Chapter 493

"Who picked them up? When?" Stella's fingers trembled, barely gripping her phone. She forced herself to stay composed. "I've been at the restaurant this whole time. I never left."

Penny's voice cracked with panic. "They were taken right before I arrived. What should we do?"

"Stay calm." Stella took a deep breath. "Ethan knows better than to go with strangers. Let me check with his teacher first."

The homeroom teacher sounded relieved when she answered. "A middle-aged woman came for him. He seemed happy to see her, so I assumed she was family."

Stella's racing heart slowed slightly. She massaged her temples. "My apologies. It must have been my mother."

She immediately called Grace. "Mom, are the kids home?"

"What?" Grace's voice rose sharply. "Aren't they with you? When you didn't come back, I thought—" She suddenly went silent, breathing unevenly. "Stella, tell me they're not—"

"It's fine!" Stella cut in. "Adrian took them. I assumed he'd bring them home."

Grace sounded doubtful. "Are you sure?"

"Of course." Cold sweat coated Stella's palm. "I just didn't want to deal with him."

She hung up and dialed Adrian's number. Each ring stretched endlessly.

"Yes?" His deep voice finally answered.

"Did you send someone for the children?" she demanded.

Adrian remained calm. "We'll talk when you get here."

"What's going on?" Her voice tightened. "A stranger took our kids!"

A quiet sigh came through the line. "Stella, don't you trust me?"

Those words acted like a sedative. Her tense muscles relaxed slightly as she hailed a cab to the Roland estate.

Benjamin waited at the gates, hurrying forward when she arrived. "Miss Stella, the young master said you'd come. I almost didn't believe him."

"Where are they?" She rushed inside.

"In the living room," Benjamin said, leading the way. "The master said it was too complicated to explain over—"

Ethan came barreling down the hallway before he could finish. "Mom!"

Luna and Celeste abandoned their crayons on the coffee table and toddled over. The impact of their small bodies nearly knocked Stella backward, her eyes burning.

She scanned the room. "What on earth...?"