Sweet Revenge: Jace & Emerald

Emerald’s heart raced as she frantically scanned the playground, her eyes wide with panic. The cheerful laughter of other children felt like a cruel mockery of her fear. Ace had disappeared from her sight. Just moments ago, he was playing on the slide with his nanny, watching over him.

“Liam, we need to find him. We need to find Ace!” Her voice trembled, tears welling as she grabbed her friend’s arm. Liam nodded and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

“We will, M. We’ll find him,” Liam replied, calm but firm. Once again, he scanned the area, his mind racing through possible scenarios.

Young Morgan’s mind was a whirl of dark possibilities. She took deep breaths, trying to calm herself. Her baby boy, her sweet little Ace-where could he be? She felt an overwhelming sense of guilt and helplessness, her chest tight with fear. Each second that ticked by felt like an eternity.

They’ve searched everywhere, starting at the slide where Ace’s shoes were found. Emerald’s hands were trembling as she clutched the small sneakers. A pang of anguish shot through her. The boy loved those shoes. He had picked them out himself, insisting on the ones with the little dinosaurs on them.

“Liam, what if something happens to him? What if…” She couldn’t finish the sentence; her voice was breaking. Liam squeezed her hand, his eyes steady.

“Let’s check again,” Liam suggested, leading her toward the row of swings at the far end of the playground. They called out Ace’s name, their voices carrying a desperate edge.

Emerald’s mind raced back to the moments leading up to his disappearance. Had she noticed anything suspicious? Has Keng mentioned anything unusual? She cursed herself for not paying more attention and taking those precious moments for granted.

The swings were empty, their chains creaking eerily in the breeze. They moved on to the climbing frame, the sandpit, and the merry-go-round, their search growing more frantic with each passing minute. Emerald’s heart pounded in her chest, the fear for her son’s safety eating her whole being.

“Maybe he’s in the restroom,” Liam suggested, his brow furrowed with worry. They hurried over and checked the small building near the playground. Emerald pushed open the door, calling Ace’s name. The restroom was empty, and the sterile smell of cleaning products filled the air.

Emerald felt a sob rise in her throat. “Liam, where is he?” Where’s my baby?” She leaned against the sink, her legs threatening to give away. Liam kneeled beside her, his gaze level with hers.

“We’ll find him,” he said. We have to stay strong for Ace. Let’s search the park again.”

The park beyond the playground was expansive, dotted with trees and benches. Parents strolled with their children, completely unaware of Emerald’s sorrow. She scanned each face, hoping against hope to see Nanny Keng’s familiar figure and Ace’s bright eyes and mischievous grin.

As they walked, Emerald’s mind spun through memories of Ace-his first steps and words, how he would cuddle up to her at night, his little arms wrapped around her neck. The thought of losing him was unbearable. She felt Liam’s steady presence beside her, a small comfort amid her panic.

They reached the park’s edge, where a small pond glimmered in the afternoon sun. “Ace!” she called out, her voice cracking. “Keng!” But only the ducks responded, quacking softly as they swam.

Emerald dropped to her knees, the weight of her fear and despair finally overwhelming her. Liam kneeled beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

“We’ll find him,” Emerald said. We won’t stop until we do,” he murmured, his voice gentle yet persistent. She nodded, taking a shuddering breath. She had to believe that. For Ace, she had to stay strong.

Feeling weak, they stood up and continued their search, their voices carrying Ace’s name through the park. Each step was closer to finding her son, and Emerald clung to that hope with every fiber of her being.

Young Morgan fumbled for her phone, her fingers trembling as she dialed Creep’s number.

“Creep, it’s me,” she said as soon as he picked up. Her voice was thick with urgency. “ACE is missing with his nanny from the playground. I need you to check every CCTV camera around the park. Please, hurry!”

“Whoa, Emerald, slow down.” Creep’s voice came through, calm and collected. “I got you. Give me a minute to access the feeds. “Where exactly did you last see him?”

“The park near our house, by the slide, near the center of the playground,” she replied, her voice cracking. Liam stood nearby, eyes scanning the surroundings as if Ace had materialized out of thin air.

“Got it. I’m logging in now. I’ll call you back as soon as I have something,” Creep assured her before hanging up.

Emerald felt a tiny flicker of hope as she pocketed her phone. She turned to Liam, who was already talking to a group of parents nearby, asking if they had seen Ace or nanny Keng. The parents shook their heads, their faces sympathetic but unhelpful.All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

“We should split up,” Liam suggested, returning to Emerald’s side. “I’ll check the parking lot and the entrances. You stay here in case Ace comes back. Keep your phone close.”

“Okay,” Emerald agreed, her voice barely more than a whisper. She watched as Liam jogged toward the parking lot, his determined figure soon blending into the distance.

Emerald took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. She began to search the playground again, calling out Ace’s name, her voice hoarse from shouting. Young Morgan checked every corner, every hiding spot, and every place too small for a child to fit in. Each time she found nothing, her heart sank further.

Her phone buzzed, startling her. She snatched it from her pocket, seeing Creep’s name on the screen.

“Tell me you found something,” she pleaded, answering the call.

“Emerald, I’ve got footage,” Creep said, his voice tense. “I saw Ace playing by the slide, and then Nanny Keng took his hand and led him toward the park’s north exit. It looks like they left the playground together. But something’s off-she was looking around nervously.”

“North exit?” Emerald echoed it, her mind racing. “That’s close to the main road. Did they get into a car?”

“I couldn’t see that from the camera angle,” Creep replied. “I’m trying to access more cameras in the area, but it’s taking some time. You should head that way and see if you find anything. I’ll keep you updated.”

“Thank you, Creep,” she said, her heart pounding. “Please, hurry.”

Emerald broke into a run, sprinting toward the north exit. Her surroundings blurred as she focused solely on reaching the spot Creep had mentioned. As she neared the exit, she desperately scanned the area, her eyes darting from person to person, searching for any sign of her son or his nanny.

“Liam!” she shouted, spotting him in the distance. “North exit! Creep saw them heading this way!”

Liam turned, his face glowing with hope, and jogged over to her. Together, they continued their search, asking everyone they passed if they had seen a young boy with a nanny. Most shook their heads, though one elderly woman mentioned seeing a woman and child hurriedly crossing the street about fifteen minutes ago.

“She said they crossed over there,” Emerald pointed out, her voice breathless. “Toward the shops.”

They hurried across the street, navigating through the busy crowd. The shops were bustling with afternoon activity, contrasting with Emerald’s anxiety. She looked around frantically, eyes scanning every face and small figure that might be Ace.

Her phone buzzed again, and she answered it without hesitation. “Creep?”

“I found more footage,” Creep said. “They walked down Maple Street, heading toward the alley behind the row of shops. I’m pulling up the footage from the alley now.”

Emerald and Liam turned down Maple Street, their pace quickening. The narrow alley was dimly lit, lined with dumpsters and delivery entrances. “There!” Liam pointed to a flash of movement at the far end of the alley.

Emerald’s heart leaped as they ran toward it, her breath coming in ragged gasps. As they reached the end of the alley, they saw a figure emerge-a woman with a small child in tow.

“Ace!” Emerald screamed, her voice breaking with relief and fear. The boy turned, his face lighting up as he saw his mother.

“Mommy!” Ace cried, breaking free from Nanny Keng’s grasp and running toward Emerald.

Young Morgan dropped to her knees, gathering Ace into her arms and holding him tightly as tears streamed down her face. “Oh, Ace, my baby, thank God,” she whispered, repeatedly kissing his head.

Liam reached them, eyes on the nanny, who stood frozen, her face pale. “What happened, Keng? Why did you take him?” he demanded.

The nanny’s eyes were wide with fear and confusion. “I thought someone was following us. I wanted to get Ace somewhere safe. I didn’t mean to scare anyone.”

Emerald looked up, her relief mingling with anger and confusion. “You should have told me! We were so worried.”

“I’m sorry,” Keng stammered. “I just wanted to protect him.”

Emerald hugged Ace tighter, her heart finally starting to calm. “Let’s go home,” she said softly, standing up and taking Ace’s hand. She turned to Liam, who gave her a reassuring nod.

“We’ll figure this out,” Liam said. “The important thing is that Ace is safe.”

Together, they walked back toward the park, Emerald never letting go of her son’s hand, vowing to let him out of her sight again.