Chapter 3

Elara instantly froze when she heard that. Her tongue felt too heavy to answer.

She accidentally glanced at her mother-in-law, whose face had turned sour as she glared at Elara.

“Isn't she Elara? Audrey's daughter-in-law?” another guest chimed in.

The woman who had just spoken to her looked awkward. “Oh! I am so sorry, my mistake,” she said. “I didn't realize you were Elara.”

Elara forced a faint smile. “It is alright.”

For a moment, the atmosphere felt incredibly awkward.

“Do you work?”

The question slipped out in a light tone, just making small talk.

Elara almost opened her mouth to answer, but Audrey cut in first.

“Elara just stays at home. It is Garrett's responsibility to provide for the family.”

The guest chuckled. “Well, that makes sense. Especially with such a successful husband, why bother working?”

The conversation continued with laughter, while Elara could only stay silent, finishing her task before returning to the kitchen.

Another guest chimed in with a soft laugh. “Yes, it must be nice. No need to stress over a job. Just stay home, cook, and clean. You can relax in the morning and rest in the afternoon. It must not be tiring at all.”

“Exactly! If my daughter had the choice, she would love to be a housewife too,” added someone else. “Unfortunately, my son-in-law is not as successful as Garrett. So... my daughter still has to work her nine-to-five job.”

The living room was filled with laughter.

Elara remained silent. Once all the guests had their tea and pastries, she slowly retreated back to the kitchen.

Nice?

Elara held back a bitter laugh. Did they really think she could just sit back and enjoy a carefree life?

From morning until night, her hands never stopped working. Washing, cooking, cleaning a house that was never truly tidy because no one else cared.

When others came home from work and could relax a little, she was still busy making sure everyone had a comfortable meal in a house that had to be spotless.

But who cared? To them, a woman like Elara should feel lucky.

After making sure all the dishes were neatly arranged on the dining table, she took a deep breath before stepping into the living room, where her mother-in-law was still busy chatting with the guests.

"Mother," she said politely. "Lunch is ready."

Audrey glanced briefly at Elara before smiling back at her guests.

"Please, let's eat," she said warmly, standing up from her seat.

The guests followed her at a leisurely pace, still engrossed in their conversation. A few of them turned to Elara, giving her passing smiles.

Once everyone was seated, Elara quickly poured water into the empty glasses, making sure all the guests had something to drink.

"Are you not going to eat with us?" one of the guests asked. Her voice sounded friendly, though to Elara's ears, it felt more like confusion.

Elara smiled faintly. "I have to pick up Ollie from school first," she replied.

"Oh, right, right. A housewife is always busy, isn't she?"

Elara just gave a small nod without answering.

Meanwhile, Audrey said nothing. She was busy ladling soup into her own bowl.

To her, Elara's duty was to handle everything, including picking up Ollie.

When Elara arrived at the kindergarten playground to pick up Ollie, something felt different.

The atmosphere, usually loud with children's laughter, was now filled with anxious whispers and hurried footsteps. Teachers and school staff were rushing around, their faces tense.

"Anya is missing!" a teacher's panicked voice rang out from the crowd.

Elara felt Ollie's body tense up beside her. Out of reflex, she pulled her son closer.

In the middle of the crowd stood a woman with a frantic expression. She was Anya's aunt. Her face was pale, and her lips trembled as she repeatedly dialed a number on her phone.

Elara wanted to look away. She was already tired enough with her own life. A missing child was not her business.

But just as she was about to turn around, the image of little Anya crossed her mind. If the little girl was really missing, she might be out there somewhere, terrified.

Elara took a deep breath, then crouched down to be at eye level with Ollie. "Do you know where Anya went?" she asked gently.

Ollie shook his head fast, a little too fast. There was something in his eyes. Hesitation. Restlessness.

Elara took a deep breath, choosing her words carefully. "Anya is still little, just like you. If you suddenly disappeared, I would be so worried and sad. Think of Anya's family, they must be so confused and sad looking for her."

Ollie lowered his head. "Earlier... earlier Anya said she wanted to hide," he mumbled softly, almost inaudibly.

Elara held her breath. "Do you know where she is hiding?"

Ollie bit his lip, then whispered something.

After hearing Ollie's whisper, Elara didn't waste any time. She immediately grabbed her son's hand and walked quickly out of the school gates.

Not far from there was an ice cream cart. And right there, she found the little girl named Anya.

Anya was standing alone near the cart, swinging her small feet as if she was waiting for something.

Elara let out a sigh of relief. With slow steps, she approached the little girl.

"Do you want some ice cream, Anya?" she asked gently, trying to make her voice sound as calm as possible.

Anya gave a slight jolt and turned around. Her tiny lips pouted in annoyance, then she shot Ollie a sharp glare.

Ollie looked down, avoiding Anya's gaze. His hand gripped Elara's fingers tighter, feeling a bit guilty for telling his mother.

Elara smiled patiently, crouching down to be at Anya's eye level. "Everyone is looking for you, sweetie. Your teacher is so worried because she couldn't find you at school."

Anya lowered her head.

Without saying a word, Elara took out some cash and bought two ice creams. She gave one to Ollie, and the other to Anya.

“If you want to leave the school, you have to tell your teacher first, okay?” Elara said softly as she handed Anya the ice cream.

Anya looked up, staring at Elara for a moment before finally giving a slow nod and taking the treat.

"Come on, let's go back to school," Elara offered, reaching her hand out to Anya.

Instead of obeying, Anya ran away.

Elara panicked. She immediately called the school to tell them her current location, then chased after Anya while carrying Ollie in her arms.

“Anya, wait!”

Anya only stopped when they reached a nearby park. The little girl then sat quietly on a bench, enjoying her ice cream.

Not long after, their teacher, Miss Riley, and Anya's aunt arrived. But instead of looking relieved, the aunt looked furious.

"What did you give her?!" she snapped at Elara.

The woman snatched the ice cream out of Anya's hands and threw it straight onto the ground.

She then glared fiercely at Elara. "Who do you think you are? Kidnapping my niece and feeding her junk! Do you want to make her sick?!"