Molly before falling down.
Luckily, everyone is safe.
“We’re alright. Vivi has just gotten a fright and some light scratches. It’s no big deal,” Sasha reassured her in an exhausted tone.
Only then did everyone heave a sigh of relief.
Since both mother and daughter were now found, many of the parents began to leave for home.
Molly and her mom were also preparing to leave.
“Sasha, we’re going off now before it gets too dark.”
“In that case, has Ian and Matteo gone home?” Sasha asked casually, holding out hope.
However, she felt a chill run down her spine when Karen told her that the boys had already left.
In fact, they had left before the teacher declared the event over.
Why are they in such a hurry to leave both of us behind?
Sebastian probably intended it.
Feeling disheartened, Sasha laughed wryly. “I think it’s better that I stay here overnight. Since Vivi is both hurt and traumatized, I’m afraid the long trek might be too much for her.”
“In that case…”
Karen hesitated for a while before she finally agreed. She promised that she would inform the organizers on their behalf before leaving.
With that, Sasha and Vivian stayed back.
At night, the village was extremely quiet. After dinner, both of them lay in their room within the farmhouse. However, Sasha was unable to sleep because of how silent it was.
Her mind kept wandering toward the day’s events.
Everything had happened as how she had intended them to. Given how badly Sebastian treated her, it only demonstrated that their relationship was damaged beyond salvation.
Although there was nothing for her to complain about, she felt miserable still.
Lying on her bed, her ears were filled with the sound of frogs croaking. However, she could feel a knot in her heart it was causing her immense frustration.
Why am I feeling this way?
Have I not steeled my heart enough? Or have I forgotten about the harm the Hayes family caused me?
Throughout the night, Sasha tossed and turned in bed.
Knock! Knock!
“Ms. Wand, someone is here for you,” their farm host called out suddenly.
