Chapter 309 Skylar is Missing
Wilmer's voice wasn't loud, but it hit me like a freight train.
My mind went blank, and I just stood there, frozen.
"Wilmer, what did you just say? Did you lose Skylar? How could you lose her?!" I snapped out of it and screamed at him, tears streaming down my face.
Wilmer looked utterly ashamed, his head hanging low, his voice trembling. "Ms. Cooper, I'm so sorry, I really am..."
Hearing my outburst, my late-working colleagues peeked into my office. Theo rushed in, heading straight to Wilmer.
"What happened?" he asked.
"Mr. Howard was holding Skylar's hand, walking ahead of me. We left the restaurant, and Mr. Howard told Skylar there was a beautiful fountain across the block. Skylar insisted on seeing it, so I had to go with her. But as we walked, Skylar suddenly said she left her balloon at the restaurant and asked me to get it for her," Wilmer recalled.
"So you left her?" Theo asked coldly.
Wilmer replied, "I didn't want to. I wasn't familiar with the area, and it was full of narrow alleys. I felt it was dangerous."
"Why didn't you protect Skylar when you sensed danger?" I shouted, my voice breaking.
Wilmer remarked, "I tried to convince Skylar to see the fountain first and get the balloon later, but she wouldn't listen and insisted I go. I couldn't argue with her. Thinking it would only take a moment, I told Mr. Howard to watch Skylar and rushed back to the restaurant."
"Are you saying Edward was with Skylar?" I asked, my voice trembling with hope.
Wilmer nodded. "Yes, when I left, they were together. But when I hurried back with the balloon, they were gone."
"Did you search the area?" Theo remained calm.
"I searched every alley and abandoned building in that area," Wilmer confirmed. "I even asked everyone I met, but no one saw them."
I was on the verge of breaking down, ready to lash out at Wilmer again.
Theo gently patted my shoulder, his voice steady yet soothing. "Diana, this isn't the moment for accusations. Our priority is to locate Skylar."
Theo turned his gaze back to Wilmer.
Wilmer's head hung even lower.
"Wilmer, did you call the police when you realized Skylar was missing? They have the resources and expertise to find her faster," Theo suggested.
Wilmer lowered his head, his voice tinged with frustration. "I did, but the police said it hasn't been long enough to file a report. They told me to keep looking. I don't know what to do. It's all my fault. If I hadn't gone back for the balloon..."
He squatted down, clutching his hair in despair. "I searched everywhere I could think of before coming back to you."
I was overwhelmed with regret, wishing I could turn back time and give myself a good slap for being so foolish. How could I have trusted Edward, who was clearly unreliable, with Skylar? If anything happened to her, what good would my company and assets be?Theo frowned, deep in thought. After a while, he suddenly said, "Since the police can't help right now, we can't just sit around. Diana, I think we should check Edward's place. Maybe he took Skylar there."
Wilmer's eyes lit up like he'd just found a lifeline, and he nodded eagerly. "Yeah, maybe Skylar's at Mr. Howard's house. I'll go check right now."
He stood up, looking at me with hope.
Edward's house? I was momentarily confused. Where did Edward live? I had no idea.
"How could I have been so foolish, not even knowing where Edward lives?" I muttered in despair, "If only I had known, we might have found him by now, and Skylar wouldn't be in danger." Tears started to well up in my eyes again.
Theo gently patted my shoulder, trying to comfort me. "Focusing on that won't do us any good right now. We need to find Skylar first, and we can handle Edward later."
He paused, then asked, "Diana, do you think Edward might have taken Skylar on purpose?"
"What do you mean?" I was in a fog, unable to grasp what Theo was implying.
"From the initial encounter to offering to watch Skylar today, and now her disappearance, don't you think it's all too coincidental?" Theo's words made sense, leaving me speechless.
"Maybe he planned this all along, waiting for the chance to take Skylar," Theo said, continuing his analysis as he noticed my lack of response.
Theo's words made my head buzz, and my last shred of rationality crumbled.
"No, it can't be," I said, my lips trembling as tears streamed down my face and I collapsed into a chair.
Wilmer quickly stepped forward to support me, anxiously saying, "Ms. Cooper, don't panic. Maybe it's not that bad. Mr. Howard was always kind to Skylar. He might not mean any harm; he just went about it the wrong way."
Theo nodded in agreement. "Yeah, Edward's concern for Skylar seemed genuine. Maybe he just wanted to spend time with her, to make up for lost family moments."
I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself.
I said, "Whatever the case, we need to find them first. Wilmer, think hard. Did Edward mention any place, or where that fountain is?"
Wilmer frowned, thinking for a moment, and then his eyes lit up. "He mentioned a park he used to visit during school. Maybe he took Skylar there?"
Hearing the word "park" took me back to my school days. Edward would often pass a park on his way home from piano lessons, and I'd frequently go there, hoping to bump into him.
"Whether it's right or not, we need to check," Theo said decisively.
Hearing we were going to search for Skylar, my colleagues wanted to join us.
By now, night had fallen, and the city was shrouded in darkness.
"No need. Finish your work and go home to rest. I might not be able to handle company matters for a while, so please bear with me." I tried to reassure everyone.
Searching for someone didn't require a large group. If Edward had taken Skylar intentionally, having too many people around could create unnecessary complications.
The three of us hurried to the park.
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