No Remarriage for us Stay Away (Lenora)

Chapter 473 Harrietta Is Missing

Meeting the girl's gaze, she instinctively explained, "I'm thinking the three of us could share a meal together as a family."

"My dad loves eating lamb!" Harrietta's dark eyes sparkled as she spoke. "Lamb stew, barbecue lamb, grilled lamb skewers, lamb broth... He loves them all." "Is that so?"

"Yes." The girl nodded, remaining composed.

"All right. I'll remember that. I wonder if your dad has had his lunch at this time? Hattie why don't you give him a call and check on him?"

Wow. She's giving the game away so fast! How impatient!

Harrietta pursed her lips. "No. Uncle Zachary might be busy with social gatherings at this time. I can't disturb him."

"How is that disturbing him? Your dad would be thrilled to receive your call!" Isla exclaimed.

Harrietta pursed her lips and shook her head. "No."noveldrama

Isla glared at Harrietta with a gloomy expression, but it didn't seem to faze her in the slightest. She continued to eat and drink as if nothing had happened. It was like a punch that fell flat, leaving her feeling deflated. This girl is quite vigilant.

After lunch, Isla took Harrietta back to kindergarten.

Before the lunch break ended, Harrietta took a brief nap. As the prep bell rang, signaling the end of the break, the children filed back into the classroom.

Molly couldn't help asking curiously, "Hattie, was that your mom who came to pick you up at noon today? She seemed a bit different from the woman I saw at the school gate the other day."

"I know! I know!" A young boy from the back row suddenly blurted out, "My dad told me, Harrietta is an illegitimate daughter!"

Isla, as the niece of a prominent leader, had always attracted those eager to get close to her, hoping to win favor with the leadership. Their eyes were always on her, watching her every move. It didn't take long for the more observant individuals to see through the layers, picking up on subtle clues in her recent behavior."

"Harrietta's an illegitimate daughter?"

"What does that mean?"

"It's the child your father had with another woman!" Paxton shot back, his voice sharp. "I can't stand illegitimate daughters!"

The children chattered, discussing Harrietta's identity.

Molly said, "Hattie, don't worry. Even if you were an illegitimate daughter, I would not hate you."

"Exactly! Hattie just brought us so much delicious food. You all shouldn't be talking about her like this!"

Harrietta hung her head low, pursing her lips and remaining silent.

That weird lady is so annoying. Why does she keep coming here to find me? In order to get closer to Uncle Zachary, she wants to reunite with me, doing whatever she wants without ever considering my feelings.

Throughout the entire afternoon, Harrietta was visibly dispirited. She spent her breaks laying on the desk, not showing any interest in going out to play.

When school was dismissed in the evening, she followed her teacher in line as they exited the school gates. Immediately, she noticed the driver from the Fuller residence waiting outside.

She grew increasingly agitated.

Has Uncle Zachary not won over Aunt Lenora yet? Or does Aunt Lenora hate me now, and I have to stay in the Fuller residence forever? No, I must take matters into my own hands!

Before the driver could see her, she used the excuse of a stomach ache to sneak back to school.

At six o'clock, Lenora received a phone call, informing her that Harrietta was missing.

Upon discovering her disappearance, Delilah instantly phoned the guardian of the child.

She didn't have Isla's number, and her attempts to reach Zachary were unsuccessful, leaving her with no other option but to call Lenora.

Lenora paused, immediately setting down the spatula in her hand. She wiped her hands on her apron, turned off the gas, and as she walked toward the living room, she asked, "What exactly happened? Hattie has always been smart and sensible. How could she possibly disappear?"

"I'm not entirely sure. The teacher who was in charge at the time said she was still around when they took attendance after school. Later, Hattie said she had a stomachache and went to the restroom. She didn't come out for a while, and when the teacher went to check on her, she was gone. We've been trying to reach her father, but he's not answering his phone," Delilah explained.

At that time, a group of children gathered at the entrance, with teachers positioned at the school gate, waiting for the parents to pick up their children.

Harrietta ran back to school alone. The teacher, believing there was no imminent danger, didn't follow her. No one could have predicted something like this would happen.

"Are we certain that she vanished within the school?"

"I'm not quite sure about that either," responded Delilah, careful not to be too explicit. "We're already reviewing the surveillance footage."

"I'm on my way now."

"All right."

After ending the call, Lenora removed the apron she was wearing, grabbed her car keys, and headed out.

Halfway through the drive, Lenora received another call from Delilah. Apparently, after reviewing the surveillance footage, they discovered that Harrietta had slipped out the back door.

The cafeteria at the kindergarten

required a large amount of fresh ingredients daily. The back door, being conveniently close to the

cafeteria, was primarily used for net

receiving these deliveries and was usually kept closed otherwise.

Before sneaking out, she made sure to distract the man from the kitchen.

The kindergarten's surveillance system covered only the immediate premises. Where she went after leaving the grounds remained a mystery.

"Have you called the police?" Lenora asked.

"The police have already been alerted," said the teacher.

Without delay, Lenora headed to the local police station in the kindergarten's district.

By the time she arrived, Delilah and the Fuller residence's driver were already there, briefing the officers on the situation. The police were in the process of retrieving the surveillance footage.

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The footage revealed a little girl in a skirt, walking along the road with a backpack slung over her shoulders.

"That's her," Delilah pointed out.

The police officer fast-forwarded the footage, tracking the girl's movements. They watched as she walked steadily to a bus stop and boarded a bus. Shifting their focus, the officers carefully reviewed the footage from each stop along the route.

A few stops later, Harrietta disembarked. After waiting briefly at the stop, she boarded a second bus, continuing her journey.

"Where is she going?" Delilah asked, her curiosity evident.

Noticing that Harrietta was traveling alone and appeared to be safe, Delilah let out a quiet sigh of relief. At least it wasn't a dangerous situation. Meanwhile, Lenora's eyes remained fixed on the screen.

After stepping off another bus, Harrietta continued walking ahead. She traveled a considerable distance before finally turning into a residential area.

"This residential area is called Nova Residences," the police officer noted. "Why would she come here? Does she have any relatives living here? Is that how she knew the way?" After a brief pause, Lenora responded, "I live here."

She hurried home without hesitation. As she stepped out of the elevator, her eyes scanned the hallway until they landed on the girl, squatting by her front door.

She breathed a sigh of relief.

Sophia was away on a business trip, leaving the house empty.

Upon seeing Harrietta, both Delilah and the driver were relieved.

At the sound of the elevator, Harrietta looked up, her eyes meeting Lenora's. She slowly stood up, her gaze hesitant and shy. In a soft, almost uncertain voice, she whispered, "Aunt Lenora."

When Harrietta spotted the Fuller residence's driver behind Lenora, she pouted in dissatisfaction.

Lenora strode over, her tone icy as she addressed her. "Harrietta, are you asking for trouble? You slipped out of school without a word and came here on your own. What if someone had taken you?"

"Aunt Lenora, are you worried about me?" Harrietta blinked.

Lenora didn't respond to her question. "Go back with the driver."

"I don't want to go back to the Fuller residence!" Harrietta sobbed, her tear-filled eyes locked on Lenora as she clung desperately to her leg.

Lenora sighed, feeling helpless. She tried to pry the girl's hands away. "Come on, be good. Go back with the driver."

"No!" Harrietta cried, her grip tightening around Lenora's leg, her voice filled with heartbreaking desperation. The driver looked at Lenora, troubled.

Lenora, exasperated, looked at the girl clinging to her. She let out a long sigh, finally relenting. "Come in." She told the driver, "You can go back first. Let Grandma know that Hattie is staying with me." "Okay."

The driver and Delilah both left.