Chapter 94: Chapter 94

When I turned around, there was no sign of Athens. I took huge strides and remembered the last time I let her go. I'm not sure when I let go of her hand. As my hands begin to tremble, I hold them. I'm at a loss on what to do. My heart is pounding. Because tears are accumulating in my eyes, I'm already crashing with the people I encounter. Nothing enters my mind as where I left her, no matter what I think.

"Athens?" I couldn't keep the shudder from coming out of my mouth any longer. I turned to my side, hoping she was messing with me while she was behind me, but she wasn't.

"Athens?" I shouted louder for her to hear. But I knew the ruckus would simply drown out my voice, making it hard for her to hear me. I raced to Lost and Found because Athen was smart, and I knew she'd seek for assistance if she couldn't find her way back to me. I'm not afraid she'll cry if she doesn't see me; I'm afraid the person she sees will be callous and pull her away from here.

I gasped as I dashed to the road where Lost and Found was located. People on the mall are already staring at me since others are upset when I bump them. I just assumed it was a negative thing once I hit someone and it became furious at me, and I wasn't mistaken.  I hit the guy, and he pulled my arm to keep me from getting away. Because of the man's yell in my face, the crowd peered at us even more intently.

"Are you blind?  Can't you see what's going on around you?" The pressure of his grasp on my arm was already suffocating my hands. His nail was already driving into my skin, and there was nothing I could do but close my eyes and take the pain. I didn't have time for this. I need  to get out of here.

"Look, I'm sorry, okay?" I attempted to take his hand away, but it just became tighter. I have no idea how to get out of this situation because I have never been in one before. The man wouldn't let me go, and the mob became larger. I didn't cover my face since they were just getting more suspicious of how I looked, and they could even blame what happened here.

"It's your fault, yet you're still being cocky!" I closed my eyes as his voice resonated across the mall. My eardrums seem to be dilated. He was turning into a scandalous man because I just accidentally pushed him. Is what happened so big a deal to him? I just let him say what he wanted and never listened again. I'm expecting a guard to come here since I can't stand the tightness of his hands on me any longer.

I pulled out my phone, expecting only the police to call because the onlookers seemed to have no intention of helping us and also of calling the guard to stop this man, but before I could dial the number, there was a tiny child. She yelled out to me and gripped my knee before I could ascertain that it was Athen.

“MOMMY!”

I slid the phone back into my bag. Even if I can't pull my hand away from the man, I finally reclaim it. I knelt in front of Athen and hugged her as a result. I was no longer aware of what was going on around me because all I knew was that my heart was hammering from panic. I can't convey how worried I am about losing her. Only then did the enormous grains of tears that I had previously resisted begin to fall.

"I am worried sick!  What happened to you?!" I couldn't keep my voice from becoming harsher, but she only held me back, and I kissed her on the forehead; I could see she was already smiling at me, and was still naïve about the terror I had in case she ever vanished; she's the only one I have, and I think I'll die if she left.

"I'm sorry, mommy," she said as she kissed my cheek, and I felt the stickiness on my cheek. "I noticed some cotton candy and followed it, but I don't think you saw me," she laughed as she related the story, and I soon joined in. When I hear her laugh again, I feel relieved. All I need is to hear her every giggle.

"How did you get back here?" I asked, tucking her strand of hair behind her ear. As I drew out the moist tissue to remove her stickiness, I pulled her to the side so we wouldn't have to bother the passer by. I cleaned my cheek first, followed by her fingers and mouth. When I was finished, she pointed to something in the distance.

“Because of Mister.”

When my gaze reached where she was pointing, the man was also staring at us.  Everything around me had vanished, and the only thing I could hear was the thumping of my heart. I felt the man's eyes enter my soul, his jaw tighten, and he walked towards us. I clutched Athen closely because I was frightened I might pass out when Adonis reached here.

I flinch as he asks Athen, "Is she your mommy?" I was no longer staring at him, but rather at the floor. I looked around and saw no one else who was interested in us except the women who were simply looking at me, which I believe was because of Adonis. I didn't peek at him yet since I was frightened he'd figure out what was on my thoughts. I'm at a loss on how to get out of this mess. My sole intention was to go shopping in peace, so how did it come to this?

“Yes.” Athen chuckle.

"Where is your father?"

I carry Athen because of his unexpected inquiry. "Let's go, Athen; don't you want to eat fried chicken?" I said as I turned to face Adonis and bow. "Thank you for taking back my daughter." I looked at him and was ready to go when I was stopped. I noticed his icy eyes that didn't feel anything for me.

"I want a reward for helping you get Athens back."