"Miss La Rosa, the little Miss and Master are missing."
After making the call, Alessia met up with the two kids at the mall and then arrived at the amusement center. There, she encountered Mrs. Cate, who looked flustered.
Alessia frowned and glanced at the drinks Mrs. Cate had just bought, and she quickly understood what had happened.
This kind of situation is usually Chris' usual trick. He must have deliberately taken Mrs. Cate away and sneaked out to play.
"Let's first search inside the mall. If that doesn't work, we'll check the surveillance at the service center. You start from the first floor and I'll start from the seventh floor."
In the coffee shop, Bianca looked at the booth where a little girl, dressed the same as Eleanor, hid her face under a hat, and frowned.
Suddenly, she remembered the time she had encountered Elle and 'Chris' at the Ritz Hotel.
Could this little girl also be a cross-dressing master?
Kids these days were quite imaginative.
"Auntie, she's actually my friend, she's just a bit shy," Eleanor stood up and stood in front of Christopher.
"Yes, Auntie, don't scare her," Christian stood up and held Bianca's hand.
"Is that so?" Bianca expressed doubt.
"Of course," Eleanor and Christian nodded simultaneously, pulling Bianca out with one on each side.
"Auntie, since you wanted to go to the restroom, I want to go too," Eleanor said as they walked, clutching his stomach with one hand.
"Me too," Christian chimed in.
And so, Bianca, half-pushed and half-dragged, left the coffee shop, turned the corner towards the restroom, and suddenly saw someone at the corner of her eye.
If she wasn't mistaken, it was Alessia.
Bianca stopped in her tracks, unable to help but turn back and peek around the corner curiously.
"Auntie, what are you looking at?" Eleanor followed her back.
"Shh, looking at a bad person!" Bianca turned back and made a hushing gesture to Eleanor.
Since Eleanor didn't know Alessia, and Chris had gone to the men's restroom, she would just take a peek, no big deal.
Eleanor followed Bianca's gaze.
It was Mommy!
Eleanor widened her eyes, her small hand covering her mouth in panic.
But what happened next made Eleanor even more panicked.
Because she saw her big brother, dressed in women's clothing, coming out of the coffee shop, coincidentally meeting Mommy face to face.
Eleanor instinctively looked at Bianca.
Bianca's expression was stunned, then she blinked, turned her head away unconfidently, and said, "Quick, help me see if I'm seeing things. How did I mistake your friend for Christian?"
Eleanor's expression was complicated, and for a moment, she didn't know how to explain.
Bianca saw Eleanor's expression and seemed to finally realize something, raising her foot to go confirm it herself.
Eleanor hugged Bianca's legs tightly without thinking.
"Auntie, please don't go. If you go, I won't have a dad anymore. Without a dad, I won't have a complete family. I want a complete family, sob..."
The little one cried heartbreakingly, portraying a pitiful image of wanting a harmonious family vividly.
It's said to be heartbreaking to witness, and tearful to hear.
A hint of hesitation flashed across Bianca's face, but in the end, she bent down and picked up Eleanor.
This concerns her brother, she can't just let it go.
Just as she took a step, her legs were hugged again.
It was Christian who came out of the men's restroom.
Christian looked up, tears welling in his dark grape-like eyes, like an abandoned little kitten.
"Sob... I beg you, I was wrong, shouldn't have deceived Auntie. Actually, Mommy gave birth to triplets that year, and Mommy is Al... hiccup..."
Christian hiccupped, Bianca looked at her nephew who was crying so much it was adorable, feeling both distressed and stunned by the sudden double-layered truth.
How could this be possible?
Bianca glanced at Eleanor in her arms.
The little girl's soft hands hugged her neck and nodded affirmatively, "Auntie, I'm your niece too, really."
What...?
Bianca pressed her lips tightly.
Christian still had tears in his eyes, he tugged at Bianca's clothes pitifully, pleading.
"Auntie, can we just hide for now? I'll explain slowly to you. My sister and I are still here, we can be your hostages."
What does she want hostages for!
Bianca took a deep breath, looking at the pitiful pair, hesitated for a moment, and finally compromised.
As long as Alessia is in Toronto, she can't escape.
At the entrance of the café.
"Alessia's expression was serious: 'Christian La Rosa, how did you promise Mommy before?'
Christopher hung his little head, silently enduring Alessia's anger.
He didn't want to lie to Mommy.
Alessia watched his usually lively son become silent, and even with a full heart of anger, she couldn't ignite it.
Forget it, after all, the son has long been wild, as long as nothing happens, it's fine.
Helpless, Alessia rubbed Christopher's head: 'What about your sister?'
Christopher blinked and looked around. Auntie and his sister went to the restroom, they should be back soon.
Christopher nervously pursed his lips.
Then he heard a vibration from his phone.
Christopher took out his phone.
It was a message from Christian.
[Brother, you and Mommy go back to the amusement center first, sister will be there soon.]
Christopher's furrowed brow relaxed, he looked up at Alessia and spoke with composure, 'Mommy, she is at amusement center.'
Eleanor went back first!
Alessia's helplessness deepened, she held Christopher's hand. "Next time, you can't run off without saying goodbye, and you can't ignore phone calls either."
...
Amusement center on the first floor.
When Alessia and Christopher arrived, they indeed saw Eleanor playing with ocean balls on the bouncing trampoline.
Alessia sighed.
It's time to supervise her son and daughter to stop their habit of running around everywhere, after all, this is their home country, and they might bump into people from the Carter family easily.
At two o'clock in the afternoon, Alessia drove back to Forest hill, dropped them off at home, and then restarted the car.
At two fifty, she arrived at the café downstairs of Sisca's company. Just as she sat down, she saw Sisca, wearing a beige fisherman's hat and tea-colored sunglasses, appearing at the door.
"I'm here, tell me, what do you want to discuss about Dominic with me?" Sisca, sitting down, didn't take off her hat or sunglasses, showing clear wariness towards her.
Alessia sat casually on the sofa, her gaze cold as she spoke directly, "I lied to you!"
"I knew it," Sisca smirked, standing up with a swift motion, disdainfully saying, "Alessia, you're dreaming if you think I'll let you off."
"You're wrong," Alessia leaned forward, "I never beg anyone. I just want to make a deal with you."
With that, Alessia took an old phone out of her pocket and placed it on the table.
"There's a video in here, from when I was recording 'The Dark Walker.' It's enough to prove that I'm the original writer of 'The Dark Walker.'"
"You lied to me, it's been so long, how could you still have evidence?"
Sisca halted her steps, her gaze flickering as she stared at the old phone on the table.
Alessia raised an eyebrow nonchalantly, "You may not believe it, but as long as I release this video, your carefully crafted perfect image will be affected. What I want is simple, just one statement from you online, saying that the video of slapping is just a synthesis, and this matter will be over."
Sisca remained silent, seemingly contemplating.
Alessia continued, "I've been Mrs. Carter for three years. Even if you don't care about online opinions, do you really not care about the opinions of the Carter family? Bianca's eyes can't tolerate any sand, not to mention Mrs. Carter, and the Carter family aunties..."
With each name of the Carter family members Alessia mentioned, Sisca's face grew more grim.
Finally, she abruptly turned back, in a lightning-fast move, grabbed the old phone from the table, and with a loud 'thud,' threw it into the steaming coffee cup.
"Alright, now there's no evidence. Even if you have backups, I'm not afraid. I can also say that your video is synthesized. Alessia, let me tell you a truth today, just because you're in the right doesn't mean you're right."
Sisca raised her head proudly, as if she had won a battle.
This demeanor, far from that of an adored star, was clearly that of a shrewd troublemaker.
This is Dominic's choice...
Alessia spoke up, "Are you sure you want to do this?"
"It was you who provoked me first!" Sisca shamelessly twisted the truth.
"You plagiarized my work, came to flaunt it in front of me, and when I gave you a couple of slaps, it's me who provoked you first?" Alessia sneered.
Sisca showed no shame, arrogantly saying, "Alessia, you forget, just because you're in the right doesn't mean you're right."
With that, she walked away with a self-perceived grace.
Alessia looked at the phone in the coffee cup, her eyes darkening.
Actually, there was nothing in that old phone.
Alessia stood up and left the café. Just as she reached the door, she saw Marcus and Dylan standing in front of Sisca.
Marcus kept smiling, seemingly pleading with Sisca.
At that moment, Sisca, who had her back to her, suddenly turned around with a malicious smile.
"Marcus, don't say I'm not giving you face. If you want me to make a statement, just have Alessia kneel down, and I'll immediately clarify it on social media."
Alessia furrowed her brow.
Marcus quickly stepped forward to her.
"Miss La Rosa, you heard her. Now, you don't need to clarify anything, you just need to kneel down to resolve the issue. Kneeling won't cost you anything, I'll find you a discreet place. Besides us, no one will know about your kneeling."
Dylan's eyes were ablaze with anger as he grabbed Marcus. "What are you doing?"
Marcus's eyes were also red, he shook off Dylan and said bluntly, "What am I doing? You signed a betting agreement just last month. If this isn't resolved, the company will go bankrupt."
After saying that, Marcus turned to Alessia with a pleading look. "Miss La Rosa, if this matter is resolved, I'll give you one million. One million for one kneel is a good deal."
One million is a sky-high figure for an ordinary person. Though this woman may have some talent, her attire is ordinary, she probably has never seen this much money in her life.
***